Excavation Methods and Lateral Supporting

Systems
3.1 Introduction

3.2 Excavation Methods

3.3 Retaining Walls

3.4 Strutting Systems

3.5 Selection of the

Retaining Strut System

3.6 Case History of the
TNEC Excavation

3.2.1 Full Open Cut Methods

3.2.2 Braced Excavation Methods
3.2.3 Anchored Excavation Methods
3.2.4 Island Excavation Methods
3.2.5 Top-down Construction Methods
3.2.6 Zoned Excavation Methods

3.3.1 Soldier Piles

3.3.2 Sheet Piles
3.3.3 Column Piles
3.3.4 Diaphragm Walls

Introduction (in chapter 1)

Definition of deep excavation
Terzaghi(1943)
Whose excavation depths were larger than
their widths

Terzaghi and Peck (1967)Peck et al.(1977)

Whose depths were deeper than 6 meters

A complete deep excavation design

includes a retaining system, a strutting

system, a dewatering system, excavation

procedure, a monitoring system, building
protection, etc. Figure 1.1 illustrates the
general course of deep excavation design.

Start

Geological
investigation

Adjacent property
investigation

Set the criteria fo

r design

Confirm the conditions of

the excavation site
Decide excavation
method

Decide auxiliary method

Boiling analysis

No
Push

Decide depth of retaining

wall

Whether economic

- in failure
analysis

Basal heave
analysis

Yes

No
Strut design

Dewatering analysis

Determination of the
excavation procedure
Uplift analysis
Deformation analysis

Meet the design

criteria

Stress analysis
Detailed design of the
retaining strutting system
Arrangement of monitoring
systems

End

FIGURE

1 .1

Flow chart for analysis and design of an excavation

Start

Geological
investigation

Adjacent property
investigation

Set the criteria for design

Flow chart for analysis and

design of an excavation

Confirm the conditions of

the excavation site
Decide excavation
method

Decide auxiliary method

Boiling analysis

Decide depth of retaining

wall

Push-in failure
analysis

No

No
Whether economic?

Yes

Basal heave
analysis

Yes

Strut design
Dewatering analysis

No

Determination of the
excavation procedure
Uplift analysis
Deformation analysis

Meet the design

criteria?

Stress analysis

Detailed design of the

retaining strutting system
Arrangement of monitoring
systems

End

3.2 Excavation Methods

3.2.1 Full Open Cut Methods

FIGURE 3.1 Sloped open cut method

3.2.1 Full Open Cut Methods

Retaining wall

FIGURE 3.2 Cantilevered open cut method

3.2 Excavation Methods

3.2.2 Braced Excavation Methods

Slab
Strut
Excavation surface
Bracket

Wale
Mat

Center post

Retaining wall

FIGURE 3.3 Braced excavation method (a) profile

3.2.2 Braced Excavation Methods

Brace
Wale

Horizontal strut Retaining wall

FIGURE 3.3 Braced excavation method (b) plan

3.2.2 Braced Excavation Methods

Figure 3.4

3.2.3 Anchored Excavation Methods

Anchor head
Anchor seat

Retaining wall
Tendon

FIGURE 3.6 Basic configuration of an anchor

3.2 Excavation Methods

3.2.3 Anchored Excavation Methods
Slab
Excavation surface

Anchor head

Free section
Anchorage section

Mat foundation

FIGURE 3.7 Profile of the anchored excavation method

3.2.3 Anchored Excavation Methods

3.2.3 Anchored Excavation Methods

Retaining wall
Water flow

FIGURE 3.8 Problem of the anchored excavation method when applied in

the cohesionless soil with high groundwater level

3.2.4 Island Excavation Methods

Wale

Raker

q 35o
q

Retaining wall

FIGURE 3.9 Island excavation method with single level of struts

3.2.4 Island Excavation Methods

Raker
Wale

Main structure

Retaining wall
Center post

FIGURE 3.10 Island excavation method with multiple levels of struts

3.2.5 Top-down Construction Methods

Floor slab
Excavation surface

Excavation surface
Retaining wall

Steel column
Final excavation surface
Pile

Bearing stratum

FIGURE 3.12 Top down construction method

3.2.6 Zoned Excavation Methods

Wall deformation

Diaphragm wall

FIGURE 3.13 Plan of an excavation

3.2.6 Zoned Excavation Methods

A zone

B zone

FIGURE 3.14 Plan of the zoned excavation method

Diaphragm wall

3.3 Retaining Walls

3.3.1 Soldier Piles
3.3.2 Sheet Piles
3.3.3 Column Piles
3.3.4 Diaphragm Walls

3.3.1 Soldier Piles

Backfill

Wedge

Lagging

Soldier pile

(a)

