Questa serie di webinar PLAXIS, articolata in tre parti, comprende sessioni pratiche su: modellazione costitutiva delle argille, calibrazione dei parametri tramite PLAXIS SoilTest, modellazione dei pali e calibrazione basata su prove di carico in PLAXIS 3D, nonché la più recente formulazione “Embedded Pile”.

Il ciclo di incontri è rivolto agli ingegneri geotecnici impegnati in progetti sensibili ai cedimenti, nella progettazione di fondazioni profonde e nell’analisi numerica avanzata di sistemi di fondazione.

Constitutive Clay Modeling: Theory, Calibration, and Engineering Practice

Giovedì, 22 ottobre 2026 | h15.00-16.00

Clay soils can be difficult to represent reliably in numerical analysis because strength, stiffness, consolidation, and creep behavior all influence settlement and long-term performance. In this webinar, Dr. Ronald Brinkgreve will discuss how clay behavior can be modeled in PLAXIS, focusing on practical geotechnical analysis rather than theory alone. The session will cover constitutive models commonly used for clays, including Hardening Soil (HS) and Soft Soil Creep (SSC), and explain how parameters can be derived from site investigation data and laboratory testing. It will also show how PLAXIS SoilTest can be used to compare numerical simulations with laboratory results and support parameter calibration. Practical modeling topics—such as drained and undrained behavior, pore pressure conditions, consolidation, creep, staged construction, and uncertainty in clay models—will also be addressed through engineering examples.

What you will learn:

• The main characteristics and modeling challenges of clay-type soils
• How HS and SSC are applied in PLAXIS
• How to derive material parameters from site investigation data and laboratory testing
• How to use PLAXIS SoilTest to evaluate and calibrate soil parameters
• How to recognize common modeling pitfalls and avoid typical errors

Modeling and Calibrating Piles in PLAXIS 3D: From Numerical Approaches to Load Test Calibration

Giovedì, 29 ottobre 2026 | h15.00-16.00

While extensive literature and presentations exist comparing the main numerical approaches for pile modeling—volume elements versus embedded beams—considerably less attention is given to their respective calibration processes. This webinar addresses that gap, providing practical insight into calibration workflows. We will begin with a brief overview  of both approaches, highlighting their key mechanics, advantages, and limitations in PLAXIS 3D. The core focus will then shift to calibration workflows, demonstrating how to align numerical models with either actual in-situ pile load tests or reference load-displacement curves from local design codes. The session will explore the critical influence of soil rheology (constitutive behavior) on predicted load-displacement responses and showcase techniques to independently isolate skin friction and end-bearing mobilization against pile tip displacement. We will also discuss practical methods for accounting for pile installation effects in numerical simulations.

Join Dr. Richard Witasse in this live webinar to explore pile modeling and calibration in PLAXIS 3D and learn how to develop more reliable numerical models for deep foundation engineering applications.

What you will learn:

• The theoretical foundations, practical advantages, and inherent limitations of both volume piles and embedded beam piles in PLAXIS 3D
• How to back-analyze load-displacement responses using actual field pile load test data or established reference approaches (Fleming curves, Eurocode, reference T-z curves)
• Techniques to independently identify and calibrate skin friction and end-bearing mobilization as a function of pile displacement
• How advanced soil constitutive models impact overall pile stiffness, particularly for serviceability state analysis
• Practical approaches for incorporating pile installation effects into numerical analyses

Mastering Pile-soil Interaction with the New Embedded Pile Formulation

Giovedì, 5 novembre 2026 | h15.00-16.00

As deep foundation projects become more complex, engineers need modeling approaches that remain practical while still capturing the key mechanisms that govern pile-soil interaction. This webinar focuses on the new embedded pile formulation in PLAXIS 3D and how it supports efficient simulation of deep foundation systems across a range of engineering applications. The session will review the progression from earlier embedded beam approaches to the current formulation, then explain the underlying principles and operational framework of embedded piles, including discretization, interaction mechanisms, input requirements, and interpretation of results. It will also introduce recent developments such as enhanced interaction modeling and normal stress recovery techniques that improve robustness, accuracy, and computational efficiency. Through validation studies and practical case examples, the webinar will show how the new formulation performs for single piles, pile groups, and more complex foundation systems, and will also outline future directions such as optimization, surrogate modeling, and digital geotechnical workflows.

What you will learn:

• The principal pile modeling techniques available in PLAXIS 3D
• How the embedded pile formulation has evolved in PLAXIS 3D
• The main capabilities of the new formulation, including improved interaction modeling and normal stress recovery
• How the new formulation performs in validation studies and practical deep foundation cases