Stresses in nearly incompressible materials by finite elements with application to the calculation of excess pore pressures

Abstract

Abstract A number of problems are analysed by the displacement method to assess the stress accuracy at very low compressibilities. ‘Parabolic’ isoparametric elements are used. It is found that the mean stress becomes grossly in error at the centre and edges of each element as the compressibility is reduced whereas the deviatoric stress components do not. All stress components retain good accuracy at the ‘reduced’ integration sampling points (2 × 2 Gauss). ‘Exact’ integration yields a similar stress distribution to ‘reduced’ but the mean stress is grossly in error at the integration points (3 × 3 Gauss). Exceptions, however, occur. These findings are interpreted, and a rule for predetermining whether or not accurate stresses can be obtained at the integrating points is suggested. Thus it is shown that the displacement method is suitable for analysing materials which for practical purposes are incompressible. A procedure is then presented for analysing porous media‐both linear and non‐linear‐by separating the stiffness into ‘effective’ and ‘pore fluid’ components. This allows excess pore pressure to be calculated explicitly. Applications to saturated soils are given which make use of the findings of the first part of the paper.