A numerical study on effect of wall penetration on basal heave stability during vertical shaft excavation in soft ground

Abstract

The Previous study on the problems that occur during vertical shaft excavation is relatively insufficient although it is more directly related to the excavation. In particular, basal heave, a phenomenon that the excavation surface rises up, were studied little although the basal heave causes equipment damage or ground settlement. In this study, numerical analysis and experimental verification were performed to understand the effect of wall penetration, which is typically used to prevent the occurrence of the basal heave. The experimental study was conducted using a centrifugal model test for two cases depending on the presence of the wall penetration. The numerical analysis results were verified by comparing with the results from the centrifugal model test. The results show that the wall penetration suppresses the occurrence of basal heave and reduces the deformation even after the occurrence of the basal heave.