Modeling a bender element test using Abaqus Finite Element Program

Abstract

Finite Element Methods hold promise for modeling the behavior of an unsaturated soil specimen subjected to bender element agitation. The immediate objective of this research project is to reproduce a bender element test using Abaqus Finite Element Software assuming elastic and isotropic conditions. Extensive compressions were made of bender element testing of unsaturated Ticino Sand specimens uniaxially compressed and the Abaqus Finite Element Method program simulation. The research determined that the mesh resolution of a numerical analysis are optimal at a resolution of a twentieth of the shear wavelength and the integration time step has a negligible effect on the observed wave velocity. Moreover, it is possible to reproduce an uniaxially stressed bender element experiments of unsaturated Ticino sand in an Abaqus Finite Element Method program with relatively minimal error of the body wave velocity measurements if the source receiver distance is beyond two shear wavelengths and the reflected signals from the boundaries are suppressed.