Modeling small-strain behavior of Taipei clays for finite element analysis of braced excavations

We examine the small-strain behavior of Taipei clays in braced excavation through a detailed analysis of a well-documented case history. Specifically, we analyze the case of the Taipei National Enterprise Center (TNEC) excavation using two soil models, the Modified Cam-clay model (MCC) and the three-Surface Kinematic Hardening model (3-SKH). Our finite element analysis includes a consideration of the over-consolidated stress state and the high initial shear modulus of the clay. Results show that the observed wall deflection and surface settlement can be satisfactorily predicted simultaneously using the 3-SKH model. This is an improvement on the MCC model, for which only wall deflection, not ground settlement, can be accurately predicted. This study re-confirms the importance of considering small-strain non-linear behavior for the over-consolidated stress state in finite element analyses of braced excavation responses.     

基坑围护结构最大侧移深度对周边环境的影响

围护结构最大侧移所在深度是衡量基坑变形的重要指标之一,而目前鲜有关于其对周边环境变形影响的研究。基于工程实测数据分析和有限元数值模拟,系统地研究了基坑围护结构最大侧移深度对邻近桩基础建筑物不均匀沉降和坑外深层土体位移场的影响。经研究发现：围护结构最大侧移的下移会导致坑外土体位移场扩大,进而降低相应区域的桩基础承载力,导致邻近桩基础建筑物发生显著的不均匀沉降。不同深度的土体经历复杂的竖向位移,且位移形态与围护结构最大侧移深度密切相关。随围护结构最大侧移深度的逐渐下移,坑外土体位移场向深层土体发展,且主要影响范围相应地扩大。在实际工程中,根据基坑周边环境合理地控制围护结构最大侧移所在深度,可有效降低基坑开挖对周边环境的不利影响。     

考虑土体硬化的基坑开挖性状及隆起稳定性分析

基坑开挖过程中,土体应力路径、卸载回弹再压缩特性与简单加载或卸载不同,采用常规的理想弹塑性模型模拟基坑开挖,得到的围护墙位移、坑内土体回弹以及坑外沉降较大。分析了基坑开挖不同区域土体的性状,采用土体硬化模型模拟基坑开挖的卸载与土体硬化行为,结合工程算例,对比土体硬化模型和理想弹塑性模拟以及实测的围护结构土压力、围护墙水平位移和坑外土体沉降,并利用强度折减法分析基坑的稳定性。计算结果表明,考虑土体硬化的HS模型有限元方法能体现土体卸载再加载与开挖的特性,所得土压力、围护结构水平位移以及基坑抗隆起稳定性符合软土地区基坑工程的实践。     

Investigation of the integrated retaining system to limit deformations induced by deep excavation

A series of three-dimensional finite element analyses of deep excavations with the integrated system between buttress walls and diaphragm walls was conducted to investigate the effect of the buttress wall intervals, treatments, locations, height, and thickness on limiting deformations induced by deep excavation. The integrated retaining system was formed by maintaining buttress walls when soil was excavated. The wall deflection control mechanism of the integrated retaining system mainly came from the combined stiffness between the buttress wall and the diaphragm wall. In addition, the ground settlement control mechanism came from the combined stiffness between the buttress wall and the diaphragm wall, and the frictional resistance between the buttress wall and the surrounding soil. For achieving 50% reduction in the wall deflection and the ground surface settlement, the length and intervals of buttress walls that were applied to the integrated retaining system were at least 4 and 8 m, respectively. When the deflection at the diaphragm wall head was well restrained, for example, by the floor slab, the position of the buttress wall head could be located at a depth the diaphragm wall starts to bulge out. In such a case, the performance between the full height and limited height of buttress walls was quite close. Furthermore, a new well-documented excavation project was analyzed to verify the performance of the integrated retaining system. Results showed that the integrated retaining system worked excellently if the joints between buttress walls and diaphragm walls were constructed properly.     

