Abstract
This paper describes efficient use of finite element back-analysis of two-dimensional elastic consolidation, enabling the execution of safety management utilizing the observational procedure method. In order to determine rational installation positions of soil monitoring instruments, the applicability of sensitivity analysis is discussed, which is based on the idea that the instruments be set at points of high sensitivity of displacement for the variation of the soil parameters through back-analysis. In actual case studies, the capability and validity of sensitivity analysis is verified. The quasi-Newton method using the BFGS formula is employed in back-analysis in solving nonlinear optimization problems, instead of using the conjugate gradient method previously proposed by some of the authors. The validity and capability of the method using the BFGS formula is verified in three actual embankments and one retaining wall structure.
