Select Add Embankment
from the toolbar or the Loads
menu.
You will see the Embankment Designer dialog. This dialog allows you to define the 2-dimensional cross-section of the embankment. Enter the following information:
An embankment load can be defined with the Add Embankment option. Embankments can have multiple layers with user-defined staging sequence. Embankments are defined by a constant 2-dimensional cross-section, but represent 3-dimensional loads, because the embankments have a finite length, with user-defined end angles, and can be placed at any orientation with respect to other loads.
To add an embankment load:
Select Add Embankment
from the toolbar or the Loads
menu.
You will see the Embankment Designer dialog. This dialog allows you to define the 2-dimensional cross-section of the embankment. Enter the following information:
Number of layers
Base Width
Properties of each layer (installation stage, bench width, bench angle, height, unit weight)
Near End / Far End Angle
Display Properties (optional)
A preview of the embankment cross-section will be displayed in the dialog, as you enter the parameters. See below for details about the input parameters. When you are finished defining the embankment properties, select OK.
You will now be prompted to define the location and length of the embankment in the Plan View by entering the two endpoints of the longitudinal center line of the embankment - the "near" point and "far" point. The two points can be entered graphically with the mouse, or you can use the keyboard to type in the x,y coordinates in the prompt line. NOTE:
If the embankment is symmetric, then it does not matter in which order you enter the two points.
If the embankment is NOT symmetric (e.g. left and right bench widths are different), then the order in which you enter the two points determines the apparent orientation of the embankment. See the note below.
As soon as the embankment location has been entered, the embankment will be added to the model, and displayed in both the Plan View and 3D View.
NOTE: if the embankment cross-section is not symmetric (e.g. left and right bench widths or angles are different), then the order in which you enter the "near" and "far" points of the embankment, in step 3 above, determines the apparent orientation of the embankment. If the benches are facing in the wrong direction, after you add the embankment, then you will have to re-enter or edit the embankment location, reversing the order of the "near" and "far" points of the embankment center line.
Embankment load in 3D view
Embankment Designer
In the Embankment Designer dialog, the following input parameters define the embankment cross-section and layer properties.
Number of Layers - the number of layers needed to model the embankment construction.
Base Width - the maximum width at the base of the embankment, as shown in the following figure.
Near End / Far End Angles - this defines the slope at each end of the embankment. If you are not concerned with modeling the ends of the embankment, then you can just leave the default values of 90 degrees (i.e. a vertical face at each end of the embankment). NOTE: "near" and "far" depend on the order in which you enter the two points which define the embankment center line, in step 3 (see above). The "near" end of the embankment corresponds to the first point, and the "far" end corresponds to the second point.
Definition of embankment cross-section parameters
The following parameters are required for each layer of the embankment.
Stage - the installation stage for each layer of the embankment.
Bench Width - the bench width of each layer, with respect to the previous layer. The left and right bench width can be defined independently.
Angle - the slope angle of each layer. The left and right angle can be defined independently.
Height - the height of each layer.
Unit Weight - the unit weight of the material of each layer.
Infinite Embankment
You cannot explicitly model an embankment of infinite length in Settle3D (e.g. if you wish to simulate a 2-dimensional plane strain analysis). To simulate an embankment of "infinite" length in Settle3D, simply define a length which is sufficient to avoid the 3-dimensional end effects of the embankment load, at the measurement point of interest.