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Laterally loaded 3D pile (numgeo vs. Abaqus)

This benchmark compares numgeo and Abaqus for the three-dimensional cyclic horizontal loading of a pile embedded in elastic soil. It is based on the validation study reported by Staubach.1

Both the soil and the pile are modelled as linear elastic. The pile–soil interface is frictionless so that the comparison isolates the normal contact response. In numgeo, normal contact is enforced with the element-based mortar (EBM) method and a fixed penalty stiffness of \(2\times10^6\) kN/m\(^3\). The analysis comprises geostatic initialisation, application of the vertical pile load, monotonic horizontal loading, and two subsequent horizontal load cycles.

Finite-element models and normalised horizontal stress in numgeo and Abaqus
Figure 1: Finite-element models and normalised horizontal stress in **numgeo** (left) and Abaqus (right).

Input files

The input files and the data used for the comparison can be downloaded here.

Simulation results

Figure 2 compares the horizontal pile-head displacement over the complete load history. The numgeo and Abaqus results agree closely during the monotonic loading stage and both load cycles.

Pile-head displacement from numgeo and Abaqus
Figure 2: Horizontal pile-head displacement over the load history: **numgeo** versus Abaqus.

  1. P. Staubach, Contributions to the numerical modelling of pile installation processes and high-cyclic loading of soils, Schriftenreihe des Lehrstuhls für Bodenmechanik, Grundbau und Umweltgeotechnik, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Heft 73, 2022 (doctoral dissertation). ↩