BRACED CUTS (EXCAVATIONS)

Design Steps and Equations

To design a braced cut follow these steps (click on item for details):
If the soil stratum is multi-layered go here first then perform steps (1) to (3)
If the soil stratum is single-layered continue with steps (1) to (3)
(Click here for an EXAMPLE ON THE DESIGN OF BRACED CUTS)
1) Estimate lateral pressure on braced cut
2) Calculate the forces and moments on various components
a) Determine the load distribution
b) Estimate forces on struts and select section
c) Estimate the maximum moment on sheet pile and select
section
d) Estimate the maximum moment on wales and select section
3) Check for bottom heave (in clays)

Lateral Earth Pressure on Braced Cuts

return to top

a) Sands: c = 0
pa = 0.65 H ka

where k a = tan2 45
2

pa

b) Soft to Medium Clay: = 0 and

h
c

>4
0.25H

4 c

pa = H 1
H
0.75H

or 0.3 H
Whichever is higher
pa

1 of 6

Advanced Foundation Engineering

Braced Cuts (Excavations)

c) Soft to Medium Clay: = 0 and

0.25H

pa = 0.2 H to 0.4 H

0.5H

with an average of 0.3 H

0.25H

pa

Forces and Moments on Various Components

Load Distribution

return to top

return to top

d1

A
FA

d1

d2
B

d3
C

FB1

+
x

d4

d2

pa
= FB

FB2
x

II

d3

d5

pa
FC1

pa
= FC

FC2
B

s
d4

L
FD
s

III

d5

pa

Section x-x (Plan)

2 of 6

Advanced Foundation Engineering

Braced Cuts (Excavations)

Note that the first strut A must be placed at a depth d1 < zc (depth of tension
crack) where zc =

2 c
.

Forces on Struts and Selection of Section

(Designed as column, pined at both ends)

return to top

1) Draw the pressure diagram pa

2) Assume that the sheet pile is hinged at all levels of struts
3) Calculate FA , FB1, FB2, FC1, FC2, and FD which are the reaction in the load
distributions I, II and III.
4) The loads in the struts are calculated as:
PA = (FA) x s
PB = (FB1 + FB2) x s
PC = (FC1 + FC2) x s
PD = (FD) x s

Maximu Moment on Sheet Pile and selection of Section

return to top

1) For each of the load distributions I, II and III find Mmax i.e. where the shear
is equal to zero.
2) The design moment for the sheet pile is the maximum of step (1)
3) Calculate the section modulus S =

Mmax
where all = allowable stress for
all

sheet pile

4) Select the sheet pile section based on S in Step 3 (Table of Sheet Pile
Section Properties)

Maximu Moment on Wales and selection of Section

(Designed as beams pined at the struts)

At level A: MA, max =

return to top

( )

FA s2
8

3 of 6

Advanced Foundation Engineering

Braced Cuts (Excavations)

At level B: MB, max =

At level C: MC, max =

At level D: MD, max =

(FB1 + FB2 ) (s2 )

8

(FC1 + FC2 ) (s2 )

8

( )

FD s2
8

Mmax is the maximum moment from levels A, B, C and D. The required minimun
section modulus S =

Mmax
where all = allowable stress for of the wales.
all

return to top

Check for Bottom Heave (in clays)

(Click here for an Example on BOTTOM HEAVE)

L
q

Bottom Heave

Hard Stratum (ROCK)

4 of 6

Advanced Foundation Engineering

Braced Cuts (Excavations)

Safety Factor against bottom heave SFH 1.5

If D > 0.7 B

1 5.7 c
SFH =
H c

0.7B

If D 0.7 B

1 5.7 c
SFH =
H c

0.7B

OR
SFH =

c Nc
H+q

Whichever is larger

In the above equations c

q

= cohesion
= surcharge load

Nc = 6.805 exp 0.082

B

For Strip:

B
=0
L

5 of 6

0.84 + 0.16 L

For Square:

B
=1
L

Advanced Foundation Engineering

Braced Cuts (Excavations)

Multi-Layered Soil Stratum

return to top

(Click here for an Example on MULTI-LAYERED STRATUM)

Sand 1

Sand 2

:
:

Clay 1

Clay 2
:
:
:
:

Replace the layers by an equivalent soil with:

Weighted average cohesion:

c=

1 n 1

si H2si tan i + 0.75 Hcj c j

j=1
H i=1 2

Weighted average unit weight:

=

m
1 n
si Hsi + cj Hcj

H i =1
j =1

Where: si, Hsi and i are the unit weight, height and internal friction angle of
sand i
cj, Hcj and cj are the unit weight, height and cohesion of clay j.
n = number of sand layers and m =number of clay layers.
Once the multi-layered soil is replaced by a single layer, return to top

6 of 6

Advanced Foundation Engineering

Braced Cuts (Excavations)