The initial state is the state of the structure that prevails at the beginning of the analysis. In a geotechnical analysis, the soil structure is already subjected to stress, at least due to the in-situ soil, as illustrated in the following image, before the effects of the construction work are applied.
Since the stiffness of the soil depends on the prevailing stress and the load history, it is necessary to record the initial state of each soil element for geotechnical engineering tasks. This is because it results in significant influencing factors. The initial state depends on the weight and mechanical properties of the subsoil.
Other factors may include:
- Topography (for example, distribution of the terrain surface),
- Load history of the subsoil (for example, geological preload)
- Groundwater levels
- External loads (for example, from existing structures).