The Role of Analytical Geomechanics in Foundation Engineering

The role of modern geotechnical analysis in foundation design is reviewed, and analysis methods are classified into three categories, depending on their level of sophistication. The benefits of using a soundly-based theory to better understand foundation behavior are emphasized, with particular reference to the case of a laterally loaded pile. Two case histories are then studied in detail, in order to examine the sensitivity of performance predictions to the method of analysis used, the soil and pile parameters selected, and the idealization of the soil profile adopted. It is shown that the choice of the method of analysis is less significant than the selection of the strength and deformation parameters of the soil and their distribution with depth.