FEA & Constitutive Modelling in Geomechanics

Lecture - 19
In situ stresses, Construction & Excavation sequences

Rajagopal Karpurapu
Professor & PK Aravindan Institute Chair (Retd)
IIT Madras & Adjunct Professor of Civil Engineering
Andhra University, Visakhapatnam 530 003
E-mail: profkrg@gmail.com
➢ Before performing any finite element analysis, it is important
to initialize the in situ stress state in the geological media as
accurately as possible
➢ Both strength and stiffness of geological materials are very
much dependent on the stress state
➢ In situ vertical stress is estimated using the unit weight of the
material. Usually, this estimate is reasonably accurate as the
unit weight has very small range of variation.
➢ In situ lateral stresses can be estimated using pressure
meter apparatus, dilatometer apparatus, etc.
➢ Lateral earth pressures could be high in case of over
consolidated clay soils, in hilly regions or in seismically
active regions

FEA&CM Lecture-19 2
Stress-strain response at different confining pressures
6000
345 kPa
690 kPa
5000 1035 kPa
1725 kPa
deviatoric stress (kPa)

4000

3000

2000

1000

0
0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.07 0.08
axial strain

FEA&CM Lecture-19 3
 Volume change behaviour at different confining pressures
volumetric strain
0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.07 0.08
0

-0.005
volumetric strain

-0.01

-0.015

-0.02
345 kPa, dilation=0
1035 kPa, dilation=0
345 kPa, dilation=6
690 kPa, dilation=4
-0.025
690 kPa, dilation=0
1725 kPa, dilation=0
345 kPa, dilation=4
1035 kPa, dilation=4

FEA&CM Lecture-19 4
 In situ stresses below level ground
➢ Vertical stress, zz = .z
➢ Lateral stresses, xx, yy = Ko. zz
➢ Ko is the at rest earth pressure coefficient
➢ The above stresses are directly assigned at each integration
point within the elements based on the depth below the
surface.
➢ Equilibrium of the system is ensured by calculating the
equivalent nodal forces as [B]T{}dv and applying them on
the system
➢ When the ground surface is inclined, the stress state will be
more complicated due to the shear stresses – in such cases
dummy analysis is performed.

FEA&CM Lecture-19 5
 Relation between Ko and Poisson’s ratio
Generalized stress-strain relations from Hooke’s theory,

  yy
 xx = xx − −   zz
E E E
  yy
 yy =− xx + −   zz
E E E
  yy  zz
 zz =− xx − +
E E E

FEA&CM Lecture-19 6
 Relation between Ko and Poisson’s ratio

If x and y are the lateral directions, the strains in these two directions
are zero as per the definition of at rest state of stresses

 xx = 0   xx =  ( yy +  zz )
 yy = 0   yy =  ( xx +  zz )
By solving the above two equations, we get


 xx =  yy =  zz = K o  zz = K o  z
1− 

 Ko
Ko = =
1−  1+ Ko
FEA&CM Lecture-19 7
 Relation between Ko and Poisson’s ratio

If Ko=2  =2/3=0.667 (>0.50),

Ko=3  =3/4=0.75 , etc.
If Ko=1  =0.50 which leads to indeterminate matrices. Hence,  is
set to 0.499

▪ Self-weight is applied with this dummy Poisson’s

ratio to generate the required in situ stress state.
▪ All displacements and strains are set to zero after
generating the in situ stresses
▪ The Poisson’s ratio of soil is reset to the actual value
before proceeding with further analysis

FEA&CM Lecture-19 8
➢ Only after in situ stresses are initialized in the soil, further
calculations like construction, excavation, etc. are
performed.
➢ For excavation problems, Ko is a very important
parameter.
➢ Large Ko values represent over consolidated clay deposits
or other geological conditions such as soil in a valley,
squeezing rocks, etc.
➢ Deformations of under ground excavations and the
support forces for deep excavations very much depend on
Ko value.
➢ The factor of safety of excavated slopes also depends on
the Ko value
FEA&CM Lecture-19 9
For initializing the in situ stresses, a dummy analysis is performed
𝐾𝑜
using the Pseudo Poisson’s ratio 𝜇ҧ =
1+𝐾𝑜
Standard geotechnical boundary conditions are ideally suited to apply
Ko state of stress in the foundation soil

Standard geotechnical boundary conditions are: nodes on both vertical

sides supported by smooth rollers and nodes at the bottom surfaces are
fixed to simulate rough, rigid conditions of hard strata.

Soil in Ko state

FEA&CM Lecture-19 10
➢ After the self weight is initialized, all strains
and deformations are set to zero before
external loads are applied
➢ This follows the assumption that the
foundation soil has already undergone the pre-
consolidation settlements in the geological
past, unless it is a fresh deposit.

