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Braced and Strutted Excavations PDF
Braced and Strutted Excavations PDF
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185
diagram shown in Figure 3(c) is normally used for design. The variation
in the value of maximum pressure level, ranging from 0.2 H to 0.4 H,
is dependent on the character of the clay, the degree of jointing or
fissuring, and the reduction in strength of the clay with time. The choice
of pressure within this range should only be made on the basis of
experience and detailed knowledge of the clay deposit.
Surcharge Loading (q)
The design of all members must include the effects of loads of
street traffic, construction equipment, supported utilities, adjacent
structures which are not underpinned, and any other loads that must be
carried by the walls of the excavation during the construction period,
(Terzaghi and Peck, 1967).
Effect of seepage and drainage
Groundwater pressures estimated in design should be
consistent with the required or permissible drawdown levels. Where
soldier beams with wood lagging are to be utilized, groundwater is
generally assumed to be at, or below, the base of the interior of the
excavation. When the wall is intended to prevent all leakage of
groundwater, maximum exterior groundwater pressures should be added
to the lateral design pressures.
Design and Installation of Members
(1) Structural Design: Members such as walls, struts, soldier piles, and
sheeting should be sized for the loads defined in Figure 3 in accordance
with normally recognized structural design requirements. The effects of
combined axial and flexural loading, unsupported span lengths and lateral
stability of the members must, of course, be considered in the design.
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Thickness of lagging in
excavation < 8 m deep
Up to 2.0 m
2.0 m to 2.5 m
2.5 m to 3.0 m
50 mm
75 mm
100 mm
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Table 2. Shoring for trenches less than 6 metres deep and 2 metres wide.
Soil Type
Walers
Size
mm
Struts
Spacing
m
Sheeting
Size
mm
Vertical
Spacing
m
Horizontal
Spacing
m
Upright
Spacing
m
100x150
1.2
Cohesive
cu > 25 kPa
None
required
Cohesive
cu < 25 kPa
150x200
1.2
150x200
1.2
Cohesionless free
running soils
150x250
1.2
150x200
1.2
close tight
Nb cu
H % q
where Nb is a stability factor dependent upon the geometry of the (2) Cohesionless Soils (c = 0): In cohesionless soils, basal instability
excavation (see Figure 5), and the remaining parameters are those defined takes the form of piping or heave and is associated with groundwater flow.
previously.
Groundwater control can be achieved by drainage, by using sheetpiling to
support the face of the excavation and providing adequate penetration of
As the potential for bottom instability increases, the heave in the piling for cut-off purposes, or by a combination of the two methods.
the base of the excavation and the loss of ground adjacent to the
excavation increases. It should be noted that, in the case of soft clays MOVEMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH EXCAVATION
underlying the base of the excavation where Fb is less than 2, substantial Introduction
deformations may result with consequent loss of ground. If soft clay
Movements associated with braced excavations are primarily
extends to a considerable depth below the excavation, the beneficial related to construction technique and commonly consist of lateral yield of
effects of even relatively stiff sheeting in reducing deformation have been the soil and support system towards the excavations with corresponding
found to be minimal. However, if the lower portion of the sheeting is vertical movement adjacent to the excavation walls. Both lateral and
driven into a hard stratum, the effectiveness of the sheeting in reducing
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Magnitude of movements:
For well-constructed support systems, designed in accordance with the
previously presented requirements for Strutted Walls, it has been found
that the magnitude of deformations are dependent on the wall height and
related to the soil type.
(a) Cohesionless soils (c = 0): If the struts are installed as soon as the
support level is reached and prestressed to 100 per cent of the design load,
the lateral movements in the system can be expected to be of the order of
0.2 percent of the depth of the excavations.
(b) Soft to firm clays (cu = 12 to 50 kPa): Substantial movements often
occur when vertical cuts are made in soft clays. These movements occur
in spite of well-constructed and installed support systems. Measurements
have shown that 60 to 80 percent of the total lateral yield occurs below the
excavation level. Struts should be installed and prestressed as soon as the
excavation reaches the support level. The applied prestress should be 100
percent of the design load. However, lateral movements below the bottom
support will increase significantly if the excavation reaches a depth where
the factor of safety against base heave becomes less than about 2.0. Even
if the system is properly installed, the maximum lateral movement of the
support system is likely to be 1 to 2 percent of the excavation depth.
(c) Stiff clay (cu > kPa): The lateral movements of temporary support
systems decrease sharply as the shear strength of the soil increases.
Limited available data indicated that maximum lateral movements of
excavations on stiff clays with cu > 75 kPa will be less than 0.2 percent of
the excavation depth and often less than 0.1 percent provided struts are
installed as soon as the support level is reached and prestressed to 100
percent of the design load.
