Bearing Capacity of Volcanic Pyroclasts Using the Discontinuity Layout Optimization Method

The failure criterion of low-density volcanic rocks differs radically from that of conventional rocks by manifesting collapse under isotropic stress. In this way, the shapes of the failure model do not reveal a continuously increasing growth of deviating stress with the isotropic stress, but they reach a maximum value, after which they decrease until they vanish under the isotropic collapse pressure. As a consequence, engineering applications require the implementation of numerical codes and the resolution of associated numerical difficulties. This article presents the problem of the bearing capacity of a foundation on a low-density volcanic rock using the DLO (discontinuity layout optimization) numerical method. The analysis of results shows the ability of the DLO method to solve the numerical difficulties associated with the complex failure criteria, so that the convergence and stability of the solution can be achieved without generating high computational costs. Additionally, a discussion of the DLO results is also presented, demonstrating forms of failure on the ground following the real collapses in these volcanic materials. In addition, numerical validation was performed with the finite difference method, using FLAC, and with an analytical method using simplified configurations, obtaining good contrast results, with the DLO method performing better. In this way, an adequate and reliable resolution technique is provided to face the problem of bearing capacity in low-density volcanic rocks, overcoming limitations referred to in the technical literature regarding the difficulty of treating highly non-linear and non-monotonic numerical criteria, which allows the introduction of isotropic collapse failure.