The raw-material mix ratio and preparation of similar materials are crucial for the success of physical model tests and for accurately reflecting prototype properties. In this study, an optimum similar material for plateau alluvial and lacustrine (PAL) round gravel was developed based on similarity theory. The similar materials were subjected to sensitivity factor analysis and microscopic analysis. Subsequently, the optimum similar material was applied to a three-dimensional (3D) physical model test of an ultradeep foundation pit (FP). The findings show that the similar material prepared with gypsum, LD, bentonite, water, barite powder, and DS at a ratio of 1:1:1.4:3.5:8.8:13.2 was the best for a 3D physical model test of the ultradeep FP in PAL round gravel strata. The sensitivity-factor analysis revealed that barite powder had the greatest impact on gamma, that c and phi were primarily affected by bentonite, and that the LD-gypsum ratio controlled E. A nonuniform particle-size distribution as well as the presence of edge-to-face contacts and small pores between particles constituted the microphysical factors affecting the mechanical properties of the optimum similar material. Using dolomite with a Mohs hardness of 3.5-4 instead of traditional quartz sand with a Mohs hardness of 7 as the raw material can produce a similar material for the target soil with mechanical parameters closer to those of the ideal similar material. The application of the optimum similar material in physical model tests has revealed the stress field response law of ultra deep foundation pit excavation. This study could provide reference and inspiration for the development of similar materials in gravel formations with weaker mechanical properties.

In soft soil environments, deep foundation pit excavation often leads to significant surface settlement, lateral displacement of support structures, and uneven settlement of surrounding buildings due to the complex geotechnical conditions and the inherent characteristics of soft soil, such as high compressibility and low shear strength. This study systematically analyzes 23 deep foundation pit excavation cases from Ningbo city, located in a silty clay region, to examine the deformation behavior during excavation. The research focuses on the impact of key factors such as excavation depth, pit dimensions, support structure parameters, and soil characteristics on the deformation of diaphragm walls. The results show that the maximum lateral displacement of diaphragm walls ranges from 0.09 to 0.84% of the excavation depth, with an average value of 0.36%. Deeper excavations lead to greater lateral deformation due to increased soil pressure and pore water pressure, with the maximum displacement typically occurring at 1.0-1.3 times the excavation depth. Soft soil thickness significantly amplifies wall deformation, with the displacement ratio increasing linearly with the ratio of soft soil thickness to wall depth. Increased wall stiffness, embedment depth, and support system stiffness effectively reduce lateral displacement. These findings provide a quantitative basis for optimizing diaphragm wall design and support systems to mitigate deformation risks, offering valuable guidance for deep foundation pits in similar soft soil environments.

The development of underground spaces is crucial for modern urban environments, particularly in coastal cities with prevalent soft soil conditions. Deep foundation excavation works in such areas present technical challenges due to complex deformation phenomena including soil settlement and the lateral displacement of supporting structures. This study analyzes deformation patterns associated with deep foundation pit excavations in Ningbo's soft soil areas by examining 10 cases of subway station projects. This study evaluated the relationship between the maximum surface settlement and various engineering parameters using statistical and comparative analyses and also compared the results of each relationship with those of other regional studies. The results indicate that multiple coupled parameters-the excavation depth, diaphragm-wall-embedded depth ratio, support system stiffness, and pit aspect ratio-significantly shape the deformation patterns. The average ratio of the maximum surface settlement to the excavation depth is 0.64%, notably higher than in regions such as Hangzhou and Shanghai. The maximum lateral displacement in this study averaged 0.37% of the excavation depth. The maximum lateral displacement of the diaphragm walls in this study averaged 0.37% of the depth of excavation and, in addition, the average positive correlation between the depth at which the maximum lateral displacement occurred and the depth of pit excavation was h delta hmax=He + 1.46. A positive correlation also emerged between the maximum ground settlement and lateral displacement of the diaphragm walls. But the influence of the shape of the pit on the deformation will show different types of relationships depending on the area and geotechnical conditions, which need to be further investigated.

