Coffee Corner: Understanding Undrained Soil Behaviour: Insights and Applications in PLAXIS

Undrained soil behavior plays a critical role in geotechnical engineering, especially under rapid loading conditions like excavations and foundation construction. Inaccurate assessment of this behavior can result in unforeseen deformations or structural failures.

This webinar will explore the criteria for determining when to model soils as drained or undrained and why this distinction is essential. You will learn about the typical undrained behaviors of different soil types and gain an understanding of undrained shear strength. The session will also cover the three methods for modeling undrained soil behavior in PLAXIS, with a particular focus on why Method A is often the most realistic. A practical demonstration will be conducted to illustrate undrained calculations using both Methods A and B. This demonstration will underscore the impact of various constitutive models on the results obtained.

Learning Points:

• Drained vs. Undrained Conditions: Learn when and why to model soils as drained or undrained.

• Undrained Shear Strength: Learn the differences between using effective strength parameters and undrained shear strength.

• PLAXIS Modeling Methods: Explore the three methods for simulating undrained soil behavior (Undrained A/B/C) and their practical applications.