THE ANALYTICAL METHOD IN SOIL MECHANICS

This article is the text of the fourteenth rankine lecture delivered under the auspices of British Geotechnical Society. Examples are given of the derivation of tentative models in the field of soil mechanics by analysing, abstracting, synthesising and idealising various situations. Problems where cause and effect are not disproportionately related are considered. The first example cited is the application of elastic theory to predict the immediate settlement of a structure founded on a layer of saturated clay, and the way in which the elastic theory is modified by the influence of heterogeneity and anisotropy. The solution to this general example is considered by taking a particular case of a load distributed uniformly over a circular area. The classical elastic theory is extended to take into account the influence of three factors 1) layer depth 2) elastic heterogeneity and 3) elastic orthotropy in relation to the undrained deformation properties of london clay. Several other settlement problems are quoted to show how the analytical method focusses attention on broad trends and helps distinguish factors of primary importance from those of a secondary nature. /TRRL/

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00168505
• Corporate Authors:

  Institution of Civil Engineers

  One Great George Street, Westminster
  London,   United Kingdom  SW1P 3AA
• Authors:
  • Gibson, R E
• Publication Date: 1974-6

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 115-140
• Serial:
  • GEOTECHNIQUE
  • Volume: 24
  • Issue Number: 2
  • Publisher: Thomas Telford Limited
  • ISSN: 0016-8505

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Analysis; Clay; Deformation; Elasticity (Mechanics); Foundations; Ground settlement; Heterogeneity; Isotropy; Load transfer; Mathematical models; Percent saturation; Samples; Saturated soils; Settlement (Structures); Soil mechanics; Structures
• Old TRIS Terms: Elastic theory; Isolation
• ITRD Terms: 6471: Analysis (math); 4177: Clay; 5595: Deformation; 5907: Degree of saturation (mater); 3355: Engineering structure; 3377: Foundation; 5915: Heterogeneity; 5917: Isotropic; 6473: Mathematical model; 5792: Settlement; 5755: Soil mechanics
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Geotechnology; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00125135
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 18 1975 12:00AM