Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Piling (Civil engineering) Soil mechanics Foundations'

Effective-stress nonlinear dynamic analyses (NDA) were performed for piles in liquefiable sloped ground to assess how inertia and liquefaction-induced lateral spreading combine in long-duration vs. short-duration earthquakes. A parametric study was performed using input motions from subduction and crustal earthquakes covering a wide range of earthquake durations. The NDA results were used to evaluate the accuracy of the equivalent static analysis (ESA) recommended by Caltrans/ODOT for estimating pile demands. Finally, the NDA results were used to develop new ESA methods to combine inertial and lateral spreading loads for estimating elastic and inelastic pile demands. The NDA results showed that pile demands increase in liquefied conditions compared to nonliquefied conditions due to the interaction of inertia (from superstructure) and kinematics (from liquefaction-induced lateral spreading). Comparing pile demands estimated from ESA recommended by Caltrans/ODOT with those computed from NDA showed that the guidelines by Caltrans/ODOT (100% kinematic combined with 50% inertia) slightly underestimates demands for subduction earthquakes with long durations. A revised ESA method was developed to extend the application of the Caltrans/ODOT method to subduction earthquakes. The inertia multiplier was back-calculated from the NDA results and new multipliers were proposed: 100% Kinematic + 60% Inertia for crustal earthquakes and 100% Kinematic + 75% Inertia for subduction earthquakes. The proposed ESA compared reasonably well against the NDA results for elastic piles. The revised method also made it possible to estimate demands in piles that performed well in the dynamic analyses but could not be analyzed using Caltrans/ODOT method (i.e. inelastic piles that remained below Fult on the liq pushover curve). However, it was observed that the pile demands became unpredictable for cases where the pile head displacement exceeded the displacement corresponding to the ultimate pushover force in liquefied conditions. Nonlinear dynamic analysis is required for these cases to adequately estimate pile demands.

A macroelement is developed for soil-structure interaction analyses of piles in liquefiable soils, which captures efficiently the fundamental mechanisms of saturated granular soil behavior. The mechanical model comprises a nonlinear Winkler-type model that accounts for soil resistance acting along the circumference of the pile, and a coupled viscous damper that simulates changes in radiation damping with increasing material non-linearity. Three-dimensional (3D) finite element (FE) simulations are conducted for a pile in radially homogeneous soil to identify the critical parameters governing the response. The identified parameters, i.e., hydraulic conductivity, loading rate of dynamic loading, dilation angle and liquefaction potential are then expressed in dimensionless form. Next, the macroelement parameters are calibrated as a function of the soil properties and the effective stress. A semi-empirical approach that accounts for the effects of soil-structure interaction on pore pressure generation in the vicinity of pile is used to detect the onset of liquefaction. The predictions are compared with field data obtained using blast induced liquefaction and centrifuge tests and found to be in good agreement. Finally, the macroelement formulation is extended to account for coupling in both lateral directions. FEM simulations indicate that response assuming no coupling between the two horizontal directions for biaxial loading tends to overestimate the soil resistance and fails to capture features like 'apparent negative stiffness', 'strain hardening' and 'rounded corners'.

Due to the similarity between the geometry and full displacement installation method of a cone penetrometer and displacement pile, the axial capacity of displacement piles is often assessed using data from a cone penetration test (CPT). As there are many more factors influencing pile axial capacity than affecting CPT cone resistance, there are a wide range of CPT-based empirical design methods in use. These methods have various levels of predictive success, which usually depends upon the soil conditions, pile geometry, pile installation method, and time between installations and loading. An improved understanding of the basis and reliability of respective design methods is essential to improve the quality of predictions in the absence of site specific load test data. This thesis explores the influence of soil state and drainage conditions on piezocone penetration test (CPTU) tip resistance (qc) and penetration pore pressures (u2). For cone penetration testing identified as 'drained', factors influencing the correlation between cone tip resistance and displacement pile shaft friction in sand are investigated through (i) a review of previous research and the performance of existing design methods; (ii) centrifuge studies of piles of differing widths with measurements of local lateral stress; (iii) field tension tests at different times between installation and loading for uninstrumented driven piles with different diameters and end conditions; and (iv) field tension tests at different times between installation and loading on closed ended strain gauged jacked segmented model piles with different installation sequences. CPTU qc and u2 are primarily controlled by soil state and drainage conditions, with effective stress strength parameters and soil stiffness also influencing the measurements. The primary mechanisms identified to control the correlation between cone tip resistance and shaft friction on displacement piles are identified as; (i) the initial increase in radial stress due to soil displaced during installation of a pile; (ii) different levels of soil displacement induced by open, closed, and partially plugged piles; (iii) reduction in radial stress behind the pile tip; (iv) additional reduction in radial stress with continued pile penetration (friction fatigue); (v) changes in radial stress during loading; (vi) constant volume interface friction angle between soil and steel; and (vii) changes in the effects of the above mentioned mechanisms with time between installation and loading. The relative effect of each of these factors is investigated in this thesis.

