Session 02/20: Planning Considerations for Deep excavation

and Basement Construction in Highrise

Projects
 Planning considerations for Deep excavation
Objectives:
✓ To understand various excavation and basement construction
techniques for high rise structures along with their management
concepts
Contents:
➢ Definitions
➢ Basement Grades
➢ Attributes for excavation and basement construction
➢ Design and managerial issues
➢ Provisions involved during construction
➢ Types of deep excavation and basement construction methods
Excavation: A man-made cut, cavity or depression formed by earth
removal.
Trench: A narrow excavation. The depth is greater than the width, but
not wider than 15 feet.
Shield: A structure to withstand a cave-in and protect life.
Shoring: A structure that supports the sides of an excavation and protects
against cave-ins.
Sloping: A technique where a specific angle of inclination is employed to
protect the sides of excavation. The angle varies based on the assessment
of impacting site factors.
Basement: It is a storey or several stories of a building that are either
completely or partially below the ground floor. Not all buildings have
basements.
Need for Deep Excavation:
➢ Utilization of Underground Space
✓ Basements
✓ Cut & Cover Tunnels
✓ Underground Garages
✓ Large Water Tanks
Basement Grades (BS - 8102):
Grade Possible Use Conditions required Moisture Exclusion
Grade 1 Car parking, Mechanical 65% relative humidity Minor wet seepage ad
(Basic Plant rooms 15-32° C temperature visible damp patches may be
Utility) acceptable
Grade 2 Retail Storage, Electrical 35-50% relative Wet seepage unacceptable
(Better Plant rooms humidity No visible moisture patches
Utility) < 15 C for storage
Up to 42° C for plat
rooms

Grade 3 Offices, Residential, 40-60% relative Seepage and wet patches

(Habitable) Kitchens, Restaurants humidity unacceptable
18-29° C Depending on Possible active control of
use internal environment
required to control
temperature and humidity
Grade 4 Archive storage of books, 35-50% relative Environment tightly
(Special) Documents, art, etc., humidity controlled by active
13-22° C temperature measures.
range Seepage and visible
dampness unacceptable
Attributes that affect the construction of basement:
1. Size of a site
2. Volume of work
3. Shape and topographical conditions of site
4. Neighborhood conditions of site
5. Geological conditions
6. Internal layout of the basement or other related structures
7. Availability of expertise skill
8. Availability of resources for the project
9. Appropriateness of the methods selected for construction
10. Special performance requirements imposed
11. Where a new basement is required to be constructed
simultaneously to replace an old one
12. Working under very fast track schedule
Factors involved in the choice of a support system for a Deep
Excavation (NAVFAC, 1982)
Requirements
Use as part of permanent structure
Deep soft clay subsurface condition
Dense gravelly sand or clay subsoil
Avoid dewatering
Minimum Movement
Wide excavation(>20.0m)
Narrow excavation(<20.0m)
The appropriate shoring system
Diaphragm wall
Laterally supported diaphragm wall(by struts/rackers)
Soldier pile, R.C.Pile, diaphragm wall
Diaphragm wall, steel sheet pile wall in soft subsoil
Strutted or tie-back walls
Tie backs or rackers
Cross-Lot struts

Design considerations for deep excavations:

➢ Planning of surface investigation and laboratory testing
➢ Evaluation of foundation of adjacent properties and their
tolerances
➢ Selection of type of retaining wall, support system and their
design factors
Common managerial problems in construction of deep
basement/excavation:
1. Very expensive and time consuming in nature, often involves huge
amount of work resources
2. Inconsistent and sensitive to the quality of planning and
management of individual projects
3. Works are highly hazardous, both to human operatives working
within and the life and properties of third parties present within
the vicinity
4. Accurate cost analysis or work study is difficult to carry out due to
limited commonality to do comparisons
5. Every project, though looks relatively similar from certain
indicative factors, Basement/excavation is in-fact unique in itself
6. Great number of random and uncontrolled variances are likely to
arise during the course of work, making planning and scheduling
not accurate
7. The actual effectiveness of works is highly depended on the as-
constructed site environments
8. Quality of management and executing parties, as well as the
problems solving ability of the frontline personnel also seriously
affects the performance and effectiveness of work.
9. Layout planning especially in phasing and sectioning of the job
and co-ordination problems between various parties involved
10. Dynamic layout arrangement is required for the removal of
excavated spoil, which requires temporary ramp, provision of
special equipment or taking over of part of completed building as
temporary access in an advanced stage
11. Protection and safety measures are of high concern
12. Works involve a lot of managerial challenges.
 a) Preparation of a highly efficient working programme
b) Monitoring and rectifying the progress of works in case of
problems
c) Resource planning (Finance, material, labors, plant and
equipment)
Involvement/Provision when constructing:
1. Ground stabilization provisions
2. Cut-off walling provisions
3. Lateral soil support provisions
4. Excavation arrangement
5. Dewatering arrangement
6. Spoil removal arrangement
7. Construction arrangement
1. Ground stabilization Provisions:
➢ Usually grouting method is used to stabilize weaker ground
➢ Grout is a kid of fluid form material used for injecting into sub-
soil
➢ This material can be of cement or chemical base
➢ It gets hydrated inside the soil and make the subsoil stronger
to withstand itself or to resist penetration of ground water
2. Cut-Off wall provisions:

➢ Sheet pile
➢ Soldier Pile
➢ Bore Pile
➢ Diaphragm wall
3. Lateral Support for Excavation:
4. Excavation Arrangement:
5. Dewatering Arrangement:
6. Soil removal Arrangement: