Interactive design of braced excavations

Abstract

Construction of braced excavations in major urban areas has increased over the last few decades. It is a major concern of the designer to limit ground movement around an excavation in order to prevent damage to adjacent structures, utilities and roads. Existing design methods can accurately predict ground and wall movement of a braced excavation, but the calculations become complex when multiple construction stages are considered, or if different design schemes are compared.

This thesis presents an interactive personal computer program (called MOVEX) to facilitate braced excavation design. Using input variables for wall stiffness, strut stiffness, and strut spacing, MOVEX includes four design options that allow the designer to adjust the variables in order to develop the optimal bracing design.

Details of the design theory, input and output data, and a user's guide are included in this thesis. In addition, the settlement of sand due to pile driving was investigated. A predictive method is presented that relates sand densification to the ground acceleration caused by pile driving.