Three-dimensional effects for supported excavations in clay

Jill Frances Roboski; James Tanner Blackburn; Richard J. Finno

doi:https://doi.org/10.21985/N2719F

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Three-dimensional effects for supported excavations in clay

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This paper presents the results of 159 finite element simulations conducted to define the effects of excavation geometry, i.e., length, width and depth of excavation, wall system stiffness, and factor of safety against basal heave on the 3-dimensional ground movements caused by excavation through clays. The results of the analyses are represented by the plane strain ratio, PSR, defined as the maximum movement in the center of an excavation wall computed by 3-dimensional analyses normalized by that computed by a plane strain simulation. A simple equation for PSR is presented based on excavation geometry, wall system stiffness and factor of safety against basal heave. This PSR equation reasonably represents trends in results of the 159 simulations as well as those simulations reported in literature. When the excavated length normalized by the excavated depth of an excavation wall is greater than 6, results of plane strain simulations yield the same displacements in the center of that wall as those computed by a 3-D simulation.

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