FEA&CM Lecture-19 11
Deformations under self-weight with Ko=0.6

FEA&CM Lecture-19 12
In situ pressures with Ko=0.6

FEA&CM Lecture-19 13
Deformation pattern with Ko=2.5

FEA&CM Lecture-19 14
In situ stresses with Ko=2.5

FEA&CM Lecture-19 15
 Staged construction
➢ First, foundation soil is placed and its self weight is initialized
➢ Next Layer-1 is constructed – corresponding elements are
activated and their self-weight is applied on the mesh
➢ Subsequent layers are activated in further stages

Layer-3

Layer-2

Layer-1

Foundation soil

FEA&CM Lecture-19 16
 Simulation of construction

➢ New elements are placed in the mesh

➢ Size of mesh is increased with the addition of
these new elements
➢ Their contribution to the stiffness matrix is
considered and their self-weight is added to
the force vector as ‫ 𝑏 𝑇]𝑁[׬‬. 𝑑𝑣
➢ Lot of book keeping is involved in simulating
construction

FEA&CM Lecture-19 17
 Simulation of Excavations in Finite Element Analysis

➢ Elements & nodes corresponding to excavated zone are

removed from mesh.
➢ Contribution of excavated elements to stiffness matrix is
not considered while assembling
➢ Excavated free surfaces are made traction free

FEA&CM Lecture-19 18
 Traction free surfaces

FEA&CM Lecture-19 19
 Procedure to make the surface as traction free
The excavated surface is made traction free by applying
the nodal forces corresponding to the released stresses in
the opposite direction on the nodes at the free surface

[𝐾]𝑡 𝑑𝛿 𝑖 = {𝑃}𝑒𝑥𝑡𝑖 − න [𝐵]𝑇 {𝜎}𝑖−1 . 𝑑𝑣

𝑣
➢ (i-1) refers to the previous step of analysis when the
excavated elements were active in the mesh
➢ In the current step (i), contribution of excavated
elements to the stiffness matrix & self-weight load
vector are not considered
FEA&CM Lecture-19 20
Foundation soil at equilibrium under its own self-weight

FEA&CM Lecture-19 21
Sheet pile placed in position in the soil – installation stresses
are not considered

FEA&CM Lecture-19 22
First layer of soil removed from mesh

FEA&CM Lecture-19 23
2nd layer of soil removed & strut placed to provide additional
support to the sheet pile

FEA&CM Lecture-19 24
One more layer of soil removed

FEA&CM Lecture-19 25
Ground heaving due to excavation of soil – heave and
lateral deformations function of Ko state of stresses &
support given by sheet pile & struts
Finite element programs are
used to design the deep
excavations instead of simple
hand calculations –
deformations can also be
estimated with different
types of supports

FEA&CM Lecture-19 26
SCALE:

.0049

FEA&CM Lecture-19 27
SUBSIDENCE PREDICTIONS FOR SINGARENI COAL FIELDS (SCF)
Overburden depth = 100m, thickness of coal seam=3 m

100m

Pillar
Longwall panel A Longwall panel B

A B B 3m
A

30m

150m 150m 150m 150m

30m

FEA&CM Lecture-19 28
 Ground subsidence due to Long wall tunnelling

•Coal is exavated and tunnel roof was allowed to deform freely

•If the tunnel roof had deformed more than the thickness of
extraction, analysis was performed again with displacement
control on the tunnel roof

free node deformed nodes

free node

deformed
thickness
position of
nodes

FEA&CM Lecture-19 29/42

 6-node vertical
joint elemets
Nodes

8-node continuum
elements

6-node horizontal
joint elements

FEA&CM Lecture-19 30
 Properties of soil layers at Singareni coal mines

Properties Coal Non-coal Bedding

planes/join
ts
Young’s 2.58 13 -
modulus,
GPa.
Poisson’s 0.3 0.28 -
ratio
Unit weight 15.9 22.0 -
kN/m3
Cohesion 2 3.7 0
MPa.
Friction 20 43 30
angle
Normal - - 417
stiffness,
MPa/m.
Shear - - 167
stiffness,
MPa/m.

FEA&CM Lecture-19 31
•The longwall panels (150 m) separated by a barrier
pillar (30 m width)
•The problem was analysed as a plane strain case
•Medium is discontinuous with vertical joints at 20 m
horizontal spacing and horizontal joints at 2 m vertical
intervals till 24 m above tunnel roof and 10 m thereafter
•Elasto-plastic continuum material and joint elements ..
behaviour governed by Mohr-Coulomb yield function,
F = (1-sin)1 - (1+sin)3 - 2 c cos
•2 materials .. coal seam and non-coal (material
properties reported by Naik and Rao 1999)
•In situ state of stress with Ko=0.6

FEA&CM Lecture-19 32
No. of nodes in mesh = 7417
No. of 8-node elements - 1484
No. of 6-node joint elements = 1252

Analysis performed in 2000 load steps with 75

iterations per load step

CPU time  24 hours

FEA&CM Lecture-19 33
FINITE ELEMENT MESH USED IN THE ANALYSIS
FEA&CM Lecture-19 34
 0.0