Este trabalho tem por objetivo fazer um estudo da interação solo-estaca em ambientes submersos. Para as análises foram utilizadas as seguintes condições: dois tipos de estacas, concreto e mista (tubo metálico preenchido com concreto); quatro condições para o solo (arenoso, coesivo e dois solos estratificados); dois casos de carregamento (caso I com cargas vertical, horizontal e momento e caso II somente carga horizontal e momento). Os modelos de cálculo foram gerados no programa SAP2000, sendo a estaca modelada como elemento de barra e solo representado por molas linearmente elásticas espaçadas a cada metro, baseado no modelo de Winkler. Os coeficientes de mola (Ki) foram calculados por três métodos, Terzaghi, Bowles e com equações que correlacionam às propriedades elásticas do solo. Para o solo arenoso, o método escolhido para a aplicação nos modelos de cálculo foi o de Bowles, e para o solo coesivo a equação proposta por Vesic, que correlaciona os valores de Ki com as propriedades elásticas do solo. Os resultados dos modelos de cálculo do SAP2000 mostraram que: as estacas utilizadas nas análises apresentaram o comportamento de estacas flexíveis, no qual tem os seus deslocamentos ocasionados devidos a flexão; a região que mostra o comportamento relevante da estaca, para o solo arenoso e coesivo, está de acordo com as conclusões indicadas pelos pesquisadores Matlock & Reese (1960) e Davisson & Gill (1963); a atuação da carga vertical não exerce influência nos resultados referentes ao comportamento horizontal da estaca; a estaca mista, em função da maior rigidez a flexão (EI), transfere uma tensão menor para o solo que a estaca de concreto. Os resultados dos modelos de cálculo do SAP2000, para os máximos deslocamentos horizontais e momentos fletores, ficaram muito próximos do valores obtidos com o método de Navdocks DM-7 para o solo arenoso. Já para solo coesivo os resultados ficaram próximos dos valores obtidos pelo método clássico da equação diferencial.
This work aims to make a study of the soil-pile interaction in submerged environments. For the analysis we used the following conditions: two types of piles, concrete pile and composite pile (steel pipe filled with concrete), four conditions for the soil (sandy, cohesive and two stratified soil), two load cases (case I with vertical and horizontal loads and moment, case II with horizontal load and moment). The calculation models were generated in the software SAP2000. The pile was modeled as a bar element and the soil represented by linearly elastic springs spaced each meter, based on the model of Winkler. The spring coefficients (Ki) were calculated by three methods, Terzaghi, Bowles and equations that correlates to the elastic properties of the soil. For the sandy soil, the method chosen for applying the model calculations was the Bowles, and for the cohesive soil the equation proposed by Vesic, which correlates with Ki values of the elastic properties of the soil. The results of the model calculations (SAP2000) show that: the piles used in the analysis presented flexible behavior, which have their displacements caused due to bending, the region that shows the relevant behavior of the piles for the sandy and cohesive soil agrees with the conclusions stated by researchers Matlock & Reese (1960) and Davisson & Gill (1963), the performance of vertical load does not influence the results concerning the horizontal behavior of the pile; the composite pile, due to the higher stiffness bending (EI), transfers a lower stress to the soil than a concrete pile. The model calculations results of SAP2000 to the maximum horizontal displacement and bending moments were very close to the values obtained with the method of Navdocks DM-7 to the sandy soil. However, the results for the cohesive soil were close to the values obtained by the classical method of the differential equation.

