A COMPARISON BETWEEN INFINITE AND BOUNDARY ELEMENT METHODS FOR MODELLING OF SOIL HALF-SPACE

The interest for a closer look on the effects of interaction between soil and structure increased

in the recent years due to structural requirements for safe and economic building. Soilstructure

interaction problem needs a realistic and precise description of the interaction of the

separate components –building and soil half-space-. The proceeding increase of computer

capacity allows the numerical modelling of the soil half-pace and the structure as a whole.

After that a one-step analysis can be performed. The finite element modelling of building is

usually available. Using of infinite or boundary elements for modelling of the unbounded

domain and the finite elements for modelling of bounded domain of a half-space offers

several advantages in soil-structure interaction analysis: The finite element modelling of the

near field offers the possibility of more accurate analysis within this domain. The geometrical

and material non-linearity within the near field can be considered easily. Modelling of the far

field can be carried out by means of either infinite element or boundary element method. In

present work a comparison between the two methods (boundary and infinite) will be carried

out with regard to formulation and advantages and disadvantages of the two methods.