Modelling of Line load in Plaxis

Question

Dear Sirs, 
 
 My question relates to the modeling of line load in the Plaxis. 
 
 Assume that Pressure =600kPa is applied over a 7.5m long and 0.93m wide footing. For Plaxis as the width out of the plan is 1m and line load is modeled as kN/m/m run, hence does is mean that Plaxis input will be 600 x 0.93m (width of footing) = 558kN/m/m or should I just simply use 600kN/m/m run? 
 
 Please clarify. 
 
 Thanks 
 Nadeem

Micha van der Sloot · Answer

Hi, This sounds like you are trying to apply a local (3D) surface loads into a 2D plane strain model. You have to think how to change this load into a 2D equivalent load. 
 If this is the 3D case: 
 
 And you model it as a cross-section in 2D, you get this 2D model and its 3D representation:

So here you need to judge how to change your 3D environment into a 2D representation, by either taking your direct input load as an upperbound to get qualitative results, or lower the value to something equivalent. A single strip footing is hard to model in a 2D plane strain model

Modelling of Line load in Plaxis

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