Application of nonlinear optimization technique to back analyses of deep excavation

This study presents a nonlinear optimization technique (NOT) for conducting the back analyses of geotechnical engineering problems based on the field observations. Additional auxiliary techniques are incorporated to enhance the convergence and stability of the NOT. The developed NOT and additional auxiliary techniques are incorporated into a finite element code and then applied to the back analysis of excavation-induced wall deflection. A number of hypothetical excavation cases with various scenarios of stratigraphy and two quality excavation case histories are used to validate the developed NOT, in which the dominant soil parameters are treated as target parameters. Results show that the wall deflections of all hypothetical and actual excavation cases at each stage can be accurately and efficiently back-figured. The developed NOT has a potential to be an useful tool for preventing the building damage through accurately and efficiently predicting the excavation-induced deformations at subsequent stages.     

Interpretation of Soil–Cement Properties and Application in Numerical Studies of Ground Settlement Due to Tunneling Under Existing Metro Line

Uncertainty of properties of improved soft ground with chemical grouting often results in discrepancy between simulated results and observed data and makes prediction for ground subsidence difficult. It also made practice usually adopts unconfined compressive strength of soil–cement mixtures as design control criterion. This paper presents a methodology to interpret the strength and deformation parameters from unconfined compressive strength of soil–cement mixtures for advanced numerical analysis which is widely used in reinforcing the soft ground and pre-supporting excavation. Observed data are used to compare with the simulated results and validate the interpretations. Numerical experiments with two-dimensional finite element model for covered undercutting of large cross-sectional twin tunnel under an existing subway station are presented. Issues with respect to design and construction of excavation that potentially affect the ground surface subsidence are explored. It was found that the ground subsidence caused by tunneling in soil–cement medium under existing subway station is similar to that in a greenfield site but with flatter settlement trough. Unconfined compressive strength of soil–cement mixtures ranging from 1.5 to 2.0 MPa can significantly reduce the settlement to an acceptable control criterion. Settlement magnitude is influenced by pillar width but not obviously by the location of umbrella arch installed in twin tunnels.     

内支撑结构基坑的空间效应及影响因素分析

具有内支撑结构的围护系统在基坑边角处具有更大的系统刚度,使得基坑边角附近处土体的位移小于距离边角较远处土体的位移,即基坑的变形问题表现出空间特性。为了更好地研究L/He（L为沿基坑纵向方向上的距离;He为开挖深度）、开挖深度等因素对空间效应的影响,量测了两个狭长形地铁车站深基坑不同位置处土体的侧向位移、土体沉降等。通过对现场监测资料的分析发现,边角效应能够减小侧向位移的平面应变比,灌注桩围护结构、SMW工法桩围护结构和地下连续墙在边角附近处的平面应变比(PSR)分别为0.50、0.61和0.72。当平面应变比(PSR)接近于1.00时,对应的L/He值分别为2.50、6.00和4.00。随着L/He值的增大,土体的纵向最大沉降呈先增大后保持稳定的趋势。随开挖深度的增加,边角效应的影响范围呈增大的趋势。在基坑纵向沉降的空间效应中,灌注桩围护结构、SMW工法桩围护结构的土体最大沉降值达到稳定时对应的L/He值分别为2.50和5.20。土体沉降和侧向位移的空间效应有一定的相关性。     

济南典型地层HSS参数选取及适用性研究

针对济南地区典型地层上的基坑工程,土体采用PLAXIS 3D中的硬化土小应变（HSS）模型,建立了有限元模型,并根据实际监测数据结合位移反分析技术,得到了该典型地层下土体HSS模型参数的一般选取方法。之后简化模型,分别采用土体的HSS模型与Mohr-Coulomb（M-C）模型进行有限元分析,对比基坑开挖至不同深度时,应用两种模型模拟所得挡土墙变形与墙后地表沉降的差异。结果表明：基坑数值分析中,土体采用M-C模型与HSS模型所得结果的差异随基坑挖深增加而增加,且采用HSS模型所得结果更符合深基坑的实际变形。综合考虑采用HSS模型与M-C模型建模时的参数选取难易程度、经济性以及两种模型数值分析的工程适用性,建议基坑开挖超过15 m时,土体采用HSS模型进行数值分析,反之可采用M-C模型。研究结果对指导深基坑支护设计及岩土工程参数的勘察、选取,具有重要参考价值。     