(b)

FIGURE 3.15 Soldier piles (a) front view (b) section view

3.3.1 Soldier Piles

3.3.2 Sheet Piles

Excavation bottom

FIGURE 3.17 Steel sheet pile method

3.3 Retaining Walls

3.3.2 Sheet Piles

3.3.2 Sheet Piles

(a)

(b)

(c)

FIGURE 3.19 Sections of steel sheet piles (a) U pile (b) Z pile (c) straight pile

3.3 Retaining Walls

3.3.3 Column Piles
(1) Packed In Place pile. The diameter of PIP pile is
around 30 cm to 60 cm.

. ..... .....
...... ..... .
. ... . .......
..... .. .. .....
....... .........
. ..
........ . .......
.. . ..... ..
.................
... ......... ..
........ ... ....
...... .... .
... ..... ..

. ..
.
...... .
.. . ..... .
.
.. .... ..
.. .
. .
.. ...................
. .. .. .
. .
................ ..
.. .. ......

FIGURE 3.21 Construction procedure of a packed in place (PIP) pile

3.3.3 Column Piles

(2) Concrete piles

Reverse circulation drill method-All casing method--

The diameters are around 60 cm to 200 cm.

3.3.3 Column Piles

(a) swirl the drilling

rod and inject mortar
into the soil from the
bottom of the
drilling rod

(b) drill to the

designed depth and
treat the soil
simultaneously while
keeping swirling

(c) withdraw the

drilling rod and
inject the mortar
simultaneously

. . ...
...................... .
..... . .
.. .. . .
.. ... ........
.. . . .. ..
........................ .
........ .. . ..
... .... ... ....
. .... . ......
.....................
... .. ... ..
. .. .
...... . ....
.... . ...
................
. ...

.. . ...
.. .... ........ ..
.. .. .........
.... ......
. ... . ......
.. .. .. ..
.. ....... ......... ...
.... ...........
................
. ..... ......
.. ..... ...............
...... ..........
. . .. .
. ...... . ...
... . .
... ... ..........
. .. .. .......

.. .......... . .
. .. .
..... ........ ..
.... . ...
..................
................... .
........ .... ....
. .. .....
. ....................... .
. ........ . .
...... ........ ........
...... . ..
.. . .
. ............. .
... ..... ...
.. .. . ...
. .. ..

.. .
. .. ....... .
........ ......... .
.... .. ...
... .. .
..... ...... .....
. .
........................
...... ........
.... ... ...
. .
.. .......
... .. .. ....
.................
.. ... ....

(3) Mixed piles.They are also called MIP piles (Mixed In

Place piles). The diameters are around 30 cm to 60 cm.

(d) finish the

improvement

FIGURE 3.22 Construction procedure of a mixed in place (MIP) pile

SMW is a typical MIP piles.

..
.
.
. .... .... .
. .... ..
.. . . .
.. .. ....
.
. .. .
. .
.. .. . . ..
.
.
. .. .
.. .
. . .. .. .. . .. ... .... . . ..
.. . .
.
. .. . ...

..
.
. ..... .. . . . . .. ...
.
.. ...... ... . . . . .. ............ . ..
. . . .. . .
..
.
.
. . . . .. .. . .. .
.
. . .
. . ..... . . . .. . ......... ... .. .
.. ..... ... . . . . ...... . . .
.
.. .
.

... ..
.
.. . . .. . ..
. . . . . ...
. . .. ..
.
........ .. . . . .
.. .. ... . .
... . ... .. . . . . .
. . . . ..

