Full scale field up-lift test of belled foundation in sand and its numerical simulation (based on finite element method using an elasto-plastic model to explain strain hardening and softening)

A full scale of up-lift test of a belied foundation in a cohesive sandy ground was conducted to investigate its bearing capacity at in-situ. The authors carried out numerical a simulation by considering large elastic stiffness in small strain range softening in order to investigate the mechanism of bearing capacity. Eventually, it was found that the present numerical method could simulate the load-displacement curve before the peak up-lift resistance although the post peak could not be simulated well.