A study has been undertaken to evaluate and apply the hydraulic gradient similitude method to geotechnical model testings. This method employs a high hydraulic gradient across granular soils to effectively increase self-weight stresses in the model. Testing principle and procedures are presented, and the factors affecting test results discussed. An apparatus (UBC-HGST) using this testing principle has been developed. Three applications are presented in which the hydraulic gradient similitude method is evaluated, and the existing concepts and methods of analysis for the problems studied are examined. In the footing tests, it is found that the scaling laws implied in the hydraulic gradient modelling test are satisfied, and are similar to those of the centrifuge modelling technique. Load-settlement curves are found to be similar to those in centrifuge tests. The test results illustrate the importance of the stress level in the load-settlement responses. Terzaghi's bearing capacity formula is compared with the observed bearing capacities under different stress levels. It is found that due to the stress level effects, the bearing capacity coefficient, Nγ, decreases linearly with footing width on the log-log scale which is in accordance with other model study and analytical results. In the downhole and crosshole seismic tests, results are used to evaluate the empirical equations that relate shear wave velocity and soil stresses in terms of field stress condition. It is found that although the various equations can predict the insitu shear wave velocity profile reasonably well, only the equation which is based on the significant stresses in the wave propagation and particle motion directions can predict the variation of velocity ratio between the downhole and SH crosshole tests. It is also found that the stress ratio has some effects on the downhole (or SV crosshole) tests, but not on the SH crosshole tests. This indicates that only the stress ratio in the plane of wave propagation is important to the shear wave velocity. Comparison between the downhole and SH crosshole tests shows that the structure anisotropy was about 10% in terms of shear wave velocity. Prediction of Ko values using shear wave measurement is evaluated, and its practical difficulties are addressed. In the laterally loaded pile tests, the pile response to static and cyclic loadings at various stress levels controlled by the hydraulic gradients is examined in terms of pile head response, pile bending moment and soil-pile interaction P-y curves. For the static loading, pile head response and bending moment are found to be significantly affected by the soil-pile relative stiffness, pile diameter, loading condition and pile head fixity. However, little effects of loading eccentricity and pile head fixity are found on the P-y curves. While pile diameter is found to have effects on the P-y curves at large pile deflection, its effects are negligible at small deflecton range. The effects of relative soil-pile stiffness on the P-y curves due to stress levels can be normalized by the soil modulus and pile diameter for the curves below 1 pile diameter, as computed by the plane strain finite element analysis. Two methods of generating P-y curves are suggested, and found to give satisfactory results as compared with the test data and the prediction given by API code (1987). For cyclic loading, different pile responses are observed in "one-way" as compared to "two-way" cyclic loading. The cyclic P-y curves are derived, and found to be highly nonlinear and hysteretic, and change with number of loading cycles. From these studies, it is shown that the hydraulic gradient similitude method provides a simple and inexpensive means of model testing for many geotechnical engineering problems and adds to the data base from which methods of analysis can be evaluated.
Applied Science, Faculty of
Civil Engineering, Department of
Graduate

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2005.
The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file viewed on (November 7, 2006) Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2007.
The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on April 3, 2008) Includes bibliographical references.

Title from PDF of title page (University of Missouri--Columbia, viewed on Feb 17, 2010). The entire thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file; a non-technical public abstract appears in the public.pdf file. Thesis advisor: Dr. J. Erik Loehr. Includes bibliographical references.

Underground tunnels are considered to be a vital infrastructure component in most cities around the world. Careful planning is always necessary to ensure minimum impact on nearby surface and subsurface structures. This thesis describes the experimental and numerical investigations carried out at McGill University to examine the effect of existing pile foundation on the stresses developing in a newly constructed tunnel supported by a flexible lining system. A small scale testing facility was designed and built to simulate the process of tunnel excavation and lining installation in the close vicinity of pre-installed piles. Lining stresses were measured for different separation distances between the tunnel and the existing piles. Significant decrease in circumferential stresses was observed when the lining was installed at a distance that ranges between one to three times the tunnel diameter from the piles. Two-dimensional finite element analyses were also conducted to investigate the different aspects of the pile-soil-lining interaction including lining deformation, axial forces and bending moments. The measured lining stresses agreed with those obtained using finite element analysis. The results presented in this study provided an insight into understanding an important aspect of this soil-structure interaction problem.

Thesis (M.S.) University of Missouri-Columbia, 2006.
The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on August 22, 2007) Includes bibliographical references.

