Question
Question How should connectivity be modeled between wall elements and meshed plate elements, particularly when wall elements are used for internal underground walls and plate elements are used for peripheral retaining walls?
Answer
When wall elements are used alongside meshed plate elements (e.g., for underground retaining walls), proper connectivity is critical to ensure realistic load transfer and displacement behavior.
The "Auto Constraint for Wall Elements Connectivity" feature only applies constraints to the top and bottom edges of wall elements, not to their vertical edges. As a result, meshed plate elements subjected to earth pressure may deform independently, without properly engaging the wall elements as lateral supports.
To ensure correct load transfer from meshed plate elements to wall elements:
- Divide Wall Elements:
The wall elements must be divided appropriately along the vertical edge where interaction with meshed elements is expected. This allows for nodal alignment and load transfer.
- Convert Wall to Meshed Plates for Design (Optional):
If design checks are being performed, wall elements can be converted into meshed plate elements. In this case:
- Boundary zone checks are not required, as meshing inherently redistributes the forces.
- After analysis, reinforcement requirements can be observed directly from force contours.
- Reinforcement Detailing (if required):
If the contour results suggest high force concentrations at wall ends, it is recommended to:
- Define a subdomain at the critical zones.
- Assign the appropriate governing reinforcement.
- Conduct wall design checks accordingly.
This approach ensures structural continuity and accurate representation of the interaction between wall and plate elements under lateral loads such as earth pressure.