Boundary conditions in the behaviour of large embankments

Finite element models have been shown to be reliable in predicting foundation soil behaviour in large embankments on compressible soils. On the basis of studies and measurements carried out in order to assess the behaviour of a preloading embankment for an oil tank to be constructed near the Po river (Northern Italy), the influence of some factors on settlements and their time trends was highlighted: preloading embankment stiffness, variations in pore pressures in sandy layers due to the presence of the nearby river, and variations in the characteristics and thicknesses of soil layers typical of the alluvial soils of the Po plain. Bidimensional axial symmetrical and tridimensional models were used for analyses (ABAQUS program).