Loads Overview

Settle3D allows you to apply vertical distributed loads to ground surfaces, in order to model soil settlement due to foundation loads, embankments, fills etc.

• The loads can be of any shape, and can have uniform or non-uniform magnitude.

• Loads can be applied at any depth and can be staged (i.e. applied at different times, sequences or load increments).

• Excavations can be defined, and can also be staged, and loading can be applied within excavations.

• Multiple loads / excavations can be defined in any sequence.

Assumptions

The main loading assumptions are:

• Loading is applied in the vertical direction only.

• Distributed loads are assumed to have a flexible foundation. Rigid loads cannot be modeled in this version of the program.

• Loads must be defined as distributed (i.e. force / area). Concentrated (point or line) loads cannot be explicitly defined in this version of the program. Point or line loads could be modeled as an equivalent distributed load over a small area.

Adding Loads

Loads / excavations are initially defined in the two-dimensional Plan View of the model, using the following options:

• Add Rectangular Load

• Add Circular Load

• Add Polygonal Load

• Add Embankment

• Add Excavation

See the above links for details.

Editing Loads

After adding loads to a model, they can easily be edited if required. See the Edit Loads topic for details.