Geotechnical Examples using

OpenSees

Pedro Arduino
University of Washington, Seattle

OpenSees Days 2014,

Beyond the Basics, Friday September 26, 2014
U.C. Berkeley, CA
Outline
¡  Take advantage of tcl scripting!!
l  OpenSees Wiki Geotechnical Examples
l  Useful links

¡  Take advantage of pre- and post- processors

l  GID, just one possible alternative J

¡  Some recent research projects completed

using OpenSees
l  Dynamic analysis of piles
l  Analysis of complete bridge system
l  3D analysis of piles
l  3D Analysis of bridge abutment
Take advantage of tcl scripting!!
¡  tcl can be used to develop scripts for
geotechnical applications.
¡  Possible applications:
l  Laterally Loaded Pile Foundation – (similar to lpile)
l  One-Dimensional Consolidation
l  Total Stress Site Response Analysis of a Layered
Soil Column- (similar to shake)
l  Effective Stress Site Response Analysis of a layered
Soil Column
l  Dynamic Effective Stress Analysis of a Slope
l  Excavation Supported by Cantelever Sheet Pile Wall
l  Other ….
OpenSees Wiki Geotechnical
Examples
http://opensees.berkeley.edu/wiki/index.php/Examples
 Other useful tcl scripts @

¡  http://opensees.berkeley.edu/

¡  http://sokocalo.engr.ucdavis.edu/~jeremic

¡  http://cyclic.ucsd.edu/opensees/

¡  http://www.ce.washington.edu/~geotech/
opensees/PEER/davis_meeting/

¡  http://opensees.berkeley.edu/wiki/index.php/
Examples
 Pseudo-Static Pile Pushover Analysis
This example describes how to run a pushover
analysis of a pile in OpenSees.

The model is created in 3D. Pile nodes have 6 DOF,

and the soil nodes have 3 DOF.

The pile is modeled using the dispBeamColumn

element with an elastic fiber section for linear elastic
constitutive behavior.

The soil is represented by p-y, t-z, and Q-z springs

using the PySimple1, TzSimple1, and QzSimple1
uniaxial materials with zeroLength elements.

The pile and spring nodes are tied together using the
equalDOF command.
Pseudo-Static Pile Pushover Analysis
results of pushover analysis for a fixed-head pile
 1D Consolidation

This example describes how to run a total 1D soil

consolidation analysis in OpenSees.

A column of soil is modeled in 2D using the

9_4_QuadUP element. This element has nine nodes.
The nodes in the corners of the element have an
additional degree-of-freedom for pore pressure.

The surcharge load is applied as a constant

timeseries inside of a plain load pattern. A
transient analysis is conducted due to the time-
dependent nature of consolidation.
 1D Consolidation
excess pore pressure: double drainage single drainage

other results: vertical effective stress vertical settlement

 Total Stress Site Response Analysis
This example describes how to run a total stress
site response analysis in OpenSees.

A layered soil profile is modeled in 2D using nodes

with 2 DOF.

Periodic boundary conditions are enforced in horiz.

direction using the equalDOF command

The plane strain formulation of the 4-node

quadrilateral element quad is used for the soil.

Soil constitutive models include:

PressureDependMultiYield
PressureIndependMultiYield

A compliant base is considered using a viscous

dashpot modeled using a zeroLength element and the
viscous uniaxial material.
 Total Stress Site Response Analysis
comparison with other analytical methods
Input motion
surface acceleration

surface response spectra surface response spectra

 Effective Stress Site Response Analysis
This example describes how to run an effective stress
site response analysis in OpenSees.

The approach is similar to the total stress analysis. A

layered soil profile is modeled in 2D with periodic
displacement boundary conditions enforced using the
equalDOF command and a compliant base is considered
using a viscous dashpot modeled using a zeroLength
element and the viscous uniaxial material.

The 9_4_QuadUP element is used to model the soil.

This element considers the interaction between the
pore fluid and the solid soil skeleton, allowing for
phenomena such as liquefaction to be modeled.

