Probabilistic Characterization of Foundation Allowable Capacity

Description

Geotechnical engineering design should satisfy both ultimate limit state (ULS) and serviceability limit state (SLS) requirements, and it is not rare for SLS considerations to govern the design of building foundations. As several reliability-based design codes are introduced and implemented in North America, Europe, and Japan, the conventional deterministic approach in geotechnical design will gradually be replaced by a reliability-based one. However, reliability-based design codes still consider SLS requirements using a conventional deterministic approach. This research project aims to provide a probabilistic characterization of foundation allowable capacity to assist in SLS reliability-based design for building foundations. The major research components include Monte Carlo simulations, development of closed-from approximations, and validation of Monte Carlo simulation results with closed-form approximations. Allowable capacity will be characterized for illustrative foundations, and the research outcome will be applicable to building foundation design in Hong Kong and around the world.