Dans cette thèse nous nous sommes intéressés à établir une formulation probabiliste pour l’analyse du comportement d’un sol multicouche avec des caractéristiques aléatoires. Deux grands axes sont traités : ?la consolidation primaire et ?la réponse sismique des sols multicouches ayant des caractéristiques aléatoires. Nous utilisons les simulations de Monte Carlo associées à des méthodes semi-analytiques adaptées aux sols multicouches avec une stratification horizontale. Nous avons aussi comparés les résultats obtenus à partir de cette formulation à ceux fournis par les règlements parasismiques suivants : RPA 99 (version 2003), UBC 97 et l’EC8. Cette étude a montré que les valeurs maximales des forces de cisaillement à la base des bâtiments variaient substantiellement en fonction de la variation de la hauteur du profil de sol ainsi que de son hétérogénéité pouvant atteindre un rapport relatif de l’ordre de 3 dans les cas les plus défavorables. Ce rapport peut également être inférieur à 1 conduisant à des structures moins économiques / In this thesis we are interested to establish a probabilistic formulation for the behavior analysis of a multilayered soil with random characteristics. Two main axes are treated: ?primary consolidation and ?seismic response of multilayered soils with uncertain characteristics. We use Monte Carlo simulations associated with semi-analytical methods adapted for the multilayered soils with horizontal stratification. We have also compared the results obtained from this formulation with those provided by the following seismic codes: RPA 99 (version 2003), UBC 97 and EC8. This study showed that the maximum values of the shear forces at the base of the buildings vary substantially according to the variation of the soil profile height as well as its heterogeneity which can reach a relative ratio of about 3 in the extreme cases. This ratio can also be lower than 1 leading to less economic structures

Railway tracks experience elevated rail deflections when the supporting soil is soft and/or the train speed is greater than approximately 50% of the wave propagation velocity in the track-soil system (i.e. the critical velocity). Such vibrations are undesirable, so soil replacement or soil improvement of the natural soil (or alternatively mini-piles or lime-cement treatment) is often used to increase track-ground stiffness prior to line construction. Although areas of existing soft subgrade might be easily identified on a potential new rail route, it is challenging to determine the type and depth of ground remediation required. Therefore, major cost savings can be made by optimising ground replacement/improvement strategies. This paper presents a numerical railway model, designed for the dynamic analysis of track-ground vibrations induced by high speed rail lines. The model simulates the ground using a thin-layer finite element formulation capable of calculating 3D stresses and strains within the soil during train vehicle passage. The railroad track is modelled using a multi-layered formulation which permits wave propagation in the longitudinal direction, and is coupled with the soil model in the frequency-wavenumber domain. The model is validated using a combination of experimental railway field data, published numerical data and a commercial finite element package. It is shown to predict track and ground behaviour accurately for a range of train speeds. The railway simulation model is computationally efficient and able to quickly assess dynamic, multi-layered soil response in the presence of ballast and slab track structures. Therefore it is well-suited to analysing the effect of different soil replacement strategies on dynamic track behaviour, which is particularly important when close to critical speed. To show this, three soil-embankment examples are used to compare the effect of different combinations of stiffness improvement (stiffness magnitude and remediation depths up to 5 m) on track behaviour. It is found that improvement strategies must be carefully chosen depending upon the track type and existing subgrade layering configuration. Under certain circumstances, soil improvement can have a negligible effect, or possibly even result in elevated track vibration, which may increase long-term settlement. However, large benefits are possible, and if detailed analysis is performed, it is possible to minimise soil improvement depth with respect to construction cost.