Stochastic FEM analysis of strip foundation

The paper affords a stochastic description of a random soil medium subjected to an external loading. The strip foundation on a soil layer in the 3-D and the 2-D strain states is analysed. It is assumed that the soil medium is statistically homogeneous and its mechanical behaviour governed by the linear elasticity theor y. It is also assumed that elastic parameters can be modelled as the multidimens ional random fields. Stochastic 2-D and 3-D finite element methods (SFEM), based on the Monte Carlo technique were used. The influence of elements supports atta ched along vertical planes on standard deviations of displacements and stresses is discussed. Local averages of random field of elastic parameters are introduce d. The convergence of applied in SFEM simulation algorithm was tested. The analy sis performed enables determination of the standard deviations of components of the stress tensor and the displacement vector for the 3-D state, based on the so lution for the 2-D plane strain state.