A neural network approach for the reliability analysis on failure of shallow foundations on cohesive soils

A collection of feed forward neural networks (FNN) for estimating the limit pressure load and the according displacements at limit state of a footing settlement is presented. The training procedure is through supervised learning with error loss function the mean squared error norm. The input dataset is originated from Monte Carlo simulations for a variety of loadings and stochastic uncertainty of the material of the clayey soil domain. The material yield function is the Modified Cam Clay model. The accuracy of the FNN’s is in terms of relative error no more than \(10^{-5}\) and this applies to all output variables. Furthermore, the epochs of the training of the FNN’s required for construction are found to be small in amount, in the order of magnitude of 90,000, leading to an alleviated data cost and computational expense. The input uncertainty of Karhunen Loeve random field sum appears to provide the most detrimental values for the displacement field of the soil domain. The most unfavorable situation for the displacement field result to limit displacements in the order of magnitude of 0.05 m, that may result to structural collapse if they appear to the founded structure. These series can provide an easy and reliable estimation for the failure of shallow foundation and therefore it can be a useful implement for geotechnical engineering analysis and design.