A practical approach to uncertainty modeling in geotechnical engineering

A methodology is presented in this paper in which geotechnical uncertainty is modeled by fuzzy numbers and allowed to propagate in a deterministic model. Emphasis in this paper is placed on using existing software tools for handling uncertainty in routine practice. Two geotechnical problems - slope stability and vertical pile capacity in sand - are solved with the presented methods and software tools. Results of the case studies clearly demonstrate that uncertainty can easily be incorporated and handled in a routine geotechnical analysis.