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Braced Cuts Excavations

Braced cuts are excavations with vertical sides laterally supported by sheeting and bracing systems. The sheeting is placed against excavation walls and braced by horizontal struts in compression. Apparent pressure envelopes estimate strut loads based on soil type, with formulas provided for deep cuts in sand, cuts in saturated clay, and cuts in stratified soils. Sample problems demonstrate calculating strut reactions for trenches in sand and clay, and stratified soils, using soil properties and excavation dimensions.

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Dupio German II
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2K views3 pages

Braced Cuts Excavations

Braced cuts are excavations with vertical sides laterally supported by sheeting and bracing systems. The sheeting is placed against excavation walls and braced by horizontal struts in compression. Apparent pressure envelopes estimate strut loads based on soil type, with formulas provided for deep cuts in sand, cuts in saturated clay, and cuts in stratified soils. Sample problems demonstrate calculating strut reactions for trenches in sand and clay, and stratified soils, using soil properties and excavation dimensions.

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Dupio German II
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BRACED CUTS / EXCAVATIONS

Braced cuts are the excavations that are laterally supported. The vertical side of the
excavations are supported by a sheeting and bracing system. It consists of relatively flexible
sheeting placed against the excavation walls. The lateral thrust on the sheeting is resisted by
the horizontal members in compression (struts) is known as bracing system.
These excavation support systems are used to,
 Minimize the excavation area
 Keep the sides of deep excavations stable, and
 Ensure that movements of soil will not cause damage to neighboring structures or to
utilities in the surrounding ground

APPARENT PRESSURE ENVELOPES (Peck – 1969)


Fictitious pressure distribution for estimating the strut loads in a system of loading depending
on the soil stratum.

I. DEEP CUTS IN SAND (Loose or Dense Sand)

σa = 0.65ɣHKa

where;
Ka = (1 – sin Ø) / (1 + sin Ø) H

σa

II. CUTS IN SATURATED CLAY (Soft to Medium Clay)


Stability Factor = ɣH/Cu > 4
0.25H
Choose the greater value:
σa = ɣH – 4Cu H
σa(min) = 0.3ɣH

σa
III. CUTS IN SATURATED CLAY (Weak or Stiff Fissured Clay)
Stability Factor = ɣH/Cu < 4
0.25H
σa(min) = 0.3ɣH

0.25H σa

Where:
σa – Pressure in KPa
ɣ - unit weight of soil
Ka – Rankine active earth pressure coefficient
H – Height of cut/excavation
Ø – angle of internal friction
Cu – undrained cohesion

CUTS IN STRATIFIED SOIL


Soil with layers having different properties

a. SAND AND CLAY


Equivalent unconfined compressive strength, ̅ u = (ɣ1 ks h12 tan Øs + h2 n qu)

Equivalent unit weight of soil, ̅ = (ɣ1 h1 + ɣ2 h2 )


b. CLAY AND CLAY
Equivalent cohesion of soil, ̅u= (c1 h1 + c2 h2 )

Where:
ɣ1 , ɣ2 – unit weight of sand and clay respectively
h1 , h2 – thickness of sand and clay layers respectively
ks – hydrostatic pressure ratio for the sand layer
Øs- angle of friction of sand
n – coefficient of progressive failure varies from 0.5 to 1.0 which depends upon the creep
characteristics of clay. For clay n varies from 0.75 to 1.0
qu – unconfined compression strength of the clay

SAMPLE PROBLEMS:

SITUATION 1: A long trench was excavated in medium dense sand for the foundation of a
multistory building. The sides of the trench are supported with sheet pile walls fixed in place
by struts and wales as shown in the figure. The struts are braced at every 3.5m center to
center. Use the following data: Øs=300 and ɣ = 16KN/m3
a. Determine the reaction of the strut A
b. Determine the reaction of the strut B
c. Determine the reaction of the strut C
SITUATION 2: A braced sheet pile to be used in an open cut in clay is shown in the figure.
Struts are spaced longitudinally at 2.0m center to center spacing. Unit weight of clay is
18.6KN/m3 and a unconfined compressive strength of 110KPa.
a. Determine the reaction of the strut A
b. Determine the reaction of the strut B
c. Determine the reaction of the strut C

SITUATION 3: The figure shows a braced cuts in stratified soils. Given unit weight of sand and
clay are 16KN/m3 and 18.5KN/m3, c = 36KPa, n = 0.9, ф = 370
a. Determine the reaction of the strut A
b. Determine the reaction of the strut B
c. Determine the reaction of the strut C

PREPARED BY: EDLL

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