A 2-D numerical model to analyze stress distribution in a soil mass due to applied loads

The stress field in a soil due to external loads is basically determined by the size and shape of the loaded area and the thickness, uniformity and stress-strain properties of the soil mass. Predictions of stress and settlements in soils when the stress levels are far from failure and stress-strain dependence is linear can be derived assuming that soil is a homogeneous, isotropic and linear elastic material. In this work, numerical solution based on network method is presented for this kind of problems. For cases of linear and triangular load distribution over soils of infinite thickness, where theoretical solutions based on Boussinesq works exist, comparisons of steady state vertical stress within the soils are carried out to check the reliability of the proposed model in its application to more complex 2-D problems.