软土基坑开挖引起的坑外地表沉降预测数值分析

通过对基坑开挖过程的有限元数值模拟可知,当围护结构发生正向、反向转动及挠曲等3种基本变形模式时,坑外地表沉降分布具有较为明显的规律,均可采用统一格式的指数曲线进行模拟,即可得到坑外地表沉降曲线的经验公式。利用正向、反向转动及挠曲等3种基本变形模式对围护结构的任意变形模式进行拟合,求得3种基本模式的最大位移值,然后根据3种基本模式所对应的坑外地表沉降经验公式,求得每一基本模式所对应的坑外地表沉降分量,并进行叠加,从而求得坑外地表沉降分布曲线。     

A simple estimation model for 3D braced excavation wall deflection

A series of two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) finite element analyses using the Hardening Soil (HS) model were carried out to investigate the influences of soil properties, wall stiffness, excavation length, excavation depth, clay thickness at the base of the excavation and wall embedment depth, on the maximum wall deflection induced by braced-excavation. The results show that the 3D maximum wall deflections are generally much smaller than those for 2D. Comparisons were also made with other commonly used semi-empirical charts. Based on the finite element results in this study, a simple wall deflection equation was developed for estimating the maximum wall deflection that takes the 3D effects into consideration through different ratios of excavation length over excavation width.     

Study on Deformation Characteristics of Deep Foundation Excavation in Soft-Soil and the Response of Different Retaining Configurations

In recent years, many researchers have considered the mechanical characteristics of deep foundation excavation in soft-soil. The analysis of these deep excavations requires consideration of an uncertain, nonlinear, dynamic and complicated system, and involves consideration of soil strength, stability, deformation, fluid flow and interaction of soil and different retaining configurations. It is difficult to describe such a nonlinear system using traditional analysis. Therefore, in order to accurately describe the mechanical behavior of a representative deep excavation of the subway station, in this case, 3-Dimensional geotechnical numerical analysis method using FLAC3D software was applied. Using this tool, a study considering earth pressure, soil deformation and settlement was carried out. Furthermore, the response of different retaining configurations was deeply investigated. Triaxial cement mixing piles were considered as a way to optimize deformation of the deep excavation and reduce settlement of the ground surface and the railway embankment. The analysis indicated that the deeper the foundation excavation was, the larger the surface settlement and the smaller the earth pressure. The analysis also considered the mechanical effect of varying the wall thickness and the wall depth on the structure‘s deformation characteristics. The simulations indicated that a wall thickness of less than 1.4 m effectively reduced wall horizontal displacement, ground surface settlement and uneven settlement of railway embankment. While a variable wall embedded depth that was less than 52 m also changed the settlement of the excavation deformation and the ground surface. Therefore, the numerical results can agree with the practical project to imply that numerical method in the paper is applicable and reliable, which provides a new thought to research on deep excavation in soft-soil.     

开挖前降水引发基坑变形机制模型试验研究

现有基坑相关研究主要关注土方开挖过程引起的变形,认为围护结构变形起点是土方第1次开挖。然而,一些工程实测表明,基坑开挖前降水阶段即可引起围护结构及周边地层发生厘米级的变形。显然,未考虑开挖前变形的基坑监测数据将低估基坑施工的环境效应。为了研究基坑开挖前降水引发基坑变形的机制,开展了室内模型试验,对基坑开挖前降水过程进行了缩尺精细化模拟。通过微型降水井的设置与调控,模型试验真实再现了实际基坑降水过程中井流效应对围护结构受力变形的影响。试验过程中发现,随着降水的进行,坑外降水漏斗不断扩展,围护结构悬臂式侧移及坑外拱肩式地面沉降也随之产生。另外,降水导致墙前水压力明显减小,并诱发墙前侧向总压力重分布（以减小为主）,围护结构为此发生指向坑内的悬臂式运动以寻求新的受力平衡,并通过墙后土体损失诱发坑外地层变形。     

A simple prediction model for wall deflection caused by braced excavation in clays

Deep excavations particularly in deep deposits of soft clay can cause excessive ground movements and result in damage to adjacent buildings. Extensive plane strain finite element analyses considering the small strain effect have been carried out to examine the wall deflections for excavations in soft clay deposits supported by retaining walls and bracing. The excavation geometry, soil strength and stiffness properties, and the wall stiffness were varied to study the wall deflection behavior. Based on these results, a simple Polynomial Regression (PR) model was developed for estimating the maximum wall deflection. Wall deflections computed by this method compare favorably with a number of field and published records.     