The PressureDependMultiYield02 constitutive model

is used for the soil.
Effective Stress Site Response Analysis

summary of soil behavior at three depths within the soil profile

3D Effective Stress Site Response Analysis

displacement of soil column during analysis with contours of excess

pore pressure ratio
 Dynamic Analysis of 2D Slope

Model
Finiteproblem:
element mesh:

This example presents a 2D effective stress analysis of a slope subject to an earthquake

ground motion.

The elements and constitutive models match those used in the site response analysis
examples.

The free-field soil response is applied to the model using free-field columns which are much
more massive than the adjacent soil.
 Dynamic Analysis of 2D Slope
excess pore pressure ratio lateral displacement

shear stress-strain
excess pore pressure ratio
contours near slope
 Dynamic Analysis of 2D Slope
displacement of full mesh during analysis showing propagation of shear
stress waves
Dynamic Analysis of 2D Slope
displacement near the slope with contours of excess pore pressure ratio
(red is ru = 1.0)
 Excavation Analysis
This example presents a simulated excavation supported by a
sheet pile wall using OpenSees.

The sheet pile wall is modeled using the dispBeamColumn element

with an elastic fiber section for linear elastic constitutive behavior.

The soil-wall interface is modeled using the BeamContact2D

element.

The InitialStateAnalysis feature is used to create the gravitational

state of stress in the model without accompanying displacements.

The plane strain formulation of the quad element is used for the
soil with the PressureDependMultiYield nDMaterial for constitutive
behavior.

Soil elements to the right of the wall are progressively removed to

simulate an excavation.
 Excavation Analysis
shear and moment in the wall wall-soil contact forces

vertical stress contours shear stress contours

Excavation Analysis

Nodal displacement magnitude during the excavation analysis

Excavation Analysis
shear and moment in the wall during the excavation analysis
Take advantage of pre- and post-
processors
¡  Difficult to create tcl scripts for complex
boundary value geotechnical problems.
l  complex foundation configurations
l  embankments
l  wharves
l  bridges
l  3-D analysis
¡  Need to use pre- and post processors to
create meshes and visualize results
¡  GID, just one possible alternative J
GiD Problem Type for 2D Analysis
Create geometry and select problemType

Assign boundary conditions

GiD Problem Type
Assign materials to the geometry

Generate mesh and OpenSees input file

Some research projects completed
using OpenSees
l  Dynamic analysis of piles

l  Analysis of complete bridge

system

l  3D analysis of piles

l  3D analysis of bridge abutment

Dynamic Analysis of Piles in OpenSees
SPSI modeling in OpenSees
Two-column Bent

Northridge motion, amax = 0.25g

Northridge motion, amax = 0.74g

Two-span bridge
Two-span bridge

Bent-S Bent-L Bent-M

SPSI of a complete bridge system

•  Five-span bridge •  lateral spreading

•  pile group foundation •  earthquake intensities
•  abutment •  uncertainties
•  liquefiable soil / various layers
SPSI of a complete bridge system

•  Five-span bridge
• Approach embankments
•  Variable thickness of liquefiable soil
 SPSI of a complete bridge system

Mackie &
Stojadinovic
(2003) C
L
Pile cap passive abutment
Bearing pad spring
earth pressure reaction spring
spring

clay
py spring py
(liquefiable)
(dry sand) liquefiabl
e soil
py (stiff clay)

Pressure Dependent
Nonlinear fiber Pressure Multi Yield material
beam column Independent Multi
Yield material
SPSI of a complete bridge system

Bridge Idealization

OpenSees model
SPSI of a complete bridge system

Soil Strain Profile during shaking

time time

Northridge motion (0.25g)

SPSI of a complete bridge system

Soil Strain Profile during shaking

time time

Loma Prieta (1.19g)

SPSI of a complete bridge system

Max. pile demand

displacement
20 cm
90 cm

ru

Erzincan, Turkey 1992 (amax = 0.70g)

3D Pile Analysis

Solid-Solid Model Beam-Solid Model

 3D Pile Analysis
Axially Loaded Piles
n  Evaluation of pile forces and accumulation of side resistance
Qtotal
Applied force at pile head