The loads applied to pile foundations installed offshore vary greatly from those encountered onshore, with more substantial lateral and torsional loads. For combined axial and lateral loading the current design practice involves applying an axial load to a deep foundation and assessing the pile behaviour and then considering a lateral load separately. For the problem of an altering directions of lateral loads (e.g. due to changes in the wind directions acting on offshore wind turbines) a clear design procedure is not available. There is thus a need for a clearly established methodology to effectively introduce the interaction between the four different loading directions (two lateral, one axial and one torsional). In this thesis, a model is presented that introduces a series of Winkler elasto-plastic elements coupled between the different directions via local interaction yield surfaces along the pile. The energy based method that is used allows the soil-pile system to be defined explicitly using two equations: the energy potential and the dissipation potential. One of the most interesting applications of this model is to piles subjected to a change in lateral loading direction, where the loading history can significantly influence the pile behaviour. This effect was verified by a series of experimental tests, undertaken using the Geotechnical Centrifuge at UWA. The same theory was then applied to cyclic loading in two dimensions, leading to some very useful conclusions regarding shakedown behaviour. A theoretically based relationship was applied to the local yielding behaviour for a pile subjected to a combination of lateral and axial loading, allowing predictions to be made of the influence of load inclination on the pile behaviour. The ability of this model to represent interaction between four degrees of freedom allows a more realistic approach to be taken to this problem than that considered in current design practice.

La situation actuelle est liee a l'extension des constructions sur sols de mediocres consistance et au besoin de rechercher les solutions les plus economiques. On a donc ete amene a etudier avec le plus de precision possible les differents facteurs entrant dans la realisation des ouvrages de genie civil. Si les caracteristiques des structures jouent un role important dans ces etudes, c'est essentiellement sur le comportement du sol que les differentes etudes sont generalement portees. Ceci bien evidement, depuis le debut de la phase constructive jusqu'a la fin des travaux. La methode dite aux elements finis qui presente l'avantage de modeliser le comportement du sol, depuis le chargement elastique initial jusqu'a la phase d'ecoulement plastique finale prend une place constamment grandissante dans ce domaine de science de l'ingenieur. C'est precisement dans ce contexte que notre travail s'est inscrit. Pour cela, nous avons construit un logiciel de calculs par elements finis quartiques, utilisant un solveur programme a partir d'un nouveau procede. Base sur une gestion dynamique de la memoire, notre procede a permis une utilisation realiste de l'outil micro-informatique pour les ouvrages calcules: mur de soutenement, fondation superficielle et essai pressiometrique. Cet apport constitue avec le modele de comportement mck implante l'aspect nouveau et original du travail. Cette rheologie type elastoplastique a deux mecanismes d'ecrouissage (un en compression et un en cisaillement) utilise des parametres de nature exclusivement physique communement connus par les praticiens geotechniciens

Em subestações de transmissão e distribuição de energia elétrica são utilizadas estruturas metálicas ou de concreto para o suporte de equipamentos e ancoragem de linhas de transmissão. Nestas estruturas os esforços principais atuam horizontalmente pela ação do vento e da tração nos cabos de transmissão de energia elétrica. Devido aos baixos esforços verticais, normalmente, utilizam-se como solução fundações rasas, uma vez que apresentam menor custo e maior facilidade de execução quando comparadas com fundações profundas. Devido a distância de aplicação das cargas horizontais em relação à base, os momentos gerados por estas se tornam elevados em relação à carga vertical atuante. Esta configuração faz com que a resultante dos esforços, frequentemente, esteja fora do núcleo central da fundação. Segundo a NBR 6122 (1996), para a avaliação da capacidade de suporte das fundações nos casos de cargas excêntricas, deve ser adotada uma área efetiva onde os esforços de compressão são considerados uniformemente distribuídos. Este procedimento simplificado muitas vezes torna os dimensionamentos extremamente conservadores, tendo em vista os baixos carregamentos verticais e as grandes excentricidades. Esta pesquisa visa, através de utilização de modelos computacionais numéricos, caracterizar o comportamento de ruptura dos solos solicitados por fundações superficiais sujeitas a esforços combinados verticais, horizontais e momentos. Além disso, os resultados obtidos nos modelos numéricos são comparados com as formulações clássicas de dimensionamento de fundações.
For power substations, both steel and reinforced concrete structures are normally used to support the equipments and the high voltage wiring. In such cases, the wind forces predominate and cause tension in the electrical cables and structures. As the vertical loads are relatively small, generally shallow foundations apply, being also easily executed under lower costs. Due to the distance between the horizontal forces and the structural foundation, high moments are generated comparatively to the vertical loads present, defining big eccentricity in the foundation. According to ABNT-NBR 6122 (1996), to determine the foundation bearing capacity, an effective area way be considered for the compression stresses to act. This situation often yields to unrealistic foundation design. The present dissertation intend to model the failure behavior of the soil supporting shallow foundation by means of computational methods, considering vertical and horizontal forces acting along with moments. A comparison is also mode with commonly used bearing capacity equations for the same type of foundations.

