Experimental study on the behavior of retaining wall according to underground excavation distance

ABSTRACT: The changes in earth pressure and ground settlement due to the underground excavation nearby the existing retaining wall according to the separation distance between underground excavation and retaining wall, were studied experimentally. A soil tank having 160 cm in length and 120 cm in height, was manufactured to simulate the underground excavation like tunnel by using 5 separated bottom walls. The variation of earth pressure was measured according to the excavation stages by using 10 separated right walls simulating the retaining wall. The results showed that the earth pressure was changed by the lowering of first bottom wall(B1), however the earth pressure was not changed significantly by the lowering of third bottom wall(B3) since B3 had sufficient separation distance from retaining wall. Lowering of first bottom wall(B1) induced the decrease of earth pressure in lower part of retaining wall, on the contrary, lowering of first bottom wall(B1) induced the increase of earth pressure in middle part of retaining wall proving the arching effect.Keywords: Earth pressure, Ground settlement, Retaining wall, Model tank