What’s New in Settle3

The latest release of Settle3 includes the following new features:

Ground improvement

• Stone Column
• Vibro - compaction
• New tutorials

Embankment Designer

• Embankment Designer Tutorial

Dry ground settlement

• SPT Method
• CPT Method

Modeling

Settle3 offers state of the art interactive input and editing, allowing you to create a model and view results with a few mouse clicks. Two-dimensional geometry is defined in the Plan View and displayed in both the Plan View and 3D View

Boundaries

Settle3 provides powerful CAD based modeling features for defining the load and excavation geometry. Boundaries can be defined by:

• drawing with the mouse
• entering coordinates in the prompt line
• entering coordinates in a spreadsheet dialog
• importing from a DXF file or other file types

Interactive editing

Interactive editing features make it extremely easy to edit the model geometry. Boundaries can be moved, deleted, copied, stretched, and convenient right-click shortcuts simplify editing even further.

Although model geometry is primarily edited in the 2-dimensional Plan View, some editing options are available in the 3D view using right-click shortcuts.

DXF import/export

Load and excavation boundaries can be imported into Settle3 from a DXF file with the Import DXF option. You can select which entities you would like to import, using the checkboxes in the DXF Options dialog.

Boundaries can also be exported from Settle3 to a DXF file with the Export DXF option.

Liquefaction Analysis

A liquefaction analysis can be carried out in Settle3 based on Standard Penetration Test (SPT), Cone Penetration Test (CPT), and Shear Wave Velocity (VST) data.

For each input data type, there is a customized Liquefaction Options dialog. In the Liquefaction Options dialog, you can:

• Specify the Earthquake Load
• Enter Input Data (import and export options are available)
• Automatically graph input data with depth
• Specify correction factors
• Apply advanced scaling factors

The liquefaction analysis results are displayed in chart form and are easy to interpret. The chart displays are fully customizable in terms of markers and lines, legends, fonts and colors.

Each part of the liquefaction analysis (Data, Triggering, and Post-Triggering) is displayed in its own tab. Each chart can also be toggled to full-screen.

In addition, for each aspect of the liquefaction analysis you can use checkboxes to select which methods' results you want to display.

CPT Analysis

The new Cone Penetration Test (CPT) analysis module can be used on its own as a fully-functional CPT interpretation software. In addition to this, the CPT analysis feature can be used in conjunction with the liquefaction analysis module, or in conjunction with the Boreholes function to model a non-horizontal soil profile.

The CPT analysis module is a major addition to Settle3. For each set of CPT data, over 25 different parameters are calculated, and five SBT options are available:

• Robertson 1986
• Robertson 1990
• Robertson 2010
• Schneider 2008 I
• Schneider 2008 II

CPT allows for a continuous soil profile and can collect up to 5 independent readings in a single sounding. Settle3 v4.0 features a CPT analysis module based on:

• Cone tip resistance (qc)
• Sleeve friction (fs)
• Penetration pore water pressure (u2)

Empirical Method

A variety of empirical methods exist for calculating immediate settlement in cohesionless soil. These methods are generally based on data from field tests (Standard Penetration Test, Cone Penetration Test, etc.) and require little user input. In general, settlement can only be calculated for regular shaped loads (rectangles and circles). The following empirical settlement methods are available in Settle3:

• Schmertmann
• Peck, Hanson and Thornburn
• Schultze and Sherif
• D'Appolonia
• Burland and Burbidge

The empirical methods can only be applied to rectangular or circular loads. You can apply any or all methods to a given load. The calculated empirical settlement is displayed in the Plan View, for all currently applied methods.

Stress Computation Method

The Stress Computation Method determines how the three-dimensional stress distribution due to loading is calculated. The available options are:

• Boussinesq
• Westergaard
• Multiple Layer
• Vertical Ratio (2:1)
• Vertical Ratio (angle)

The Boussinesq method uses the theory of elasticity to calculate the vertical stress under a point load in a homogeneous, semi-infinite half space. To compute the stresses under a distributed load, the Boussinesq solution is integrated over the area of the footing.

The Multiple Layer method considers the stiffness (elastic modulus) of each soil layer, when computing the stress distribution due to loading. If the soil layers have significantly different stiffness values, then the resultant stress distribution can be very different from the Boussinesq solution, which assumes homogeneous elastic properties.

The 2:1 method assumes that the zone of influence for an applied rectangular load has a slope of 2:1.

For a non-rectangular footing, the stress is calculated by computing the area of the load at the surface. With increasing depth, the area over which the load is applied increases at a 2:1 ratio and the magnitude of the loading stress decreases correspondingly.

Wick Drain Analysis

Settle3 allows you to model the pore pressure condition, horizontal and vertical drainage conditions, and hydroconsolidation regions in several ways:

• Pore Pressure Definition
• Interlayer Drainage
• Wick Drains
• Hydroconsolidation

If your analysis includes groundwater, a region of vertical wick drains can be defined with the Add Wick Drain Region option to accelerate the process of soil consolidation. The area of a wick drain region is a user-defined polygon in the Plan View. The wick drains can also be displayed in the 3D view. If wick drains are defined then you can specify the ratio of horizontal to vertical flow for each material.