Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Experimental and theoretical investigation on the stability of deep excavations against confined aquifers in Shanghai, China

  • Geotechnical Engineering
  • Published:
KSCE Journal of Civil Engineering Aims and scope

Abstract

Urban development often requires deep excavations, such as for deep basements, cut-and-cover tunnels, and underground transportation systems. Pressure from a confined aquifer can cause a sudden failure of a deep excavation and have disastrous effects on the surrounding buildings. In this study, a series of centrifugal model tests were conducted on different aquitards in Shanghai to investigate the failure process and types. Two types of failure were identified from the centrifugal model tests: local failure (sand piping and sand boiling) and general upheaval. An approach to the stability analysis of deep excavation against a confined aquifer was developed. To increase the reliability of the analytical approach, the calculated results were compared with the experimental results. The results showed good agreement.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Carter, J. P., Booker, J. R., and Yeung, S. K. (1986). “Cavity expansion in cohesive frictional soils.” Geotechnique, Vol. 36, No. 3, pp. 349–358, DOI: 10.1680/geot.1986.36.3.349.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chow, H. L. and Ou, C. Y. (1999). “Boiling failure and resumption of deep excavation.” Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities, Vol. 13, No. 3, pp. 114–120, DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)0887-3828(1999)13:3(114).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Craig, W. H. (1989). “Edouard Phillips (1821-1889) and the idea of centrifuge modeling.” Geotechnique, Vol. 39, No. 4, pp. 697–700, DOI: 10.1680/geot.1989.39.4.697.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ding, C. L., Li, Z. Q., Wu, X. P., and Wu, K. L. (2014). “Analysis on inducing factors to inrushing plastic deformation failure of foundation pit with confined water.” Tunneling and Underground Construction, pp. 491–500, DOI: 10.1061/9780784413449.048.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Duncan, J. M. and Chang, C. Y. (1970). “Nonlinear analysis of stress and strain in soil.” ASCE: Journal of the Soil Mechanics and Foundation Division, No. 6, pp. 1629–1653.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kondner, R. L. and Zelasko, J. S. (1963). “A hyperbolic stress-strain formulation for sand.” 2nd Pan. Am. CSMFE. Brazil, pp. 289–324.

    Google Scholar 

  • Japanese Society of Architecture (JSA) (1988). Guidelines of design and construction of deep excavation, JSA, Tokyo.

    Google Scholar 

  • Li, H. R. and Wu, S. M. (2004). “Treatments of Zhongyin building foundation pit bursting.” Exploration Engineering (Soil Drilling Engineering), No. 9, pp. 23–25. (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu, G. B. and Wang, H. X. (2002). “Influence of the pressure water in shallow silty sand in Shanghai on excavation.” Chinese Journal of Geotechnical Engineering, Vol. 24, No. 6, pp. 790–792. (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Marsland, A. (1953). “Model experiments to study the influence of seepage on the stability of a sheeted excavation in sand.” Geotechnique, Vol. 6, No. 3, pp. 223–241.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McNamee, J. (1949). “Seepage into a sheeted excavation.” Geotechnique, Vol. 4, No. 1, pp. 229–241.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of the People’s Republic of China (MOHURD) (2012). “Technical specification for retaining and protection of building foundation excavations.” China Architecture & Building Press Beijing China. (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • PLAXIS b.v. (2002). Plaxis program in 2 dimensions, Version 8. Netherlands.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shanghai Geology and Minerals Topology Editorial Board (SGMTEB) (1999). “Shanghai Geology and Minerals Topology (SGMT).” Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences Press Shanghai. (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Sun, Y. Y. and Zhou, S. H. (2011). “Discussion on yield criterions of soils on tensile-shear failure.” International Conference on Electric Technology and Civil Engineering, pp. 2112–2115.

    Google Scholar 

  • Taiwan Geotechnical Society (TGS) (2001). Design specifications for the foundation of buildings, TGS, Taipei, Taiwan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tanaka, T. and Verruijt, A. (1999). “Seepage failure of sand behind sheet piles: the mechanism and practical approach to analysis.” Soils and Foundations, Vol. 39, No. 3, pp. 27–35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, R. N. (1995). Geotechnical centrifuge technology, Blackie Academic and Professional London.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Terzaghi, K. (1943). Theoretical soil mechanics, New York Wiley.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, C. D., Wang, B. L., Guo, P. J., and Zhou, S. H. (2015). “Experimental analysis on settlement controlling of geogrid-reinforced pile-raftsupported embankments in high-speed railway.” Acta Geotechnica, Vol. 10, No. 2, pp. 231–242, DOI: 10.1007/s11440-013-0288-6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, J. X., Feng, B., Guo, T. P., Wu, L. G., Lou, R. X., and Zhou, Z. (2013). “Using partial penetrating wells and curtains to lower the water level of confined aquifer of gravel.” Environmental Geology, Vol. 161, No. 3, pp. 16–25, DOI: 10.1016/j.enggeo.2013.04.007.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wudtke, R. B. and Witt, K. J. (2006). “A static analysis of hydraulic heave in cohesive soil.” 3rd International Conference on Scour and Erosion Amsterdam 1-3, pp. 251–256.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wudtke, R. B. (2008). “Failure mechanisms of hydraulic heave at excavation.” 19th European Yong Geotechnical Engineers’ Conference, Gyor, Hungary.

    Google Scholar 

  • Xu, Y. S., Shen, S. L., and Du, Y. J. (2009). “Geological and hydrogeological environment in Shanghai with geohazards to construction and maintenance of infrastructures.” Engineering Geology, Vol. 109, No. 3, pp. 241–154, DOI: 10.1016/j.enggeo.2009.08.009.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xu, Y. S., Shen, S. L., Du, Y. J., Chai, J. C., and Horpibulsuk, S. (2013). “Modeling the cutoff behavior of underground structure in multiaquifer-aquitard groundwater system.” Nat Hazards, Vol. 66, No. 12, pp. 731–748, DOI: 10.1007/s11069-012-0512-y.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yin, Z. Z., Zhu, H., and Xu, G. H. (1995). “A study of deformation in the interface between soils and concrete.” Computers and Geotechnics, Vol. 17, No. 1, pp. 75–92.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, X. S., Wang, J. X., Wong, H., Leo, C. J., Liu, Q., and Tand Y. Q. (2013). “Land subsidence caused by internal soil erosion owing to pumping confined aquifer groundwater during the deep foundation construction in Shanghai.” Nat Hazards, Vol. 69, No. 13, pp. 718–725, DOI: 10.1007/s11069-013-0718-7.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Civil Engineering, Tongling University, Cuihu NO. 4 Road 1335 Tongling, Anhui, 244000, China

    Yu-yong Sun

Authors
  1. Yu-yong Sun
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yu-yong Sun.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Sun, Yy. Experimental and theoretical investigation on the stability of deep excavations against confined aquifers in Shanghai, China. KSCE J Civ Eng 20, 2746–2754 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12205-016-0488-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12205-016-0488-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation