Performance of a deep top-down zoned pit-in-pit excavation close to existing metro lines through winter

Abstract

Though a comprehensive in situ measurement project, the performance of a deep pit-in-pit excavation constructed by the top-down method in seasonal frozen soil area in Shenyang was extensively examined. The measured excavation responses included the displacement of capping beam and retaining pile, settlement of ground surface, and deformation of metro lines. Based on the analyses of field data, some major findings were obtained: 1) the deformations of retaining structures fluctuated along with the increase of temperature, 2) the deformation variation of retaining structures after the occurrence of thawing of seasonal frozen soil was greater than that in winter, although the excavation depth was smaller than before, 3) the influence area of ground settlement was much smaller because of the features of seasonal frozen sandy soil, 4) the displacement of metro line showed a significant spatial effect, and the tunnel lining had an obviously hogging displacement pattern, and 5) earth pressure redistribution occurred due to the combined effects of freezing-thawing of seasonal frozen soil and excavation, leading to the deformation of metro line. The influence area of ground settlement was obviously smaller than that of Shanghai soft clay or other cases reported in literatures because of special geological conditions of Shenyang. However, the deformation of metro lines was significantly lager after the thawing of the frozen soil, the stress in deep soil was redistributed, and the metro lines were forced to deform to meet a new state of equilibrium.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

deep excavation / metro line / ground surface settlement / deformation / seasonal frozen soil

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 52108380), the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province of China (No. BK20210721), the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province of China (No. BK20230500).

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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