To the aim of this paper is to study the structural and environmental deformation characteristics caused by the excavation of a very large deep foundation pit in the sandy soil area of Beijing. This paper is based on numerical simulation and field monitoring results and these results are compared with the deformation data of a soft soil foundation pit in the Shanghai area. The results show that the influence of the environment surrounding the super-large deep foundation pit project studied in this paper is obviously too great. With the progress of construction, the deformation rate and deformation amount of the column at the side of the foundation pit are obviously higher than that of the column in the middle area. Due to the hysteresis of stress transfer in the sand, the settlement of the roof of the north wall is delayed and the deformation range is smaller than that of the south wall. Compared with the conventional foundation pit, the influence area of the surrounding surface is larger, reaching 4 He (He is the depth of the foundation pit). Delta vmax (the maximum surface settlement) is between 0.2 similar to 2.3% He, and the relationship between delta vmax = 1.43% Vwm. Through orthogonal experiments and numerical simulation, it is concluded that the deformation of foundation pit structure and its surrounding environment is more sensitive to excavation unloading, precipitation amplitude, and column spacing. It is also concluded that the strong, medium, and weak influence areas of the bottom uplift after foundation pit construction are (0 similar to 0.07) x L, (0.07 similar to 0.14) x L, and (0.14 similar to 0.5) x L, respectively (L is the width of foundation pit). When the embedment ratio is between 1.8 similar to 2.4, the displacement mode of the parapet structure is T mode; when the embedment ratio is between 2.4 similar to 3.4, the displacement mode of the parapet structure is RB mode.

During the construction of deep and large foundation pits in floodplain areas, it is inevitable to cause stratum disturbance and endanger the safety of the surrounding environment. This paper focuses on the influence of deep foundation pit excavation on surrounding environment based on a soft soil deep foundation pit project in Nanjing floodplain area. A series of laboratory tests were conducted to obtain the parameters of the small strain hardening (HSS) model for the typical soil layers. Then PLAXIS 3D software is used to simulate the excavation process of the foundation pit. On the basis of field measurement and numerical model, the deformation characteristics of deep foundation pit and surrounding environment are analyzed. The HSS model and the appropriate model parameters can effectively simulate the deformation behavior during the excavation of the foundation pit. Aiming at the problem of excessive deformation of foundation pit and surrounding pipelines, the reinforcement effect of reinforced soil in active and passive areas under different reinforcement parameters is analyzed. The optimal reinforcement width and depth should be determined after reasonable analysis to obtain the best economic benefits.

The hardening soil model with small-strain stiffness (HSS model) is widely applied in deep foundation pit engineering in coastal soft-soil areas, yet it is characterized by a multitude of parameters that are relatively cumbersome to acquire. In this study, we incorporate a genetic algorithm and a back-propagation neural network (BPNN) model into an inversion analysis for HSS model parameters, with the objective of facilitating a more streamlined and accurate determination of these parameters in practical engineering. Utilizing horizontal displacement monitoring data from retaining structures, combined with local engineering, both a BPNN model and a BPNN optimized by a genetic algorithm (GA-BPNN) model were established to invert the stiffness modulus parameters of the HSS model for typical strata. Subsequently, numerical simulations were conducted based on the inverted parameters to analyze the deformation characteristics of the retaining structures. The performances of the BPNN and GA-BPNN models were evaluated using statistical metrics, including R2, MAE, MSE, WI, VAF, RAE, RRSE, and MAPE. The results demonstrate that the GA-BPNN model achieves significantly lower prediction errors, higher fitting accuracy, and predictive performance compared to the BPNN model. Based on the parameters inverted by the GA-BPNN model, the average compression modulus Es1-2, the reference tangent stiffness modulus Eoedref, the reference secant stiffness modulus E50ref, and the reference unloading-reloading stiffness modulus Eurref for gravelly cohesive soil were determined as Eoedref=0.83Es1-2 and Eurref=8.14E50ref; for fully weathered granite, Eoedref=1.54Es1-2 and Eurref=5.51E50ref. Numerical simulations conducted with these stiffness modulus parameters show excellent agreement with monitoring data, effectively describing the deformation characteristics of the retaining structures. In situations where relevant mechanical tests are unavailable, the application of the GA-BPNN model for the inversion analysis of HSS model parameters is both rational and effective, offering a reference for similar engineering projects.