Means of reducing movements:
To reduce the magnitude of movements it is necessary to reduce the shear
stresses induced in the ground by excavation. Two possible methods can
be utilized to effect this:
(a)
The unsupported depth of wall between supports can be
shortened by using more levels of struts. Generally, a vertical
spacing of 2.5 m between strut levels is considered a minimum
from a construction viewpoint, with 4 m to 5 m being
preferred. The maximum spacing for small lateral deformation
is generally close to 4 m, but where underpinning of small or
light adjacent structures is omitted, and tightly braced
excavation walls are intended to prevent movement of such
adjacent structures, the vertical spacing should be kept to the
minimum value of 2.5 m.
(b)
The unsupported depth of wall can be shortened by use of the
trenching method as illustrated in Figure 4.
LOSS OF GROUND BEHIND EXCAVATIONS
Cohesionless Soils (c = 0)
Because lateral yield of strutted excavations in cohesionless
soils is usually small, the loss of ground behind such systems is also
usually small. However, placement of lagging and backfill behind the
lagging must be emphasized. With good workmanship and attention to
detail, settlements can often be kept to less than 0.05 percent of the depth
of the excavation.
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2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
190
EXAMPLE 1
A deep vertical trench 10 m deep and 4 m wide is to be made
in a deep deposit of clay. The sides are supported by braced sheet piling.
The piling penetrates below the bottom of the excavation sufficient that
the base may be assumed to act as bracing. Bracing is placed at 3 m
intervals starting from the base of the excavation. The clay has a bulk
density of 17 kN/m3 and an undrained shearing strength cu = 35 kPa.
Calculate the factor of safety against bottom heave using Nb as
given below.
Using a simple method of analysis also calculate the loads on
the bracing, including that taken by the base (i.e. assume simple supports
where possible).
Calculate the depth of penetration of the sheet piling to give
1.5 times the required Rankine depth passive resistance to equalize the
reaction support at the excavation base.
The recommended pressure distribution according to the
Canadian Foundation Engineering Manual is given in the appropriate
Figure of the notes and is to be used in answering the question.
Nb is to be assumed to increase linearly from 5.0 for an
excavation depth of zero to 7.5 when the excavation depth is 3 times the
excavation width and then remains constant.
_________________________________________________________
R1 '
'
{R2}1&2 '
{R2}2&3 '
R2 '
R3 '
R4 '
1.5
2
DEPTH OF PENETRATION
R4 is the load taken by the soil and must be resisted by passive soil
pressure at the base of the excavation.
2 c u N
H p N
Equateing passive resistance
0.5 Hp N Hp % 2 cu Hp
'
'
'
'
Fb '
Nb cu
H
H
35
3 B
17 (10)
5 % 2.5
'
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EXAMPLE 2
A braced excavation 10 m deep is to be made in a sand deposit. The sands
angle of friction ' = 35E and unit weight = 19 kN/m3. Impermeable sheet
piling is to be driven deep enough to allow a water table at 5 m below the
ground surface. Calculate the strut loads for struts at 2.5 m spacing
starting with the first at 0.5 m depth below the surface. Also calculate the
depth of penetration of the sheeting to give 1.5 times the required Rankine
passive resistance.
_________________________________________________________
EXAMPLE 3
Repeat Example 2 assuming soldier piles 0.3 m wide at 2.5 m
centre to centre were used in place of the piled sheeting.
_________________________________________________________
same.
2
)
o
0.65 o
10
35
2
' H & w H w
' tan2 45 &
10
' 0.272
3
2
0.5
9.81 (0.5) 0.5
25 (2.5) 1.25
3
R2 '
%
B
2.5
2 (2.5)
' 31 kN/m run of excavation
R2 ' 61 kN/m run of excavation
R3
'
'
R3
'
'
'
R3 '
R4 '
'
R5 '
0.5
9.81 (0.5) 0.5 2.5 &
25 (2.5) 1.25
3
%
2.5
2 (2.5)
32 kN/m run
25 (2.5) 1.25 % 9.81 (0.5) 2.5 (1.25) % 9.81 (2.5) 2.5 (0.5) 0.83
2.5
31.25 % 6.13 % 10.2
48 kN/m run of excavation
80 kN/m run
31.25 % 25 % 6.13 % 10.2 (2)% 29.43 % 6.5
119 kN/m run
25 % 29.43 % 6.5 (2) ' 68 kN/m run
DEPTH OF PENETRATION
R5 is load taken by the soil and must be resisted by soil's passive pressure
inside the excavation (at its base).
If soil is dry (by suitable drainage system, e.g. relief wells):
R5 = 0.5 H2p N = 0.5 (10) H2p 0.272 = 68 kN/m run
Hp = %1.96 = 1.40
Required embedment depth = 1.5 (1.40) = 2.09 m
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