Course Notes

Course notes on numerical modelling with ZSoil, from model preparation and material selection to seepage, soil–structure interaction and seismic analysis. Each document includes a short description to help you find the relevant material. Exercise files and simulation videos accompany selected topics.

Modelling Fundamentals

Guidance on preparing numerical models, representing soil–structure
interaction and managing large-scale simulations.



Overview — Nonlinear analysis with ZSoil

Practical considerations for nonlinear finite element analysis,
including mesh quality, construction stages, boundary conditions
and investigation of convergence problems.


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Soil–structure interaction

Modelling interactions between soil and structural components,
including retaining walls, anchors and foundations, with
attention to interfaces and staged excavation.


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Large-scale modelling and simulations with ZSoil

Workflows for building and running large models, including
computing resources, efficient model preparation, backups,
debugging and inspection of results.


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Constitutive Models & Parameter Determination

Theoretical background and practical guidance for selecting soil
models and determining their parameters, with supporting exercises.



Constitutive models for practice in ZSoil

An introduction to soil constitutive modelling, initial stresses,
effective stress and saturated or partially saturated media,
followed by the fundamentals of the Hardening Soil model.


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Hardening Soil with small-strain stiffness (HSs)

The standard and small-strain formulations of the Hardening Soil
model, their parameters and identification methods, supported
by practical applications.


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Modified Cam-Clay model

The formulation of the Modified Cam-Clay model for soft soils,
including its yield surface and response to different stress paths.


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Assistance in parameter determination in ZSoil

Advanced notes on undrained behaviour with the Hardening Soil
model, stress-dependent stiffness and assistance in identifying
model parameters.


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Parameter determination — exercise files

Download the input data supplied with the parameter-determination
exercises.


ZIP

Seepage & Coupled Processes

Groundwater flow and the treatment of pore water in deformation
analyses, covering fully and partially saturated media.



Modelling seepage problems for fully/partially saturated two-phase media

Steady-state and transient seepage formulations, Darcy flow,
saturation-dependent permeability and water retention described
by the van Genuchten relationship.


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Uncoupled/coupled two-phase problems

Approaches to representing soil and pore water, including
effective-stress and total-stress treatments and the distinction
between uncoupled and coupled analyses.


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Seepage Simulations & Video Guides

Three simulation examples illustrate seepage and infiltration.
Two additional video guides show how to retrieve outflow time
histories from 2D and 3D models.



Watch: Multi-steady-state seepage

Simulation example accompanying the seepage course material.


VIDEO



Watch: Transient seepage

Simulation example illustrating seepage that changes over time.


VIDEO



Watch: Infiltration process

Simulation example illustrating water infiltration into the ground.


VIDEO



Watch: Retrieving outflow time history in 2D

Video guide to obtaining an outflow time history from a 2D model.


VIDEO



Watch: Retrieving outflow time history in 3D

Video guide to obtaining an outflow time history from a 3D model.


VIDEO

Thermo-Mechanical Analysis

Thermal modelling and its application to uncoupled
thermo-mechanical problems.



Uncoupled thermo-mechanical analysis

Thermal and thermo-mechanical applications, introducing
conductivity, heat capacity, heat flux, convection and
temperature-related modelling quantities.


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Dynamics & Seismic Analysis

Model preparation and analysis procedures for dynamic loading,
seismic soil–structure interaction and time-history simulations.



Transient dynamics

Preparing dynamic models: vibration modes, added masses,
seismic input, initial and boundary conditions, viscous
boundaries and the Domain Reduction Method.


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Dynamics: Linear/nonlinear analysis of soil–structure interaction problems

Course material on dynamic soil–structure interaction,
with a focus on constitutive aspects.


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Dynamics: Domain Reduction Method — case study

An earthquake-loaded building example covering free-field
motion, mesh and time-step requirements, signal processing
and preparation of a reduced-domain model.


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Time-history dynamic analyses of geotechnical structures

An analysis workflow starting from a static model and
free-field column, with checks on spatial discretisation
and application of seismic motion.


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Pushover Analysis

Course material and a worked tutorial for structural pushover
modelling and displacement-based seismic assessment.



Pushover analysis with ZSoil

Course presentation on pushover analysis using ZSoil.


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Data preparation — Structural pushover analysis

A worked tutorial covering project creation, geometry and
materials, analysis settings, calculation and post-processing
for displacement-based seismic verification.


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