Shallow foundations in unsaturated soils: mechanistic design through numerical modelling, analysis and experimental investigation

该项目将填补浅基础如何在饱和土壤中发挥作用的知识空白。它将整合非饱和土力学，弹塑性理论，数值模拟，极限分析和实验研究的专业知识。它将实现一个严格的理解基础上建立在非饱和土壤受到单调加载使用最近开发的实验测试设备，并使用有限元分析，特征线和零延长线理论的方法。在工业中的影响和采用将直接通过世界上第一个设计工具，其中包括吸力对承载力，沉降和安全性的影响。

This project will close the knowledge gap of how shallow foundations perform in variably saturated soils. It will integrate expertise in unsaturated soil mechanics, theory of elasto-plasticity, numerical modelling, limit analysis and experimental investigation. It will achieve a rigorous understanding of footings founded on unsaturated soils subjected to monotonic loading using a recently developed experimental testing facility, and analyses using finite elements, the method of characteristics and zero extension line theory. Impact and adoption in industry will be direct through world first design tools which incorporate the influence of suction on bearing capacity, settlement and safety.