Performance of Deep Braced Excavation Under Embankment Surcharge Load.

This paper reports a typical case history of deep braced excavation for constructing the main bridge cushion cap of the Yangwan River Bridge to explore the excavation performance under embankment surcharge load. Three-dimensional finite difference analysis, simulating the whole construction process of this case history, was performed to capture the effects of the embankment–excavation distance, revel level, and excavation bottom sealing on the responses of the earth retaining structure and the ground. It was found that both the ground surface settlement and the retaining structure deformation are larger on the near-embankment side than the far-embankment side. The responses on the near-embankment side are more sensitive to the embankment–excavation distance and the river level. However, the effects of these parameters diminish greatly when the embankment–excavation distance exceeds 1.5 times the excavation depth. The excavation bottom sealing measures can reduce the retaining structure deformation, and effectively restrain basal heave. This restraint weakens as the excavation bottom sealing thickness exceeds 1 m. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]