Deep foundations, including driven piles, are used to support vertical loads of structures and applied lateral forces. Many pile supported structures, including bridges, are subjected to large lateral loads in the form of wind, wave, seismic, and traffic impact loads. In many practical situations, structures subjected to lateral loading are located near or in excavated and fill slopes or embankments. Full-scale research to examine the effects of soil slope on lateral pile capacity is limited. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects on lateral capacity of piles located in or near cohesionless soil slopes. A full-scale lateral load testing program was undertaken on pipe piles in a cohesionless soil at Oregon State University. Five piles were tested near a 2H:1V test slope and located between 0D to 8D behind the slope crest, where D is the pile diameter. Two vertical baseline piles and three battered piles were also tested in level ground conditions. The cohesionless backfill soil was a well-graded material with a fines content of less than 10% and a relative compaction of 95%, meeting the Caltrans specification for structural backfill. Data collected from the instrumented piles was used to back calculate p-y curves, load-displacement curves, reduction factors, and load resistance ratios for each pile. The effects of slope on lateral pile capacity are insignificant at displacements of less than 2.0 inches for piles located 2D and further from the crest. For pile located at 4D or greater from the slope crest, the effect of slope is insignificant on p-y curves. A simplified p-multiplier design procedure derived from back-calculated p-y curves is proposed to account for the effects of soil slope. Comparisons of the full-scale results were made using proposed recommendations from the available literature. Lateral resistance ratios obtained by computer, centrifuge, and small scale-models tend to be conservative and overestimate the effects of slope on lateral capacities. Standard cohesionless p-y curve methods slightly over predict the soil resistance at very low displacements but significantly under predict the ultimate soil resistance. Available reduction factors from the literature, or p-multipliers, are slightly conservative and compare well with the back-calculated p-y curves from this study.
Graduation date: 2012

The present thesis illustrates the application of the lower bound limit analysis in combination with finite elements and linear programming for obtaining the numerical solutions for various plane strain and axisymmetric stability problems in geomechanics. For the different plane strain problems dealt in the thesis, the existing formulation from the literature with suitable amendments, wherever required, was used. On the other hand for various axisymmetric problems, the available plane strain methodology was modified and a new formulation is proposed. In comparison to the plane strain analysis, the proposed axisymmetric formulation requires only three additional linear constraints to incorporate the presence of the hoop/circumferential stress (σθ). Several axisymmetric geotechnical stability problems are solved successfully to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed formulation. In the entire thesis, three noded triangular elements are used for carrying out the analysis. The nodal stresses are treated as basic unknowns and the stress discontinuities are employed along the interfaces of all the elements. To ensure that the finite element formulation leads to a linear programming problem, the Mohr-Coulomb yield surface is approximated by a polygon inscribed to the parent yield surface. For solving different problems, computer programs are developed in ‘MATLAB’. The variation of the bearing capacity factor Nγ with footing-soil interface roughness angle δ is obtained for different soil friction angles. The magnitude of Nγ is found to increase extensively with an increase in δ. With respect to variation in δ, the obtained values of Nγ were found to be generally smaller than the results available in literature. The effect of the footing width on the magnitude of Nγ has been examined for both smooth and rough strip footings. An iterative computational procedure is introduced to account for the dependency of φ on the mean normal stress ( σm). Two well defined φ- σm curves from literature, associated with two different relative densities, are being chosen for performing the computational analysis. The magnitude of Nγ is obtained for different footing widths, covering almost the entire range of model and field footing sizes. For a value of the footing width greater than approximately 0.2 m and 0.4 m, for a rough and smooth footing, respectively, the magnitude of Nγ varies almost linearly on a log-log scale. The bearing capacity factors Nc, Nq and Nγ are computed for a circular footing both with smooth and rough footing interface. The bearing capacity factors for a rough footing are found to be consistently greater than those with a smooth interface, especially with grater values of soil friction angle (φ). An encouraging comparison between the obtained results and those available from the literature is noted. Bearing capacity factor Nc for axially loaded piles in clays whose cohesion increases linearly with depth has been estimated numerically under undrained (φ = 0) condition. The variation of Nc with embedment ratio is obtained for several rates of the increase of soil cohesion with depth; a special case is also examined when the pile base was placed in the stiff clay stratum overlaid by a soft clay layer. It has been noticed that the magnitude of Nc reaches almost a constant value for embedment ratio approximately greater than unity. The bearing capacity factor Nγ has been computed for a rough conical footing placed over horizontal ground surface. The variation of Nγ with the cone apex (interior) angle (β), in a range of 30º - 180º, is obtained for different values of friction angle ( φ). For φ< 30º, the magnitude of Nγ is found to decrease continuously with an increase in β from 30º to 180º. On the other hand, for φ > 30º , the minimum magnitude of Nγ is found to occur generally between β = 120 and β = 150º. In all the cases, it has been noticed that the magnitude of Nγ becomes maximum for β = 30o. The vertical uplift resistance of circular plate anchors, embedded horizontally in a clayey stratum whose cohesion increases linearly with depth, has been obtained under undrained ( φ = 0) condition. The variation of the uplift factor (Fc) with changes in the embedment ratio (H/B) has been computed for several rates of the increase of soil cohesion with depth. It has been noted that in all the cases, the magnitude of Fc increases continuously with H/B up to a certain value of Hcr/B beyond which the uplift factor becomes essentially constant. The results obtained from the analysis are noted to compare quite well with those published in literature. From the investigation reported in this thesis, it is expected that the proposed axisymmetric formulation will be quite useful for solving various axisymmetric geotechnical stability problem in a rapid manner. The available plane strain formulation has also been found to yield quite satisfactory solutions even for a problem where the soil friction angle depends on the state of stress at a point.

Limit analysis is a very powerful tool to find accurate solutions of several geotechnical stability problems. This analysis is based on the theory of the plasticity and it provides two limiting solutions within lower and upper bounds. With the advancement of the finite elements and different robust optimization techniques, the numerical limit analysis approach in association with finite elements is becoming quite popular to assess the stability of various complicated structures. The present thesis deals with the formulations and the implementation of the finite element limit analysis to obtain the solutions of different geotechnical axisymmetric stability problems. The objectives of the present thesis are twofold: (a) developing limit analysis formulations in conjunction with linear and nonlinear optimizations for solving axisymmetric stability problems related with soil and rock mechanics, and then (b) implementing these axisymmetric formulations for solving various important axisymmetric stability problems in geomechanics. Three noded linear triangular elements have been used throughout the thesis. In order to solve the different problems, the associated computer programs have been written in MATLAB. With reference to the first objective of the thesis, the existing finite element lower bound axisymmetric formulation with linear programming has been presented. A new technique has also been proposed for solving an axisymmetric geomechanics stability problem by employing an upper bound limit analysis in combination with finite elements and linear programming. The method is based on the application of the von-Karman hypothesis to fix the constraints associated with the magnitude of the circumferential stress (), and finally the method involves only the nodal velocities as the basic unknown variables. The required computational effort becomes only marginally greater than that needed for an equivalent plane strain problem. The proposed methodology has been found to be computationally quite efficient. A new lower bound axisymmetric limit analysis formulation, by using two dimensional finite elements, the three dimensional Mohr-Coulomb (MC) yield criterion, and nonlinear optimization has also been presented for solving different axisymmetric stability problems in geomechanics. The nonlinear optimization was carried out by employing an interior point method based on the logarithmic barrier function. The yield surface was smoothened (i) by removing the tip singularity at the apex of the pyramid in the meridian plane, and (ii) by eliminating the stress discontinuities at the corners of the yield hexagon in the plane. No inherent assumption concerning with the hoop stress needs to be made in this formulation. The Drucker-Prager (DP) yield criterion was also used for computing the lower bound axisymmetric collapse load. The advantage of using the DP yield criterion is that it does not exhibit any singularity in the plane. A new proposal has also been given to simulate the DP yield cone with the MC hexagonal yield pyramid. The generalized Hoek-Brown (HB) yield criterion has also been used. This criterion has been smoothened both in the meridian and  planes and a new formulation is prescribed for obtaining the lower bound axisymmetric problems in rock media in combination with finite elements and nonlinear optimization. With reference to the second objective, a few important axisymmetric stability problems in soil mechanics associated with footings and excavations have been solved in the present thesis. In all these problems, except that of a flat circular footing lying over either homogeneous soil or rock media, it is assumed that the medium is governed by the MC failure criterion and it follows an associated flow rule. For determining the collapse loads for a circular footing over homogenous soil and rock media, the problem has been solved with the usage of Drucker-Prager, Mohr-Coulomb and Hoek-Brown criteria. The bearing capacity of a circular footing lying over fully cohesive strata, with an inclusion of a sand layer is evaluated. The effects of the thickness and internal friction angle of the sand layer () on the bearing capacity have been examined for different combinations of cu/(b) and q; where (i) cu defines the undrained shear strength, (ii)  is the unit weight of sand, (iii) b corresponds to the footing radius, and (iv) q is the surcharge pressure. The results