Self-weight forces

Q
Force at piletoetoe

Full friction mobilization

Qtotal = Qtoe + Qside
fc

Sticking interface behavior

Zero friction under self-weight Qside= πB Σ fc dz

fc = σh(z) tan δ
3D Pile Analysis
Laterally Loaded Piles (solid-beam contact element)
¡  Perform numerical load test ¡  Compare results

3x Magnification
3D Pile Analysis
Lateral Spreading Effects
Lateral
The
Beam-solid
soilspreading
pile is modeled
contact
is elements
with
modeled
brick
beam-column
by
are
elements
applying
used to
elements
and
model
a free-field
a Drucker-Prager
the soil-pile
displacement
interface
profile to the
constitutive
boundary of model
the model
to capture pressure-dependent strength
 3D Pile Analysis
Lateral Spreading Effects
The beam-solid contact elements enable the use of standard beam-column elements
for the pile

This allows forthe

Additionally, simple recovery
surface of acting
traction the shear force
on the and bending
pile-soil moment
interface can be
demands
recoveredplaced upon the
and resolved pilethe forces applied by the soil to the pile
into
 3D Pile Analysis
Lateral Spreading Effects
Work with 3D FE models has shown that use of a general pile deformation creates p-y
curves which are influenced by the selected pile kinematics

A rigid pile kinematic is used to evenly activate the soil response with depth and to obtain
p-y curves which are free from the influence of pile kinematics, reflecting only the
response of the soil.

Computational process
 3D Pile Analysis
Lateral Spreading Effects

The presence of the weaker liquefied layer

effectively reduces the available resistance
of the adjacent portions of the unliquefied Homogenous soil profile
soil
This is manifested in a reduction in the
ultimate lateral resistance of the p-y curves
near the liquefied layer
Liquefied soil profile

The initial stiffness of the unliquefied soil is

also reduced, but the effect is more local to
the liquefied interface
3D Pile Analysis
Lateral Spreading Effects

Shear diagrams Bending Moment diagrams

Location and value of maxV and maxM changes

with soil displacement
 Recent Improvements at UW
Efficient solid element formulations would greatly benefit the performance of any
simulation

How can we obtain more efficient finite element formulations?

►  Reduced integration
The integration of a typical 4-node quadrilateral element involves 4 integrations
points. If this could be reduced to only a single integration point, that’s 4 times
less work. In 3D, it would be 8 times less work.

Can this be done?

►  There are issues which must be overcome in order to use single point
integration. The stiffness matrix becomes rank deficient, leading to
spurious modes

►  Stabilization techniques can be used to overcome the rank deficiency

► Asingle-point integration element with assumed strain hourglass stabilization has

been implemented in OpenSees à SSPquad

10/1/14 47
 Stabilized Single-Point Quad
Element
The single-point element is less computationally demanding than the
corresponding full integration element.

Site response analysis test problem

Execution time: Quad element = 330 sec SSPquad element = 146 sec
10/1/14 48
 Modeling Tools and
Improvements
Liquefaction and lateral spreading involve saturated soil. When saturated, soil
behavior can be described as a two-phase medium.

Finite element formulations have been developed to consider this aspect of soil
behavior (Zienkiewicz and Shiomi 1984, Prevost)

The SSPquad element has been extended for use in the analysis of fluid saturated
porous media. This new element has also been implemented in OpenSees à
SSPquadUP

The SSPquadUP element uses a mixed pressure-displacement formulation

commonly known as the u-p approach.

A staggered time integration scheme is used to introduce unconditional stability in

the temporal solution and to symmetrize the coupled system.

Near the incompressible-impermeable limit, this element does not satisfy the inf-
sup condition, and stability of the pressure field solution cannot be guaranteed. A
consistent stabilizing term is added to the system.

10/1/14 49
 Recent Improvement
Stabilized u-p Quad Element
The SSPquadUP element is evaluated using several test problems. The results are
compared to a nine-node quad element with a u-p formulation.

