Modelling granular soil to predict pressures on integral bridge abutments

Presented here is a granular soil model created to investigate the soil pressures which develop behind integral bridge abutments. The problem is introduced along with a brief summary of the fundamental behaviour, the model produced, and the initial validation. The paper looks at the initial outcome of the final validation procedure where experimental behaviour of an abutment is compared to the modelled behaviour, and the influence of the Young's modulus profile applied is investigated. The results show that the model behaves as expected producing lateral stresses close to those measured experimentally. Comparisons show that the Young's modulus profile adopted influences the resultant lateral stresses sufficiently to warrant further investigation