have been presented in the form of a ratio () of the bearing capacities with an insertion of the sand layer to that for a footing lying directly over clayey strata. It is noted that an introduction of a layer of medium dense to dense sand over soft clay improves considerably the bearing capacity of the foundation. The improvement in the bearing capacity increases continuously (i) with decreases in cu/(b), and (ii) increases in  and q/(b). The bearing capacity factors, Nc, Nq and N, for a conical footing are obtained in a bound form for a wide range of the values of cone apex angle () and with  = 0, 0.5 and . The bearing capacity factors for a perfectly rough ( = conical footing generally increase with a decrease in . On contrary for  = 0, the factors Nc and Nq reduce gradually with a decrease in . For  = 0, the factor N for  ≥ 35o becomes minimum for  approximately equal to 90o. For  = 0, the factor N for  ≤ 30o, like in the case of  = , generally reduces with an increase in . It has also been intended to compute the bearing capacity factors Nc, Nq and N, for smooth and rough ring footing for different combinations of ri/ro and ; where ri and ro refer to inner and outer radii of the ring, respectively. It is observed that for a smooth footing, with a given value of ro, the magnitude of the collapse load decreases continuously with an increase in ri. On the other hand, for a rough base, for a given value of ro, hardly any reduction occurs in the magnitude of collapse load up to ri/ro ≈ 0.2, whereas beyond this ri/ro, the magnitude of the collapse load, similar to that of a smooth footing, decreases continuously with an increase in ri/ro. An attempt has also been made to determine the ultimate bearing capacity of a circular footing, placed over a soil mass which is reinforced with horizontal layers of circular reinforcement sheets. For performing the analysis, three different soil media have been separately considered, namely, (i) fully granular, (ii) cohesive frictional, and (iii) fully cohesive with an additional provision to account for an increase of cohesion with depth. The reinforcement sheets are assumed to be structurally strong to resist axial tension but without having any resistance to bending; such an approximation usually holds good for geogrid sheets. The shear failure between the reinforcement sheet and adjoining soil mass has been considered. The increase in the magnitudes of the bearing capacity factors (Nc and N) with an inclusion of the reinforcement has been computed in terms of the efficiency factors c and . The critical positions and corresponding optimum diameter of the reinforcement sheets, for achieving the maximum bearing capacity, have also been established. The increase in the bearing capacity with an employment of the reinforcement increases continuously with an increase in . The improvement in the bearing capacity becomes quite extensive for two layers of the reinforcements as compared to the single layer of the reinforcement. The stability of an unsupported vertical cylindrical excavation has been assessed. For the purpose of design, stability numbers (Sn) have been generated for both (i) cohesive frictional soils, and (ii) pure cohesive soils with an additional provision to account for linearly increasing cohesion with depth by using a non-dimensional factor m. The variation of Sn with H/b has been established for different values of m and ; where H and b refer to height and radius of the cylindrical excavation. A number of useful observations have been drawn about the variation of the stability number and nodal velocity patterns with changes in H/b,  and m. In the last, by using the smoothened generalized HB yield criterion, the ultimate bearing capacity of a circular footing placed over a rock mass is evaluated in a non-dimensional form for different values of GSI, mi, ci/(b) and q/ci. For validating the results, computations were exclusively performed for a strip footing as well. For the various problems selected in the present thesis, the failure and nodal velocity patterns have been examined. The results obtained from the analysis have been thoroughly compared with that reported from literature. It is expected that the various design charts presented here will be useful for the practicing engineers. The formulations given in the thesis can also be further used for solving various axisymmetric stability problems in geomechanics.