ABSTRACT
Rational geotechnical engineering practice requires competent techniques for predicting ground response to excavation activities. In particular, there is a need for numerical methods, such as finite element analysis, which allow parametric studies to be pursued quickly and efficiently, so that a number of operationally feasible construction options can be evaluated for their geotechnical rationality. In employing the finite element method, the objective is to assess the stability of the ground by identifying the stress and displacement distribution around excavations or ground structures.