FIGURE 3.23 Soil mixed wall (SMW)

.
. . .. .
.
. .. . ..
.. .
. .. .. ..
..
.. .. .......

Layouts of column piles

(a)
1

6
8

7
9

(b)
1

(c)
1

(d)
5
1

6
2

7
3

(e)

FIGURE 3.24 Layouts of column piles (a) independent pattern (b) S pattern
(c) line pattern (d) overlapping pattern (e) mixed pattern

3.3.4 Diaphragm Walls

Groundwater

(a)

(b)

(c)

FIGURE 3.26 Construction procedure of a diaphragm wall panel

(a) construction of the guided wall
(b) excavation of the trench
(c) placement of reinforcements
(d) concrete casting

(d)

Panel partition---Primary panel

Secondary panel

Guided wall construction----

Trench excavation----

Clamp type----

Hydraulic
bucket

1
1

3
3

2
2

FIGURE 3.25 Trench excavation by the MHL method

Rotatory type----

Placement of reinforcements----

The joint of diaphragm walls:

Connection pipe method-End-plate method--

Concrete

Stable water
surface

Ground
Steel pipe
surface (connection pipe)

Stabilizer

(a)
Reinforcement cage

Stabilizer

(b)
Tremie concrete

Fresh concrete

(c)

(d)

FIGURE 3.27 Procedure of construction of a diaphragm wall (a) trench

excavation (b) steel pipe installation (c) steel cage
placement (d) concrete casting

Connection pipe method-1. excavate trench

2. Place reinforcement cage and insert connection pipe

Connection pipe

3. Backfill concrete and pull out connection pipe

Concrete
4. Excavate secondary unit

Primary unit

Secondary unit

FIGURE 3.29 Joint of diaphragm walls: the

connection pipe method

End-plate method-Vinylon sheet

50

40

20

Partition plate

60

#5@30
#10

6-#8

#5@60

#5@30
#10
Angle steel for
stopping water

Angle steel for stoping water

Tremie pipe
Short reinforced bar for fixing steel plate
#4@60

FIGURE 3.30 Joint of diaphragm walls: the end-plate method (unit: cm)

3.4 Strutting Systems

According to the material a strut is made of, there
are wood strut, RC strut, and steel strut.
According to the function of a strut, it is classified
as an earth berm, a horizontal strut, a raker, an
anchor, or as a top-down floor slab.

Berm

Retaining wall

FIGURE 3.31 Earth berm as lateral support

Raker
Main structure
Retaining wall

Raker
Retaining wall

Steel pile

FIGURE 3.32 Rakers

3.5 Selection of the Retaining Strut System

TABLE 3.1 Application conditions for retaining walls

Stiffness

Treatment
of dump
mud

Surface
settlement

Construction period

Budget

Noise &
Vibration

Excavation Depth

Sealing &
Stiffness

Underground
Obstruction

Wall type

(2)

(2)

MIP pile

Diaphragm
wall

Soil type

Soft
clay

Sand

Gravel
soil

Sealing

Soldier pile

(1)

Steel sheet
pile

PIP pile

Reinforced
concrete
column
pile

Construction Conditions

: good : acceptable
: not good
Note (1): should be applied along with special drill and striking device.
(2): if driven into soil by static vibrating, noise and vibration can be reduced.

TABLE 3.2 Nominal stiffness (before reduction)

Retaining wall

E
(kg/cm2)

I
(cm4/ m)

EI
(t-m2/ m)

Stiffness
ratio

Method

Type & Dimension

Soldier

H300x300x10x15

2.04106

20,400

4,160

1.0

(1)

H350x350x12x19

2.04106

40,300

8,220

2.0

SP-

2.04106

16,400

3,350

0.8

SP-

2.04106

31,900

6,500

1.6

30 cm (diameter)

2.1105

132,500

2,780

0.7

80 cm (diameter)

2.1105

2,513,300

52,780

12.7

SMW method
H400x200x8x13

2.04106

59,250

12,090

2.9

50cm thick

2.1105

1,041,700

21,900

5.3

100cm thick

2.1105

8,333,300

175,000

42.0

pile

Steel sheet
pile

(2)

