Geotechnical Characterization of Site for Deep Excavation Analysis

Volume 9 Issue 1 December - February 2019

Research Paper

Geotechnical Characterization of Site for Deep Excavation Analysis

G. Padmanabhan*, G. Sasikala**, A. Ravisankar ***

*Scientific Officer, Indira Gandhi Center for Atomic Research (IGCAR), Kalpakkam & Research Scholar Homi Bhabha National Institute, India

**Scientific Officer, Head, Material Mechanics Section, IGCAR , Kalpakkam & Professor, Homi Bhabha National Institute,India.

***Project Director, Fast Reactor Fuel Cycle Facility (FRFCF), Indira Gandhi Center for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam, India.

Padmanabhan, G., Sasikala, G., & Ravisankar, A (2019). Geotechnical Characterization of Site for Deep Excavation Analysis. i-manager’s Journal on Civil Engineering, 9(1), 18-24. https://doi.org/10.26634/jce.9.1.15371

Abstract

Evaluation of stiffness and strength characteristics of soil is an important aspect in characterization of sites for deep excavation and require as input for defining constitutive relations in finite element software. These properties are often obtained from correlations of Standard Penetration Test (N) values. These correlations were developed for various soil conditions from different site and show a wide variation and can influence the prediction of deep excavation behavior. In this paper, strength parameters of soil were determined from a site specific study and stiffness parameters were derived from exisring empirical correlations. Displacement of a deep excavation was predicted in a finite element software PLAXIS and compared with field observed displacement. The analysis highlighted importance of accurate determination of stiffness parameters in predicting deep excavation behavior and a site specific correlation between stiffness and SPT N value was developed for sandy soil which can be used for predicting deep excavation behavior in similar sites.