Chuhao Huang, Jun Liu, Wenbin Ye, Lei Gan, Peiqing Wang, Liang Chen, Haibo Wang, Xinwei Song, Gao Lin
Accurate modeling of transient seepage in semi-infinite discontinuous foundations remains a significant challenge in geotechnical engineering due to geometric and material discontinuities and the presence of unbounded domains. To address this, a scaling line-based scaled boundary finite element method (SBFEM) is developed and extended to simulate transient seepage behavior. The governing equation of hydraulic head is first derived using the weighted residual method and then transformed into a transient seepage matrix form, which is subsequently solved through continued-fraction expansion. The solution to the transient seepage problem is first obtained by solving the eigenvalue problem to obtain the steady-state solution, and then the determined mass matrix is used to solve the time-domain water head solution using the modified precise time step integration method (MPTSIM). The accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed method are validated through numerical examples, followed by its application to more complex seepage scenarios involving discontinuous foundations. Compared to conventional approaches, the proposed method offers improved computational efficiency and enhanced capability in handling heterogeneous, anisotropic, and unbounded domains, underscoring its potential as a powerful tool for advanced geotechnical seepage modeling.