Column
pile

(3)

Mip pile

(4)

Diaphragm
wall

(5)

3.6 Case History of the TNEC Excavation

Street
P

A
B

Q
C

S
D

Inclinometer
Extensometer
Main observation section
Tiltmeter
Pizometer
Rebar stress meter
Heave gauge
Earth/water pressure cell

0 5 10 m
Scale

(a)

FIGURE 3.33 Excavation of the Taipei National Enterprise Center (a) plan (b) profile

0
5

soft silty
clay
N=2~4
loose silty sand
N=4~11

10

Depth (m)

15
20

soft to
medium
silty clay
N=2~5

25
Diaphragm wall
30
35
40
45
50

medium loose silty sand ; N=22~24

stiff silty clay; N=9~11
compact
to dense
silty sand
N>14~37
dense
gravel
Inclinometer
N>100
Extensometer
Heave gauge

Settlement mark
Pizometer
Earth/Piezometer cell

(b)
FIGURE 3.33 Excavation of the Taipei National Enterprise Center
(a) plan (b) profile

Diaphragm wall

GL-2.8m

Strut
GL-4.9m

Steel
column
GL-19.7m

B1F

GL-19.7m

Pile

GL-35m

(a)

(b)

FIGURE 3.34 Construction procedure of the Taipei National Enterprise Center

(see Table 3.3 for the description of the construction procedure)

6F

1F
B1F
B2F
B3F
B4F

1F
B1F
B2F
GL-8.6m B3F
GL-11.7m
GL-19.7m

GL-15.2m
GL-17.3m

Strut
GL-19.7m

(c)

(d)

FIGURE 3.34 Construction procedure of the Taipei National Enterprise Center

(see Table 3.3 for the description of the construction procedure)

18F

18F
1F
B1F
B2F
B3F
B4F
B5F Strut
GL-19.7m

(e)

1F
B1F
B2F
B3F
B4F
B5F
GL-19.7m

(f)

FIGURE 3.34 Construction procedure of the Taipei National Enterprise Center

(see Table 3.3 for the description of the construction procedure)

TABLE 3.3 Excavation process of TNEC

Stage

Day

Excavation activities

-29~

Installed devices outside of the excavation zone, including in-soil

inclinometers, extensometers, observation wells, and electronic
piezometers

1~89

Constructed the diaphragm wall, including installation of the earth/water

pressure cells, in-wall rebar strain meters, and in-wall inclinometers

89~147

Constructed piles and the steel columns

147~155

Installed devices inside of the excavation zone, including the piezometers

and heave gauges

156~162

Excavated to the depth of GL-2.80 m

164~169

Installed struts H 3003001015 at the depth of GL-2.0 m. The preload of

each strut784.8 kN

181~188

Excavated to the depth of GL-4.9 m

4A

217

Constructed B1F floor slab at the depth of GL-3.5 m

4B

222~238

Dismantled the first level of strut and constructed the 1F floor slab.
Started the construction of the superstructure

233~255

Excavated to the depth of GL-8.6 m

279

Constructed the B2F floor slab at the depth of GL-7.1 m

318~337

Excavated to the depth of GL-11.8 m

352

Constructed the B3F floor slab at the depth of GL-10.3 m

363~378

Excavated to the depth of GL-15.2 m

10

400

Constructed the B4F floor slab at the depth of GL-13.7 m

11A

419~423

Excavated the central zone to the depth of GL-17.3 m

12A

425~429

Installed struts H4004001321 at the depth of GL-16.5 m in the central

zone. The preload of each strut1177 kN

11B

430~436

Excavated the side zones to the depth of GL-17.3 m

12B

437~444

Installed struts H4004001321 in the two side zones at the depth of

GL-16.5 m. The preload of each strut1177 kN

13

445~460

Excavated to the depth of GL-19.7 m

457

Finished the superstructure

14

464~468

Cast the foundation slab

15

506~520

Constructed the B5F floor slab at the depth of GL-17.1 m

16

528

Dismantled the second level of struts

NoteThe first day of the construction of the diaphragm wall is the datum,
i.e., the first construction day