Nonlinear model for building-soil systems

A finite-element based, numerical analysis methodology has been developed for the nonlinear analysis of building-soil systems. The methodology utilizes a reduced-order, nonlinear continuum model to represent the building, and the soil is represented with a simple nonlinear two-dimensional plane strain finite element. The foundation of the building is idealized as a rigid block and the interface between the soil and the foundation is modeled with an interface contract element. The objectives of the current paper are to provide the theoretical development of the system model, with particular emphasis on the modeling of the foundation-soil contact, and to demonstrate the special-purpose finite-element program that has been developed for nonlinear analysis of the building-soil system. Examples are included that compare the results obtained with the special-purpose program with the results of a general-purpose nonlinear finite-element program.