Soil Structure Interaction

Details

1-day course

CPD Credit: 6.5 hours, C1 / C2

Course Aim

This course will provide delegates with an overview of soil-structure interaction, focusing on the different methods available to engineers to model simplified soil behaviour for use in structural models. The course will include examples for typical foundations such as shallow foundations and piles.

Course Overview

Conventional structural design methods neglect the Soil Structure Interaction (SSI), which may be reasonable where soil movements are expected to be small (e.g. light structures in relatively stiff soils such as low rise buildings). In more complex structures, where soil movements may be large or where the loading is highly dynamic, SSI is of critical importance (e.g. heavy structures on soft soil, high-rise building, onshore/offshore wind turbines).

This course will introduce some of the SSI methods used in practice, focusing on shallow and piled foundations. The morning sessions will focus on analytical models and solution methods used in SSI analysis and the afternoon sessions will focus on applications to the design of foundations/structures. The course will involve a number of calculation examples and is intended to be interactive.

Course Objectives

After the course, delegates should:

  • Understand how real structures interact with the surrounding soil
  • Understand the different idealisations of soil-structure interaction (SSI), including their strengths and limitations
  • Become familiar with SSI modelling software
  • Appreciate the role of SSI analysis in practical design

Course Programme

  1. Analytical Models – overview of the models used in SSI 
    1. Macro element models
    2. subgrade reaction (Winkler spring) models,
    3. continuum models
  2. Solution Methods - an Overview of
    1. semi-analytical methods
    2. finite element / finite difference methods
  3. Applications and Case Histories
    1. shallow foundations
    2. laterally-loaded piles including monopiles for offshore wind generators
    3. axially loaded piles 

Who Should Attend?

Consulting engineers with an interest in soil-structure interaction, dynamically loaded structures, wind turbine structures. A basic knowledge of structural and geotechnical engineering is required. 

Trainer's Profile

Prof. David Igoe CEng PhD BE MIEI

Asst. Professor, Trinity College Dublin

David is assistant professor in Geotechnical Engineering at Trinity College Dublin and former head of offshore engineering at Gavin and Doherty Geosolutions (GDG). David has over 15 years’ experience in Geotechnical Engineering, offshore engineering, foundation analysis, testing and instrumentation projects. David completed a PhD (2009) in the topic of offshore pile behaviour in sand and has applied his knowledge of this topic to many offshore and onshore geotechnical projects. David has performed research on problems related to pile axial loading, pile lateral loading, pile ageing, cyclic loading, soil-structure dynamics, instrumentation systems, shallow foundations, gravity base foundations and was heavily involved in the PISA (Pile Stability Analysis) joint industry research project, sponsored by the Carbon Trust Wind Accelerator Program. David previously worked as head of offshore engineering at Gavin and Doherty Geosolutions managing a large range of projects, primarily related to offshore wind. David has more than 50 international peer reviewed technical publications related to pile design, instrumentation design and monitoring, engineering software development and soil-structure interaction.

Sustainability Badge

Engineers Ireland supports the Sustainable Development Goals. This event contributes to Engineers Ireland's Sustainability Framework