Soil Profile
The Soil Profile command on the Calculations Panel is used for managing soil layer properties, and the minimum or maximum groundwater level.
Soil Profile command
Soil Profile dialog box
Soil Layers
In this section, you can manage the soil layer properties. This multi-layer functionality allows you to set up as many soil layers as desired. The main purpose of this dialog is to keep all soil layer data organized and to provide an easy and effective means of inserting, modifying, and deleting soil layers.
Soil layers options
Soil components are organized in a table with editable fields, each line representing a defined soil type with different editable parameters (or checkboxes) available in each column.
Since defining individual soil layers can be a time-consuming task, the Soil Database dialog provides a library of predefined soils. These soils appear in the drop-down list of the column Soil Type.
When working with table data, the commands to add/remove layers are fast and easy to use. They are available in the form of icons in front of each row:
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Add: used to add a layer to the current collection (which, by default, has two layers). Each newly added layer is inserted after the last layer in the collection.
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Delete: each of the inserted soil layers can be removed using the Del command.
The characteristic parameters for each soil layer are:
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No: Soil layer ID.
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Name: Specify the soil layer name.
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Depth: Define the soil layer top level.
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Thickness: Define the soil layer thickness.
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Color: Choose the soil layer color to appear in Stratigraphy preview.
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Soil Type: Choose the soil type from a predefined list of soils.
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γ: Define the moist unit weight value.
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γsat: Define the saturated unit weight value.
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φ: Define the angle of internal friction in undrained conditions.
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φ’: Define the angle of internal friction in drained conditions.
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c: Define the cohesion value in undrained conditions.
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c’: Define the cohesion value in drained conditions.
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ν: Define the Poisson’s ratio of soil.
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M: Define the oedometric modulus value.
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E: Define the soil elasticity modulus value.
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MMenard: Used in settlement calculation according to Ménard methodology.
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αMenard: Define the archeological (structural) coefficient value. Used in settlement calculation according to Ménard methodology.
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Cohesive: Check the option to define the soil layer as cohesive.
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Weak/Pasty: Check the option to define the soil layer as weak or pasty. The option influences the soil punching check calculation.
All soil data is editable. If you modify any of the default properties of the soil layer, the Soil Type becomes Custom.
Custom soil type
Stratigraphy Preview
Besides the soil grid, which is used to impose soil characteristics, the dialog contains a drawing to illustrate the succession of soil layers, in section Stratigraphy preview. The sketch contains a plot of each previously defined soil layer with its corresponding color and also displays additional info such as the level of each layer inserted in the grid. The sketch can be displayed or not using the Hide/Show preview buttons.
Stratigraphy preview
Ground Water
In this section, you can specify the maximum/minimum ground water level that may appear during the footing service life.
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Maximum/Minimum Level: check these options to be able to enter values for the possible levels of ground water.
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Perform a calculation under undrained conditions: check this option to perform a calculation under undrained conditions.
A drained condition occurs when there is no change in pore water pressure due to external loading. In a drained condition, the pore water can drain out of the soil easily, causing volumetric strains in the soil.
An undrained condition occurs when the pore water is unable to drain out of the soil. In an undrained condition, the rate of loading is much quicker than the rate at which the pore water can drain out of the soil. As a result, most of the external loading is taken by the pore water, increasing the porewater pressure. The tendency of soil to change volume is suppressed during undrained loading.
Ground water