Soil-Structure Interraction Using Plaxis 2D Software

This project analyzes soil–structure interaction (SSI) of strip footings using PLAXIS 2D. Various soil types—soft clay, stiff clay, sandy clay, sand, and dense sand—are modeled to study their effects on bearing capacity and load–settlement behavior under central and eccentric loading. Results show dense sand provides the highest capacity with minimal settlement, while soft clay performs the weakest. Comparisons with Terzaghi, Brinch Hansen, Meyerhof, and IS Code methods show close agreement, with PLAXIS giving slightly conservative values. Eccentric loading (e/B = 0.2) reduces bearing capacity by up to 30%, emphasizing its importance in design. The study demonstrates the usefulness of PLAXIS 2D in realistic geotechnical analysis. Additionally, the modeling highlights the nonlinear response of soils under increasing stress. Interface elements capture slip and separation at the footing–soil boundary effectively. The study also shows that settlement patterns change significantly with soil stiffness. Numerical stress contours help visualize failure mechanisms clearly. Overall, the findings support using advanced FEM tools for accurate, safe, and economical foundation design.