DEEP EXCAVATIONS

NAME- ARUSHI BANDHU

ROLL NO. 5
THIRD YEAR A

TYPES OF DEEP EXCAVATION

TERMINOLOGY
EXCAVATION means to loosen and .take out materials leaving space
above or below ground. It is the process of moving earth, rock or other
materials with tools, equipment or explosives. It includes earthwork,
trenching, wall shafts, tunneling and underground.

METHODS

SLOPE EXCAVATION
PILE WALLS (CONTIGUOUS AND SECANT)
DIAPHRAGM WALL
TOP-DOWN CONSTRUCTION
BOTTOM-UP CONSTRUCTION
CUT AND COVER TECHNIQUE

TRENCH - An excavation that is longer than wide. In general, the

depth is greater than the width but the width measured at the bottom
of the trench is not greater than 15 feet.
CAVE-IN -The separation of a mass of soil or rock from the face
of an excavation into an excavation
SLOPING- A method of inclining the face of an excavation to
minimize the risk of a cave-in. The maximum allowable slope varies
with soil type, environment, and work done at the excavation site
BENCHING - A method of sloping the sides of an excavation by
forming a series of steps.
PROTECTIVE SYSTEM - Method of protecting employees from
cave-ins, from material that could fall or roll from an excavation face
or into an excavation, and from the collapse of adjacent structures.
Protective systems include support systems, sloping and benching
systems, shield systems, and other systems that provide the necessary
protection.

NEED OF DEEP EXCAVATION o Deep excavation has become more a necessity of better
utilization of space as the population of the world
increased.

SLOPING AND BENCHING

o Heavy traffic and lack of adequate space has compelled

Civil engineers to excavate deeper into the ground to
create additional floor space to meet increasing space
requirements for amenities, parking and for housing of
building utilities.
NAME- ARUSHI BANDHU
ROLL NO. 5

PILE

WALLS

( CONTIGUOUS

AND SECANT)

In-situ pile retaining walls are very popular due to their availability and
practicability. There are two types of pile walls :-

CONTIGUOUS PILE WALL

SECANT PILE WALL

In contiguous (intermittent) bored pile

construction, spacing between the piles is
greater than the diameter of piles.

DIFFERENCE B/W CONTIGUOUS

AND SECANT PILE WALLS

Spacing is decided based on type of soil

and level of design moments but it should
not be too large, otherwise pieces of
lumps etc. drop and extra precautions are
needed.
It is designed in such a way that it resists the
lateral earth pressure of retained soil.
Width of gap between piles varies between
50 and 500mm according to ground
conditions.
Typical depth of excavation supported by this
system is 5 to 10m without tie back anchors.
The soil between two piles is stabilized by shotcreting.
TYPICAL DEPTH OF EXCAVATION SUPPORTED BY THIS
SYSTEM IS 5-10M WITHOUT TIE BACK ANCHORS.

Secant bored pile walls are formed by

keeping spacing of piles less than
diameter.

D
S<D

In this technique
primary piles (PCC)
are installed first
with secondary piles
(RCC) constructed in
b/w primary piles
when it gained some
strength as shown.

NAME- ARUSHI BANDHU

ROLL NO. 5

DIAPHRAGM WALL

A diaphragm wall is constructed using a narrow trench excavated

in ground and supported by an engineered fluid (typically a
bentonite mud) until the mud is replaced by the permanent
material.

Generally diaphragm walls are made from reinforced concrete,

though unreinforced walls can also be used.

Walls generally range in thickness from 500mm to 1500mm and

can be excavated to depths of 50m or more.

CONSTRUCTION SEQUENCE
CLAMSHELL USE TO
EXCAVATE THE TRENCH
TO FORM A DIAPHRAGM
WALL PANEL

BENTONITE SLURRY TO
PROTECT THE TRENCH
FROM COLLAPSE

These reinforced concrete diaphragm (continuous) walls

are also called slurry trench walls due to the reference
given to the construction technique where excavation of
wall is made possible by filling and keeping the wall
cavity full with bentonite water mixture during
excavation to prevent collapse of the excavated vertical
surfaces.

PLACING OR FIXING CAGE FOR

REINFORCEMENT

NAME- ARUSHI BANDHU

ROLL NO. 5

TOP DOWN CONSTRUCTION

METHOD

Top Down Construction are commonly used in congested areas. These can be
installed in close proximity to existing structure with minimal loss of support to
existing foundations.
Top Down Construction are practically suited in the construction of deep basements ,
Metro Railway Projects.
The Top Down method of construction is designated to enable above ground
construction work to be carried out simultaneously with the excavation of the
basement resulting in significant saving of time on a project.

ADVANTAGES

Use of diaphragm wall as the side

support for the earth

Construction progress upwards and

downwards at the same time.

Savings in construction time

Schematics and pictures give ideas on

ongoing activities during construction
DISADVANTAGES

WHY IS IT
REQUIRED?

Distance between Boundary wall of Adjacent Existing Building and Building Line
for New Building is too close and the depth of excavation is more than 6 meter and
possibility of collapse the soil is higher during excavation.

Using Top Down Construction more Building and Basement Area can use. Suitable
for two or more basement.

The first base slab level slab will act in such area as a strut member and the
Retaining wall panels will not allow collapse of soil.

Water table is too high and difficult to cast Retaining wall, Diaphragm wall or
Continuous Pile can use as a Retaining wall.

Higher cost (due to the construction of pile

foundation)

Since the construction period of the basement

is lengthened, the lateral displacement of
retaining wall or ground settlement may
possible increase due to the influence of creep
if the soil layers are encountered.

It requires highly skilled supervision and

labour force

NAME- ARUSHI BANDHU

ROLL NO. 5

BOTTOM

UP

CONSTRUCTION

Excavation & Soil Stabilization

Construction of Base slab, Concourse
slab & Roof slab.
Construction of Columns and
Retaining wall.
Waterproofing of structure
Filling Operations

The construction of retaining wall,

followed by open cut excavation to certain
Installation of the strutting system to
support the basement walls during
excavation and
Ground is excavated to bottom level of
foundation.

THE CUT AND COVER CONSTRUCTION

PROCESS

The cut and cover method consists of excavating an open cut by

applying, practically, technical means identical to the traditional
excavation process and by constructing a single or twin tunnel lining
under ordinary building engineering conditions.

Once the cast-in-place concrete structure finished and particular

waterproofing and drainage measures taken, fill operations are carried
out, usually, up to the initial ground level.

Caution at the compaction process during the construction of the first

inferior soil layers is necessary, since heavy vibrating rollers risk
provoking distress to the tunnel structure.

Utilities and local transportation network are subsequently restored and

multiple environmental rehabilitation actions are performed
NAME- ARUSHI BANDHU
ROLL NO. 5