This study is mainly based on the determination of displacement field under footings connected with tie beams. The effect of tie beam length between isolated footings in cohesionless soils still remains a serious geotechnical problem. A finite element package, PLAXIS 3D version 1.2 is used to determine the displacement field of cohesionless soil as well as the settlement under footings. Field measurements has been carried out using two identical rigid square plates with dimensions (305x305) mm connected by steel beam having dimensions (60x305), (60x610) and (60x915) mm. A comparison between experimental results and finite element has been done. A fair agreement has been obtained between the experimental and theoretical results. However, it was found that the two footings connected with tie beam act as one footing up to tie beam length equal to (1.25)B. |
