CE5112

Excavation Support Systems

Part 1: Strutting Design
J Y Richard Liew
Professor
PhD, ACPE, PE, MIStructE, CEng, StEr

National University of Singapore

Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering
E1A-05-13
1 Engineering Drive 2
Singapore 117576
TEL: 65-6516 2154
E-MAIL: ceeljy@nus.edu.sg
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 OBJECTIVES
Students learn to design retaining wall and strutting systems for excavation work. They
learn the safety, economy and construction issues related to deep excavation. Students are
expected to produce acceptable technical designs for wall and strutting structures,
components for excavation construction, and have an ability to use modern engineering tools
for design.

INTENDED OUTCOME
• Students shall develop the capability to produce acceptable design for strutting
support systems, retaining walls and their critical components using design tables and
computer analysis tools.
• Students learn and understand the safety and construction issues related to excavation
construction.
• Students develop an ability to use modern engineering tools for the design of such structures.

MODES OF TEACHING
• Key information (inclusive of theories and methods) made available through lectures
• Assignment of readings, projects & homework.
• Lessons learned from collapse investigations
• Case Studies and problem based learning.

ASSESSMENT
2
Projects 40%; final examination (open book, 2.5 hours) 60%
 References
1. BCS and SCI, Handbook of structural steelwork, 3rd Edition, jointly
published by The British Constructional Steelwork Association and The
Steel Construction Institute, UK, 2002.
2. TR 26 (2010). Technical reference for deep excavation, Spring
Singapore.
3. CIRIA 517 Temporary Propping of Deep Excavation –Guidance on
Design, London, 1999.
4. CIRIA C580 – Embedded Retaining Walls – guidance for economic
design
5. BS 8002 – Code of Practice for Earth Retaining Structures
6. EC7: Geotechnical Design
7. BS8110: Structural Use of Concrete
8. BS8007 – Design of Concrete Structures for retaining aqueous liquids
9. BS 5950 Part1:2000 – Structural Use of Steelwork in Building, BSI.
10. BSEN1993 1-1-2005, Eurocode 3: Design of steel structures — Part 1-1:
General rules and rules for buildings.

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 CE5112:  Class Schedule for 2013
Instructors: Prof. Richard Liew / Mr TAN See Chee

Eamil: ceeljy@nus.edu.sg / tan.see.chee@cpgcorp.com.sg

15 Jan  Tue Lecture 1 by Richard Liew 
19 Jan  Sat Lecture 2 by Richard Liew
22 Jan  Tue Lecture 3 by Richard Liew
26  Jan   Sat Lecture 4 by Richard Liew
29 Jan  Tue  Lecture 5:  Consultation and discussions by Richard Liew
5 Feb    Tue Part I: Project presentation (design of steel strutting system)
12, 19 & 26  CYN Holiday and Recess Week 
Feb

05 March  Lecture 1 by Tan See Chee 
12 March  Lecture 2 by Tan See Chee
19 March  Lecture 3 by Tan See Chee
26 March  Lecture 4 by Tan See Chee 
02 April Lecture 5 by Tan See Chee
09 April  Part II: Project Presentation (design of retaining wall)  & final report
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?? April Final Exam

Strutting Systems
1. Waler beam
2. Strut
3. Spreading brace (splays)
4. Comer brace
5. Braced receiving piece
6. Full strength bolt connections
( double cover plates with web plate)
7. Hand jack
8. Jack cover
9. Jack connecting piece
10. Receiving piece
11. Load cell (pressure gauge )
12. Angle bars
13. Hanging rods
14. King post or column
15. Supporting bracket
16. Waler bracket

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 Course notes
Chapter 1 Introduction to Limit State Design
Chapter 2 Local Buckling and Section Classification
Chapter 3 Restrained Beams
Chapter4 Unrestrained beams
Chapter 5 Beam web consideration
Chapter 6 Tension members
Chapter 7 Compression Members
Chapter 8 Members subject to axial load and moments
Chapter 9 Design of structural steel supporting systems for
basement construction

