3-D boundary element–finite element method for the dynamic analysis of piled buildings

A boundary element–finite element model is presented for the three-dimensional dynamic analysis of piled buildings in the frequency domain. Piles are modelled as compressible Euler–Bernoulli beams founded on a linear, isotropic, viscoelastic, zoned-homogeneous, unbounded layered soil, while multi-storey buildings are assumed to be comprised of vertical compressible piers and rigid slabs. Soil–foundation–structure interaction is rigorously taken into account with an affordable number of degrees of freedom. The code allows the direct analysis of multiple piled buildings, so that the influence of other constructions can be taken into account in the analysis of a certain element. The formulation is outlined before presenting validation results and an application example.