A BEM-FEM model for dynamic soil-structure and structure-soil-structure problems in elastic or poroelastic soils

Abstract

This work presents a time–harmonic BEM–FEM three–dimensional model forthe dynamic analysis of structures founded on elastic and poroelastic soils. This modelis suitable to study soil–structure and structure–soil–structureinteraction problems, theeffects of the torsional eccentricity of non–symmetrical structures or the influence in theresponse of the soil saturation level. In this paper, the procedure to incorporate the rigidbody restrictions to the BEM model is explained. Also, the coupling ofthe superstructure,modelled using two–noded Timoshenko beam finite elements, and the extension of theexcitation model, including elastic waves in poroelastic soils, are showed.