Efficiency of excavations with buttress walls in reducing the deflection of the diaphragm wall

Installation of buttress walls against diaphragm walls has been used as an alternative measure for the protection of adjacent buildings during excavation, but their mechanism in reducing movements has not yet been fully understood. This study performs three-dimensional finite element analyses of two excavation case histories, one in clay with T-shape buttress walls and another in dominant sand with rectangular buttress walls, to establish analysis model. Then, a series of parametric study were performed by varying soil types, types and length of buttress walls based on the above-mentioned excavations. Results show that the mechanism of buttress walls in reducing wall deflections mainly came from the frictional resistance between the side surface of buttress wall and adjacent soil rather than from the combined bending stiffness from diaphragm and buttress walls. The buttress wall with a length <2.0 m had a poor effect in reducing the wall deflection because the soil adjacent to the buttress wall had almost the same amount of movement as the buttress wall, causing the frictional resistance little mobilized. Since the frictional resistance of buttress walls in a deep excavation has fully been mobilized prior to the final excavation depth, the efficiency of buttress walls in reducing the wall deflection in a deep excavation was much less than that in a shallow excavation. Rectangular shape of buttress walls was of a better effect than T-shape in the shallow excavation because frictional resistance between buttress walls and adjacent soil played a major role in reducing the wall deflection rather than bearing resistance of the flange. When the excavation went deeper, the difference in reducing the wall deflection between the R-shape and T-shape became small.     

Prediction of settlement trough induced by tunneling in cohesive ground

Surface settlements of soil due to tunneling are caused by stress relief and subsidence due to movement of support by excavation. There are significant discrepancies between empirical solutions to predict surface settlement trough because of different interpretations and database collection by different authors. In this paper, the shape of settlement trough caused by tunneling in cohesive ground is investigated by different approaches, namely analytical solutions, empirical solutions, and numerical solutions by the finite element method. The width of settlement trough was obtained by the finite element method through establishing the change in the slope of the computed settlement profile. The finite element elastic-plastic analysis gives better predictions than the linear elastic model with satisfactory estimate for the displacement magnitude and slightly overestimated width of the surface settlement trough. The finite element method overpredicted the settlement trough width i compared with the results of Peck for soft and stiff clay, but there is an excellent agreement with Rankin’s estimation. The results show that there is a good agreement between the complex variable analysis for Z/D = 1.5, while using Z/D = 2 and 3, the curve diverges in the region faraway from the center of the tunnel.     

地裂缝场地施工降水对地表沉降和地层应力的影响研究

地裂缝是西安市典型的城市地质灾害，地下水位的变化是诱发地裂缝活动的重要因素。以西安地铁六号线暗挖段施工降水为研究背景，基于有限元数值模拟计算，分析了地裂缝场地施工降水引起的地表沉降规律和地层应力变化特征。计算结果表明:当地下水位下降时，地表沉降量上盘大于下盘，地裂缝带两侧地表存在差异沉降的现象，最大差异沉降量与地下水位下降深度近似呈直线关系；不同位置处地表的横向沉降呈现出"Z"形的变化特征，差异沉降区随地裂缝位置的变动而变化，且差异沉降量与横向地表位置近似呈二次函数曲线关系；地层竖向应力随着地下水位下降而增大，地裂缝位置处地层应力存在突变现象，上下盘应力影响区与地层深度近似呈三次函数曲线关系；基于分层总和法计算了地下水位下降时地表沉降量的解析解，并与数值模拟结果进行对比，发现两种方法计算结果基本一致，得到了计算地表最大沉降量的经验公式。研究结果可为地裂缝场地地铁隧道及其他地下工程安全施工提供科学指导。      

