Structural Responses of Statically Indeterminate Beams Induced by Soil Spatial Variability

The effect of the soil spatial variability on the structural assessment is explored in a context of statically indeterminate beams. The differential settlement among the four footings of a continuous beam is probabilistically determined considering various levels of soil spatial variability using the random finite element method. The settlement-induced beam internal forces, in terms of the transverse shear force and bending moment, are solved by using the force method. The variation of shear force and bending moment within a statically indeterminate beam, which is induced by the soil spatial variability, is systematically quantified using this probabilistic framework. This study points to the importance of properly addressing the effect of spatially varied soil conditions on structural design and promotes the integrated geotechnical and structural design.