3D FE tool for time dependent settlement predictions

Abstract

A newly developed calculation tool for fully coupled general 3D finite element consolidation analyses is presented. The development has been part of an ongoing Research and Development project called GeoFuture and the tool is implemented into the commercial geotechnical software Novapoint GeoSuite. There, the tool is part of an integrated software system for handling geotechnical and geometrical data, with wiki based user assistance for selection of material properties and controlling the simulations, and 3D graphical visualization of input data and results. The paper gives the main background and features of the calculation tool. To demonstrate some of the capabilities of the tool, back-calculations of the measured long-term settlements of a heavy building on a deep soft clay layer in Oslo centrum are presented.