Proceedings of Seminar on Lateral Ground Support Systems. Geotechnical Division, Hong Kong Institution of Engineers, May 1991, pp 67-89. Review of Design Approaches for Laterally-loaded Caissons for Building Structures on Soil Slopes K.L. Siu Geotechnical Engineering Office ABSTRACT : Various factors that affect the analyses of laterally-loaded caissons and the effect of caisson loads on the stability of slope are discussed, ‘The usefulness of polystyrene as a sleeving material is also reviewed. Introduction Rapid and intensive development in Hong Kong has led to a great increase in the number of tall buildings supported by caissons in steep slopes of marginal stability. However, the design of caissons subjected to lateral loads and the assessment of the effect of caissons on slopes have elicited many divided views among engineers. The questions are how to evaluate the soil lateral resistance, soil modulus, group stability, etc. for the design and how to assess the stability of slopes under caisson load. ‘The answers to these questions are not easy. To avoid the complex analysis required, many engineers have opted to sleeve the caissons so as to prevent the transfer of lateral load from the caissons onto slopes. ‘The practical concems are however the cost, tedium and time required to form sleeves, which may create problems of site safety and construction programme, ‘To some engineers it is doubtful whether sleeving should be a routine practice, to be adopted automatically irrespective of the actual need. This paper presents a review of Hong Kong’s current design approaches for laterally loaded caissons for building structures on soil slope and the associated problems of slope stability and sleeving. Design Approaches Design Procedure The following procedure is commonly adopted by designers in Hong Kong : (a) Check the stability of existing slopes and/or proposed slopes, assuming that no lateral force is transmitted to the slopes by the caissons. (b) Analyze the behaviour of the caissons to be subjected to lateral loading due to soil, wind, traffic, etc. 67KL. Siu (©) Evaluate the subgrade reaction against the caissons. (@_ Re-analyze the stability of the slopes, taking into account the force transmitted from the caissons, (©) Assess slope stability and consider the provision of sleeves around caissons, to ensure that the stability condition of the slopes is to the required standard. () Design the caissons (normally with a rigid cap) and, if considered necessary, sleeving details. Of course, not all designers would follow all of the above steps. For instance, some ‘would make their decisions about sleeving before carrying out any mathematical analysis. However, it is correct to say that the implications of all the above steps are invariably taken into consideration by designers. Design Method ‘There are three methods used in the analysis of laterally-loaded caissons : (a) the structural frame model or method of equivalent fixed-base pile (e.g. Davissons, 1970), (b)_ the subgrade reaction approach or method of spring idealization (e.g. Terzaghi, 1955, Reese & Matlock, 1957), and (©). the elastic continuum approach (e.g. Poulos & Randolph, 1983) os = taterot tood YF euyay P= 30" se (Fact ues in Chino a +e Monod (ol: Decrease the Value of Soil Hodulus tough o Reduction Factor eochate oy ‘Space inch ceed faa rote ‘ata reswce By colon (05% 10 ees me me ota eeayaaoon 7 =) eat sep 3 esa eon oy mee Aeyin toot thon the timate peatwe euitone of ater tones seues ‘eset by the arvgner ond” wot the val teocton cued sabyode recon teaned atoong | mares fi ate Hol | — som tee oo we Jun, weatites EL fora ethed (b): Set Volues of Soil Resstonee ab Dillon! Depth ond Eniure thot the Subgrade eueten dort nol exceed these olues Nukes < Weed (a) a (4) ttine at Ine snr! tbily oF caasen er cassen op Figure 2 - Methods for considering the effect of slope in Caisson Design The calculated deflections of caissons in slopes are usually small and perhaps for this reason most designers tend to treat the design in the same way as that for horizontal ground without any modification of soil modulus or other factors. However, a few engineers have considered the effect of slopes by one of the following approaches : 9