GGSD Program Details for ABC

ABC

Category	Bearing capacity
Publisher	University of Oxford
Platform	Win95/98, WinNT, Win2000, WinXP
Status	Freeware
Description	ABC uses the method of stress characteristics (also known as the slip-line method) to solve the classic geotechnical bearing capacity problem of a rigid foundation, resting on a cohesive-frictional soil mass, loaded to failure by a central vertical force. The soil is modelled as a rigid perfectly plastic Mohr-Coulomb material; the cohesion can vary linearly with depth. Both strip and circular footings can be analysed, and the base can be assumed smooth or fully rough. For each problem, it constructs a numerical solution from first principles, without resorting to superposition, shape factors or any other form of approximation. The mesh or net of characteristics is constructed in an interactive environment. A sequence of increasingly accurate calculations, each one involving a finer mesh, can be used to obtain a converged solution that represents the exact plastic collapse load. A variety of automated strategies, including mesh adaptivity, maintain the accuracy and efficiency of the method when solving difficult problems. It is fully documented and validated in an 80-page user manual.
Cost	Free
Data formats supported	None stated
Supplier in United Kingdom	University of Oxford