Simulation of Plate Load Test to Determine Field Settlement Using Finite Element Method

Plate load test is one of the most important tests for obtaining soil information, particularly input data regarding foundation design. In this study, the 2D and 3D models were employed in the interpretation of the plate load test using CONNECT Edition v20 PLAXIS 2D and 3D. Furthermore, a parametric analysis of the impacts of important factors such as loading plate diameter, plate roughness, elastic modulus, and angle of internal friction of soil on the test results was conducted. For both two‐dimensional and three‐dimensional systems, a linear elastic model for the plate and Mohr–Coulomb’s model for soils were used. Finally, the determined numerical analysis results using 2D and 3D systems were compared with actual field test data. It has been observed that numerical simulation in both CONNECT Edition v20 PLAXIS 2D and 3D provides the best convergence to field test findings and is an effective method of assessing the load versus settlement behavior of plate load tests. The study also shows that the results of three‐dimensional models are better compared to the results of two‐dimensional models. Moreover, the plate diameter, plate roughness, elastic modulus, and friction angle of soil can have a significant effect on the test results; that is, settlement increases proportionally with the increase in the size of the plate dimensions, settlement is higher when the loading plate is smooth than that with a rough surface plate, settlement decreases proportionally with the increase in the elastic modulus of soil located below the base of the plate up to a depth of two times the plate width (2B), and settlement has no significant change with the increase in the modulus of elasticity of soil below a depth greater than two times the plate width (2B). An increase in the friction angle of a soil increases resistance for a given settlement, settlement decreases significantly with an increase in the cohesion of soil, and increasing values of the dilatancy angle of soil from ψ = 0 to ψ = ϕ increase in the resistance force. Increasing Poisson’s ratio decreases the settlement gradually.