盾构隧道平行侧穿诱发的建筑纵向沉降实测与模拟分析

当盾构隧道平行侧穿建筑物时,大多关注建筑物的横向沉降规律,对其纵向沉降关注较少。为此,针对盾构隧道平行侧穿建筑物引发的空间变形开展研究。首先,对天津地铁6号线平行侧穿四座结构形式相近的砖混建筑的实测数据进行分析,得到建筑物基本变形模式;基于工程实测并考虑土体的小应变硬化特性建立三维有限元数值分析模型,研究了盾构侧穿引发的建筑物纵向挠曲、土体变形与应力变化规律,并分析了不同建筑平面长宽比的影响。结果表明,盾构隧道平行侧穿将诱发平面长宽比较大的建筑出现"下凹式"挠曲变形,纵墙中部沉降最大可为其角点沉降的2倍,平行侧穿并不能简化为平面应变问题进行分析。建筑物修建和盾构开挖将导致隧道上方土体经历较为复杂的应力变化过程,并可划分为6个阶段。沿建筑纵向基础中部的土体与边缘土体相比,其首先经历更大的压缩变形(建筑施工导致),在盾构穿越后又产生了更大的卸荷变形。当建筑平面长宽比小于2时,盾构开挖导致的纵向挠曲变形将显著减小。     

位移正反分析在地铁施工变位分配控制中的应用

采用浅埋暗挖法施工的城市地铁车站,开挖将不可避免地扰动土层引起地表沉降,从而对周围建构筑物的安全造成危害。由于地铁车站洞室的断面较大,大多采用分步开挖的方式施工,采用变位分配的方法通过预测每一步施工造成的地表沉降将最终的地表沉降分解到各个施工步序中,从而建立起各个阶段的地表沉降控制标准。这样,就可以通过加强对各个阶段的地表沉降的控制来实现对地表沉降进行整体控制的目的。而通过地质勘测所得的参数往往不能满足变位分配所依赖的数值模拟的要求,因此,反分析作为一种有效地补充手段来获得适合岩土工程数值模拟的力学参数。详细介绍了位移正反分析的特点、模型的建立条件和分析步骤,并通过工程实例验证了位移正反分析在预测地表沉降,从而提出变位分配控制标准的可行性。     

Probabilistic Inverse Analysis of Excavation-Induced Wall and Ground Responses for Assessing Damage Potential of Adjacent Buildings

This paper presents an approach for the probabilistic inverse analysis of braced excavations based on the maximum likelihood formulation. Here, the soil parameters are updated using the observations of the maximum ground settlement and/or the maximum wall deflection measured in a staged excavation. The updated soil parameters are then used to refine the predicted wall and ground responses in the subsequent excavation stages, as well as to assess the building damage potential at the final excavation stage. Case study shows that the proposed approach is effective in improving the predictions of the excavation-induced wall and ground responses. More-accurate predictions of the wall and ground responses, in turn, lead to a more accurate assessment of the damage potential of buildings adjacent to the excavation. The proposed approach offers an effective means for a probabilistic inverse analysis of braced excavations.     

An analytical model of soil–structure interaction with swelling soils during droughts

Lightly loaded structures constructed on expansive soils may develop structural damage as a result of changes in the soil’s moisture content. This study investigated an analytical model of soil–structure interaction to assess the settlement of dwellings built on swelling soils when droughts occur. The building behavior was investigated with the Euler–Bernoulli beam theory, and the ground behavior was investigated with a Winkler-derived model based on the state surface approach. The analytical model results were compared to those of a finite element analysis using the Barcelona Expansive Model (BExM) performed with Code_Bright.The analytical model was then used to assess the settlement transmission ratio for a typology of clayey soils and different parameters of building. The results indicated that the final deflection of the building increased with the building length and soil suction. The building deflection due to the suction variations was inversely proportional to the load, the rigidity of the building and the embedding depth of the foundation. Increasing these parameters made the building less vulnerable to shrinkage and swelling action.