| Abstract: | Zero-thickness interface elements are applied to solve plasticity problems involving singular points where stresses and displacements are non-unique. Singular points occur in soil–structure interaction, e.g. at the ridges of footings, buried structures and foundation piles. Here the introduction of potential displacement discontinuities appears to give quite accurate finite element solutions. This is demonstrated for indentation problems both for plane strain and axisymmetric situations. In all problems the soil behaviour is modelled by the elastic–plastic Mohr–Coulomb model. |
