Ground Movements around Corners of Excavations: Empirical Calculation Method
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 136, Issue 10
Abstract
This paper presents an empirical methodology that allows calculation of ground displacements behind corners of retained cut excavations. The increased stiffness of a retaining wall at the corner of an excavation normally leads to a corresponding reduction in ground movements behind the retaining wall. These “corner effects” derived from retained cut excavations can only be assessed at present by using three-dimensional numerical analysis or empirical methods. Significant cost and time can be taken carrying out three dimensional analysis, which, additionally, is not normally carried out at an early stage of the design of a project. Furthermore, numerical analysis must be undertaken by a competent person with appropriate training. An inappropriate analysis can yield to misleading and counterproductive results. This constitutes an expensive requirement on practitioners that often resort to more conservative designs which ignore corner effects. The methodology of adjusting calculated ground movements around corners of excavations described in this paper is simple to use and easy to program into software or spreadsheets. It can be used in conjunction with two-dimensional numerical analysis and also for calculating displacements in early stages of projects when numerical analysis has not yet been undertaken. This allows for more informed early discussion with third parties where approvals are sought on a given project.
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Acknowledgments
The writers would like to thank Duncan Nicholson, Anton Pillai, and Mohammad Mahbub of Arup for their help and good advice and Dr. Ferreira and Professor Swain of UCL for their continuous support. This work has been carried out as part of an Engineering Doctorate Degree that the first author is undertaking at UCL and is being funded by the EPSRC-GB and Arup Geotechnics.EPSRC-GB
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 136 • Issue 10 • October 2010
Pages: 1414 - 1424
Copyright
© 2010 ASCE.
History
Received: Mar 24, 2009
Accepted: Feb 25, 2010
Published online: Feb 27, 2010
Published in print: Oct 2010
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