BRACED

EXCAVATIONS

for deep, narrow excavations

pipelines
service cuts

Braced Excavations
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

drive in piling
excavate first portion
install wales and top struts
excavate next portion
install next wales and struts
excavate next portion
install next wales and struts
excavate last portion

The rest is in Elastic Equilibrium

Failure
oflower
the system
occurs
The maximum
Only
the
deformation
portionusually
of thewill
soil
bewedge
at thewill
progressively:
bottom
reach
Plastic
Equilibrium
Therefore, Rankines Theory doesnt apply
one strut fails, then another & so on

Since one strut failure means system

For medium
to dense
sands:
failure,
the pressure
assumed
Using
measured
strutdistibution
loads various
earth
for
designdistibutions
is conservative:
pressure
have been
documented
an envelope based on field

H
SN
For clays: calculate Stability Number,
cu

Shear Stress, (kPa)

where cu is the undrained shear strength of

the clay:

cu =

u 0

Normal Stress, n(kPa)

For clays with SN 4:

For clays with SN > 4:

Ususally m = 1.0, however,
for soft or normally consolidated clay, m
can be as low as 0.4

Example
Find the strut
loads
18.0 kPa

Excavation in sand
= 17 kN/m3
= 35
6 m deep,
braced at 1, 2.5 and 4.5 m depths
struts spaced at 5 m c-c
1. Find the equivalent active earth
pressure on the piling

1 sin35
Ka
0.271

1 sin35
pa 0.65 0.271 17 6
pa 17.9673 18.0 kPa

Example
Find the strut
loads
18.0 kPa
fixed to support

Excavation in sand
= 17 kN/m3
= 35
6 m deep,
braced at 1, 2.5 and 4.5 m depths
struts spaced at 5 m c-c

1.0 m

A
1.5 m

2. Split up A.E. distribution into

tributary panels
3. Determine height of each panel

B
2.0 m

4. Label supports

hinged

C
1.5 m

5. Since this arrangement is

statically indeterminate, assume A is
fixed support and the others are
hinged

Example
Find the strut
loads
18.0 kPa

1.0 m

PA
A

1.5 m

45 kN/m
1.25 m

PB1

Excavation in sand
= 17 kN/m3
= 35
6 m deep,
braced at 1, 2.5 and 4.5 m depths
struts spaced at 5 m c-c
6. Calculate thrust in top panel

FTOP 18.0 2.5 45 kN/m

7. Top strut load = PA

PB2
2.0 m

18 kN/m
18 kN/m

PC1
PC2

1.5 m

ps

13.5 kN/m
13.5 kN/m

8. MB = 0

451.25 PA 1.5 0

PA 37.5 kN/m

9. Divide other panel thrusts and

strut loads in half

Example
Find the strut
loads
18.0 kPa

1.0 m

PA
A

1.5 m

10. FH=0 down to B

PB1
B

2.0 m

18 kN/m
18 kN/m

PC1
PC2

1.5 m

ps

PA= 37.5 kN/m

45 kN/m
1.25 m

PB2

Excavation in sand
= 17 kN/m3
= 35
6 m deep,
braced at 1, 2.5 and 4.5 m depths
struts spaced at 5 m c-c

13.5 kN/m
13.5 kN/m

37.5 - 45 +PB1 = 0
11. PB2 = 18
12. PC1 = 18
13. PC2 = 13.5
14. ps = 13.5 kPa/m

PB1 = 7.5
PB2 = 18
PB = 25.5
kN/m
PC = 31.5
kN/m

Example
Find the strut
loads
18.0 kPa

1.0 m

PA
A

1.5 m

45 kN/m
1.25 m

PB1
B

PB2
2.0 m

18 kN/m
18 kN/m

PC1
PC2

PA= 37.5 kN/m

PB = 25.5
kN/m
PC = 31.5
kN/m
15. Strut Loads for 5 m of wall:
Strut A Load = 37.5 kN/m x 5m = 187.5 kN
Strut B Load = 25.5 kN/m x 5m = 127.5 kN

1.5 m

ps

Excavation in sand
= 17 kN/m3
= 35
6 m deep,
braced at 1, 2.5 and 4.5 m depths
struts spaced at 5 m c-c

13.5 kN/m
13.5 kN/m

Strut C Load = 31.5 kN/m x 5m = 157.5 kN