Three-Dimensional Stability of Slurry Trench Wall under Water Drawdown
Publication: International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 24, Issue 11
Abstract
To address the engineering problem of wall collapse and destabilization during the construction of the slurry trench wall, the stability of the slurry trench wall under the condition of three-dimensional (3D) unsaturated stable seepage is studied using the upper limit analysis method and in combination with the three-dimensional rotating failure mechanism. The expression of the factor of safety (FS) for the unsaturated soil slurry trench was deduced by the gravity increase method. Additionally, a genetic algorithm was used to search for the minimum FS and the critical slip surface, and the obtained results were compared and validated with existing literature results. The effects of relevant parameters on the stability of the slurry trench under the condition of unsaturated seepage were analyzed in detail. The results of this paper indicated that ignoring the 3D effect of the slurry trench will underestimate the stability of the slurry trench. The presence of suction in unsaturated soil is beneficial to the stability of the slurry trench, and the impact of suction is closely associated with seepage conditions and the characteristics of the soil. The increase in surcharge load can lead to a decrease in the FS, and its effect on slurry trench stability increases with the enhancement of the three-dimensional effect. The impact of different seepage conditions on the sliding surface of the channel wall of clay strata is more significant, while the effect on the trench wall of sand strata is negligible.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or codes that support the finding of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
This research was supported by the Hebei Natural Science Foundation and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. E2023203130 and 41807295). The financial support provided by these organizations is greatly appreciated.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 24 • Issue 11 • November 2024
Copyright
© 2024 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Nov 2, 2023
Accepted: May 9, 2024
Published online: Aug 23, 2024
Published in print: Nov 1, 2024
Discussion open until: Jan 23, 2025
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Analysis (by type)
- Diaphragm walls
- Engineering fundamentals
- Geomechanics
- Geotechnical engineering
- Seepage
- Soil dynamics
- Soil mechanics
- Soil properties
- Soil suction
- Soils (by type)
- Structural engineering
- Structural members
- Structural systems
- Three-dimensional analysis
- Trenches
- Trenchless technology
- Tunneling
- Tunnels
- Unsaturated soils
- Walls
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