Flexible footing load test problem

10/1/14 50
 Recent Improvements
Stabilized u-p Quad Element
The effectiveness of the pressure field stabilization near the incompressible limit can
be demonstrated by comparing the pore pressure distribution for stabilized and
unstabilized cases.

9 node quad
unstabilized element
SSPquadUP stabilized SSPquadUP

10/1/14 51
 Recent Improvements
Stabilized u-p Quad Element
A site response analysis is conducted to gauge the robustness and efficiency
of the SSPquadUP element.

Surface response spectra

10/1/14 52
Other Applications: Piles in
Sloping Ground, Bridge bent
analysis
Application
Numerical Analysis of Mataquito River bridge

1D Modeling Approach
Prototype

2D Modeling Approach 3D Modeling Approach

Application
Numerical Analysis of Mataquito River bridge
Modeling the abutment and grouped shaft foundation

Bridge deck spring

Application
Numerical Analysis of Mataquito River bridge
3D Applied Kinematic Model

3D Applied Kinematic Model

Application
Numerical Analysis of Mataquito River bridge
3D Applied Kinematic Model
Application
Numerical Analysis of Mataquito River bridge
3D Applied Kinematic Model
Application
Numerical Analysis of Mataquito River bridge
3D Applied Kinematic Model
Application
Numerical Analysis of Mataquito River bridge
3D Applied Kinematic Model
Application
Numerical Analysis of Mataquito River bridge
Deformation of shafts with contact forces acting on their surfaces
Application
3D Parametric Study
Application
3D Parametric Study
Liquefiable Layer Thickness
Liquefiable 1m 3m 6m Embankment
Layer Depth Width

1m 4m

3m 8m

6m 16 m
Application
3D Parametric Study
Application
3D Parametric Study
Application
3D Parametric Study
 Representative Case History

Llacolén Bridge – Concepción – Chile

¡  Across Bío-Bío river - Length : 2160 m
¡  Completed in 2000
¡  Simply supported precast pre-stressed concrete
girder
¡  Column bent with inverted-T cap beam
¡  Two seismic bars between each adjacent girder

February 27, 2010 Maule earthquake

¡  Moment Magnitude 8.8
¡  Duration more than 2 minutes
¡  Depth 35 Km
¡  105 Km North-East of Concepción
Photo by Catalina Prussing
Bridge Damage – Lateral Spreading

¡  Unseated span due to lateral

spreading

Concepción

Source: FHWA-HRT-11-030

San Pedro de la Paz

 Bridge Damage – Lateral Spreading
Source: Olsen, Michael J. et al (2012)

Source: FHWA-HRT-11-030

Source: Mitchell, Denis et al (2012)

 Bridge Damage – Lateral Spreading

¡  Relative
movement of
columns with Unseated
Span
respect to their - ~ 11 cm
- In the
- ~ 16 cm
- In the
bases direction of direction of
lateral lateral
spreading spreading

- Increasing from 1.26 cm

to 11.96 cm
- Opposite to lateral
spreading direction

~0 cm

Source: Olsen, Michael J. et al (2012)

3-D Finite Element Model
Llacolén Bridge – Structural Details
3-D Finite Element Model

25.05 m
70.0 m
 3-D Finite Element Model

Bridge deck spring

Columns’ and Piles’ Sections
Elastic bending stiffness

Concrete and Steel Uniaxial Material Constitutive Models

Kinematic Loading
 Results – Pile Pinning and 3-D Geometrical
Effects
Contour of Pile and Column Response
piles displacements:

Pier without deck spring

Foundation cap depth

Pier with deck spring

 Results – Structural Demands
Relative
Free field Columns reached
movement of
displacement = 30.5 maximum
cm column’s head to
moment capacity
its base

Mmax = 3000 kN.m

Mmax = 4200 kN.m

Mmax = 8900 kN.m

Effects of foundation
cap on the shear
Mmax = 7100 kN.m diagram
Mmax = 4100 kN.m

Mmax = 3000 kN.m

Thank You! Questions?

Universidad Nacional de
Cordoba