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Chapter 1 Introduction

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 BS5950 Structural use of
steelwork in building
Hot rolled and welded sections (Part 1)
Composite construction (Part 3 Section 3.1)
Cold formed sections (Part 5)
Fire resistant design (8)
Stressed skin design (9)

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 Structural use of steelwork in
building

BS5950 - Part 1 : 2000

Part 1: Code of practice for design: rolled

and welded sections

Get this from the library

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 Scope
To be used for hot rolled sections, flats
plates, hot finished and cold rolled
structural hollow sections

Primarily for building structures and other

structures not specifically covered by other
standards

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 Contents
1. General
2. Limit States Design
3. Materials and Section Properties
4. Design of Structural Members
5. Continuous structures
6. Connections
7. Loading tests

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 Aims of Structural Design
Economy, safety, fitness for purpose
Ease of transport, handling and erection
Future maintenance
End of life options

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 Limit States Concept
Consider the limit states beyond which the
structure would become unfit for its
intended use
Ultimate Limit State (ULS)
Serviceability Limit State (SLS)

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Design Strength of Steel
Number of results

95%
Confidence limit
Mean

2
275 300 350 N/mm

Strength of material

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 Specifying Steel Grade
BS EN 10025 - S 275

A steel to
the standard Minimum yield of
275 N/mm2
275
S for “structural” 355
E for “engineering” 460
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 Table 9. Design Strength

Steel Grade Thickness not greater Design Strength py

than N/mm2
mm

S275 16 275
40 265
63 255
80 245
S355 16 355
40 345
63 335
80 325

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 Limit States Design

f F  R m
F is the load
f is the load factor
R is the resistance
m is the material factor

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 Ultimate Limit States

Strength
Stability
Fatigue
Brittle Fracture
Structural Integrity & Robustness

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 Limit State of Strength
Load combination 1:
 Dead load and imposed load
Load combination 2:
 Dead load and wind load
Load combination 3:
 Dead load, imposed load and wind load

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 Limit State of Strength
Dead load, except as below f = 1.4
Dead with wind and imposed loads f = 1.2
Dead load counteracting other loads f = 1.0
Dead load restraining sliding, uplift etc. f = 1.0
Imposed load f = 1.6
Imposed load with wind load f = 1.2
Wind load f = 1.4
Wind load with imposed load f = 1.2
Earth and ground water loads f = 1.4

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Safety Factor for Structural Design According
to Singapore TECHNICAL REFERENCE FOR
Deep excavation (TR26 2010)

The strutting system and the retaining wall

shall be designed with a minimum load
factor of 1.4 applied to combined earth,
water and surcharge load using the most
onerous design based on “moderately
conservative” soil parameters.

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Load factors and Load Combinations
TR26: Clause 3.10.2
Load Load Factor
Combination
Excavation Dead Live Temperature Impact
Load Load Load Load Load

Normal 1.4 1.4 1.6 1.2 -

Working
Condition

One Strut 1.05 1.05 0.5 -

Failure

Accidental 1.05 1.05 0.5 1.05

Impact

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 Loads on Strut
Impact load (IPL)50kN
Imposed load IL= 5kN/m
Dead load DL = 20kN/m Soil Load (SL)= 500kN

Examples of factored load combinations:

Normal Load: 1.4DL+1.6IL+ 1.4 SL
Accidental Load: 1.05DL+0.5IL+1.05 SL+1.05 IPL

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Serviceability Limit States

o Deflection
o Vibration and oscillation
o Durability

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Serviceability Limit States

Deflection Limit for Strut due to

unfactored imposed load
< Span/200

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 STEEL COST
Fabrication Material
Installation
(40-50%)
(30%) (10-20%)

Total Cost per ton: I or H Strutting = $3000

CHS Strutting = $4000

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 Reading
assignments
BS 5950:Part 1 Code:
Clauses 2.1, 2.4 & 2.5

Reference : Chapter 1 – R Liew’s note

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