Probabilistic Methods in Geotechnical Engineering

✍ Scribed by Gordon A. Fenton, D. V. Griffiths (auth.), D. V. Griffiths, Gordon. A. Fenton (eds.)

• Publisher: Springer-Verlag Wien
• Year: 2007
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 345
• Series: CISM Courses and Lectures 491
• Edition: 1
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Soils and rocks are among the most variable of all engineering materials, and as such are highly amenable to a probabilistic treatment. The application of statistical and probabilistic concepts to geotechnical analysis is a rapidly growing area of interest for both academics and practitioners. The book is therefore aimed at students, researchers, and practitioners of geotechnical engineering who wish to keep abreast of developments in this evolving field of study. The course content and will assume no more that an introductory understanding of probability and statistics on the part of the course participants.

The main objective is to present a state-of-the-art training on probabilistic techniques applied to geotechnical engineering in relation to both theory and practice.

Including:

(a) discussion of potential benefits of probabilistic approaches as opposed to the classical “Factor of Safety” methods, to review sources of uncertainty in geotechnical analysis and to introduce methods of LRFD and reliability concepts in Eurocode 7,

(b) review of relevant statistical theories needed to develop the methodologies and interpret the results of probabilistic analysis,

(c) examples of established probabilistic methods of analysis in geotechnical engineering, such as the First Order Second Moment (FOSM) method, the Point Estimate Method (PEM), the First and Second Order Reliability Methods (FORM SORM) and Random Set (RS) theory,

(d) description of numerical methods of probabilistic analysis based on the finite element method, such as the Stochastic Finite Element Method (SFEM) and recent developments on the Random Finite Element Method (RFEM),

(e) practical examples and case histories of probabilistic applications in geotechnical engineering.

✦ Table of Contents

Front Matter....Pages i-vii
Review of Probability Theory, Random Variables, and Random Fields....Pages 1-69
Tools and Strategies for Dealing with Uncertainty in Geotechnics....Pages 71-95
Basic Concepts and Applications of Point Estimate Methods in Geotechnical Engineering....Pages 97-112
Basic Concepts and Applications of Random Sets in Geotechnical Engineering....Pages 113-126
On Some Aspects of Reliability Computations in Bearing Capacity of Shallow Foundations....Pages 127-145
Application of the response surface method....Pages 147-168
Reliability of Laterally Loaded Rigid Piles....Pages 169-183
Case history: Pile Foundations of a Large Gantry Crane....Pages 185-199
Random Field Generation and the Local Average Subdivision Method....Pages 201-223
The Random Finite Element Method (RFEM) in Steady Seepage Analysis....Pages 225-241
The Random Finite Element Method (RFEM) in Settlement Analyses....Pages 243-270
The Random Finite Element Method (RFEM) in Mine Pillar Stability Analysis....Pages 271-294
The Random Finite Element Method (RFEM) in Bearing Capacity Analyses....Pages 295-315
The Random Finite Element Method (RFEM) in Slope Stability Analysis....Pages 317-346

✦ Subjects

Geotechnical Engineering; Civil Engineering; Probability Theory and Stochastic Processes