Modeling the stress fields in a Frustum Confining Vessel

This paper reports the findings with respect to the stresses and displacements of sand specimens tested within a laboratory confining vessel. Finite element simulations were used to evaluate different aspects of the responses which could not be directly measured in the experiments. The validity of the constitutive law adopted for the analyses was also studied by comparing experimental results with numerical predictions. The validated numerical model was used to simulate responses related to alternative vessel designs in order to obtain a modified vessel with improved stress distribution features. This chapter reports the findings with respect to the stresses and displacements of sand specimens tested within a laboratory confining vessel. It uses finite element simulations to evaluate different aspects of the responses which could not be directly measured in the experiments. The chapter uses validated numerical model to simulate responses related to alternative vessel designs in order to obtain a modified vessel with improved stress distribution features. It focuses on the use of the finite element method as a analytical design tool for optimizing the performance of the Frustum Confining Vessel device in relation to the testing of model piles. Since material properties, loading and boundary conditions were relatively well defined, this boundary-valued problem also provided an excellent opportunity to evaluate the appropriateness of the constitutive law.