Abstract:
The problem of estimating the ultimate load and soil settlement with a thin-walled structure – polyethylene corrugated pipe – enclosed therein is considered. The settlement of this system is determined through the elastic-viscoplastic model of deformation with regard to the soil dilatancy and changes in its mechanical properties over time. Temperature deformations and effects of temperature on the yield stress of polyethylene are taken into account. Numerical experiments are performed using the finite element method to identify patterns of the influence exercised by geometric and mechanical characteristics on the maximum load and system settlement.
Keywords:soil mechanics, creep, plastisity, limit load, dilatancy, finite element method.