-1.0
subsidence (m)

-2.0

predicted
observed

-3.0
0 200 400 600 800
distance (m)

Surface subsidence at Singareni coal mines

FEA&CM Lecture-19 35
Subsidence predictions for Northern Appalachian coal mines
(in USA)

•Symmetric 2-dimensional three panel model

•Vertical section across Longwall panels treating the
problem as plane strain
•Considers elasto-plastic material behaviour governed by
Drucker-Prager elasto-plastic constitutive model
•equation of Drucker Prager model f = I1 + J 2 = k
•11 soil layers, the top being sandstone and the bottom
most being claystone (properties reported by Su 1991)
•in situ state of stress Ko=0.6

FEA&CM Lecture-19 36
 216.4
m

1.83
m

37.49
m 182.88m

FINITE ELEMENT MESH

FEA&CM Lecture-19 37
 Finite element mesh
•Total number of nodes =8149
•Total number of elements =3074
•Total number of load steps = 2000
•75 iterations per load step
•Displacements restrained to 1.63m. on the coal roof for the
complete width of the panels

•CPU time is approx. 26 hours

FEA&CM Lecture-19 38
 Soil Young’s Poisson’s Cohesion Friction
layers Modulus ratio (MPa) angle
below (GPa) (degree)
ground
surface
Sandstone 22.14 0.22 13.82 42
SW 14.76 0.22 18.27 33
sandstone
RS 17.71 0.22 16.24 38
Limeston
e
FP 29.52 0.18 20.67 40
Limeston
e
Shale 11.81 0.25 11.42 26
with
sandstone
BW 22.14 0.22 9.39 38
Limeston
e
Limey 14.76 0.25 13.82 35
Shale
Interbedd 11.81 0.25 11.95 35
ed shale
Surface 1.181 0.35 1.476 25
material
Coal 2.95 0.35 6.327 35
Claystone 8.85 0.30 5.314 30
FEA&CM Lecture-19 39
DEFORMED MESH
FEA&CM Lecture-19 40
 0.0

subsidence (m) -0.4

-0.8

-1.2
Predicted
Observed

0 200 400 600 800

distance (m)
surface subsidence profiles for
Appalachian coalmines
FEA&CM Lecture-19 41
Effect of Ko on subsidence; w/h=1.4
FEA&CM Lecture-19 42/54
 0

-1
subsidence (m)

h=50 m, t=3 m

-2 w/h=0.80
w/h=1.20
w/h=1.40

-3
0 40 80 120 160
distance (m)

Effect of panel width on subsidence

FEA&CM Lecture-19 43
Major principal stress contours for sub-critical case,
FEA&CM Lecture-19 44
w/h=0.8
Major principal stress contours for critical case, w/h=1.4

FEA&CM Lecture-19 45
Major principal stress contours with pillar width of 30 m

FEA&CM Lecture-19 46
Major principal stress contours with Ko=2.0 and w/h=1.6

FEA&CM Lecture-19 47
 Neyveli Lignite Corporation
• Lignite is extracted from a depth of about 60 m to 150 m
depth in an open cast mine. How to excavate to that depth
in a most economical manner with least bench width and
maximum bench height?

FEA&CM Lecture-19 48/54

 Bench height=?

bench Bench width=?

slope ?

What should be the maximum bench height,

bench width & slope angle to achieve the most
optimum mining configuration

FEA&CM Lecture-19 49/54

Finite element analysis of mine slopes at Neyveli – 6 node triangles
FEA&CM Lecture-19 50/54
Finite element mesh for slope stability analysis after full
excavation – 3 node triangular elements four per rectangle

FEA&CM Lecture-19 51/54

The slope stability problem can be easily simulated in finite
element analysis by series of excavations of soil to form the
slopes..

Factors of safety for the first 60 m excavation below ground

level with different bench heights (bench width=30m)

Bench Slope Minimum factor of

height angle safety
Slope Finite
stability Element
programs Analysis
15 m 45 2.3 2.4
50 1.9 2.05
60 1.5 1.73
20 m 45 2.1 2.2
50 1.4 1.6
60 1.2 1.35
FEA&CM Lecture-19 52/54
 Factors of safety for inside fill area with 30 m bench width

Bench height Slope Factor of safety

(m) angle ()
20 50 1.6
60 1.5
70 1.4
25 50 1.5
60 1.4
70 1.3
30 50 1.4
60 1.3
70 1.2
35 45 1.4
50 1.3
55 1.3
60 1.2
40 30 1.6
40 1.5
50 1.3
60 1.2
FEA&CM Lecture-19 53/54
Analysis of deep excavated slope stabilized by soil nails

FEA&CM Lecture-19 54/54

FEA & Constitutive Modelling in Geomechanics
Lecture - 19
In situ stresses, Construction & Excavation sequences

K. Rajagopal
Professor & PK Aravindan Institute Chair
Department of Civil Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Madras
Chennai, India 600 036
E-mail: profkrg@gmail.com