Case Study: Durham University achieves automated foundation design optimisation with Oasys Gofer

Durham University cuts tunnel hoop stress to 173.23kPa with Oasys Software

Durham University, in collaboration with Arup, faced the complex challenge of optimizing foundation design for a site constrained by shallow existing tunnels. A traditional manual approach using Finite Element Analysis would have been prohibitively time-consuming. To address this, they utilized the API within Oasys Software's cloud-based geotechnical analysis product, Oasys Gofer, to develop an automated optimization scheme.

Oasys Software's solution was the development of a Python-based automated tool that used a genetic algorithm and integrated with the Oasys Gofer API. This tool programmatically generated, analyzed, and post-processed models to find the optimal foundation layout, successfully minimizing stresses in the tunnel lining. The results showed a precise reduction in maximum hoop stresses, with each model taking just over 30 seconds to compute, a significant efficiency gain over manual methods.

Durham University