Updated Lagrangian large deformation analysis of consolidation settlement with nite element method fo a case study in Iran

Settlement of ne-grained soils is often governed by a consolidation processwhich involves quite large strains. the classic, one-dimensional consolidation formulais based on the small strain theory, although it is still practically useful. since strainsare relatively large during the consolidation process, the overall behavior of the mediumis geometrically nonlinear. in this paper, a coupled consolidation analysis was carriedout to predict the consolidation settlement of ground beneath an embankment, as a casestudy, representing the feasibility of large strain consolidation analysis. a two-dimensional,updated lagrangian, large deformation, nite element formulation was employed tosimultaneously solve the transient ow and the deformation equations which constitutethe coupled consolidation equations. it was followed by the development of a codein the matlab environment to solve the required equations, with further applicationto a case study in iran. in addition, analyses were performed by one-dimensionalconventional methods and compared with the results obtained by the nite elementprocedure. predictions made by large deformation nite element analysis, in comparisonto those obtained based on small strain assumptions and conventional methods, appearedto be more accurate, although the required computational eort was much higher, owingto frequent recomputation of the stiness matrix.