Finite element analysis of the behavior of nonlinear soil continua including dilatancy

Two problems were analyzed in this research to study the behavior of soils subjected to loads. In the first problem, the behavior of both dense and loose sand was investigated, when a vertical steel plate is pushed into it. A new dilation finite element model based on variational principles was developed to study the effects of shear dilatancy in the sand. The second problem deals with a loaded footing resting on soft clay.