In deep foundation pit engineering, the soil undergoes a complex stress path, encompassing both loading and unloading phases. The Shanghai model, an advanced constitutive model, effectively accounts for the soil's deformation characteristics under these varied stress paths, which is essential for accurately predicting the horizontal displacement and surface settlement of the foundation pit's enclosure structure. This model comprises eight material parameters, three initial state parameters, and one small-strain parameter. Despite its sophistication, there is a scarcity of numerical studies exploring the correlation between these parameters and the deformation patterns in foundation pit engineering. This paper initially establishes the superiority of the Shanghai model in ultra-deep circular vertical shaft foundation pit engineering by examining a case study of a nursery circular ultra-deep vertical shaft foundation pit, which is part of the Suzhou River section's deep drainage and storage pipeline system pilot project in Shanghai. Subsequently, utilizing an idealized foundation pit engineering model, a comprehensive sensitivity analysis of the Shanghai model's multi-parameter values across their full range was performed using orthogonal experiments. The findings revealed that the parameter most sensitive to the lateral displacement of the underground continuous wall was kappa, with an increase in kappa leading to a corresponding increase in displacement. Similarly, the parameter most sensitive to surface subsidence outside the pit was lambda, with an increase in lambda resulting in greater subsidence. Lastly, the parameter most sensitive to soil uplift at the bottom of the pit was also kappa, with an increase in kappa leading to more significant uplift.

The excavation of the deep foundation pit of subway station may cause excessive deformation of foundation pit and retaining structure and then pose a threat to the safety of surrounding buildings and people. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze the characteristics of ground settlement and lateral displacement of the retaining system of foundation pit caused by deep foundation pit excavation in the Guangzhou composite stratum. Based on 28 subway station projects in Guangzhou, this paper analyses the monitoring data in the process of deep foundation pit excavation and reveals the deformation characteristics of subway deep foundation pit in the Guangzhou composite stratum. The research results can provide data support for the excavation scheme design and environmental control of similar deep foundation pit projects. The results show that: (1) The final deformation of the foundation pit at Guangzhou Metro Station is predominantly within the range of 5 to -15 mm. Monitoring points with settlement values exceeding 30 mm constitute the smallest proportion, while only a limited number of measuring points exhibit surface uplift. The observed ground uplift can be attributed to two primary causes: basement heave and the infiltration of grouting slurry outside the pit. (2) The maximum ground settlement of foundation pit increases with the increase of excavation depth. When the aspect ratio of foundation pit is greater than 15, the maximum ground settlement has an obvious positive linear relationship with it. The insertion ratio of foundation pit retaining structure in the Guangzhou area is mainly concentrated in 0.30-0.59, with an average value of 0.42, and the maximum ground settlement gradually decreases with the increase of insertion ratio. (3) The maximum lateral displacement of the retaining structure of the foundation pit accounts for the largest proportion in the range of -20-25 mm. The maximum lateral displacement of the retaining structure increases with the increase of the excavation depth and the length-width ratio of the foundation pit. The maximum lateral displacement of the retaining structure decreases with the increase of the insertion ratio. There is an obvious skirting phenomenon in the granite residual soil foundation pit. Attention should be paid to and the insertion ratio should be appropriately increased in the project. (4) The maximum ground settlement caused by deep foundation pit excavation of a subway station in the Guangzhou area is 0.99-1.90 times of the lateral displacement of foundation pit retaining structure.

Geological conditions and supporting structures are critical factors influencing the deformation characteristics of deep excavations. This study investigates the deformation characteristics and corresponding control measures for typical deep excavations, focusing on a metro station excavation within a mixed soil-rock stratum in Guangzhou. Using field measurement data collected during the excavation phase, we perform a statistical analysis to examine the relationship between maximum deformation and various influencing factors, including excavation depth, spatial effects, and the insertion ratio of the support structure. Additionally, we explore the distribution of excavation deformations, the relationship between lateral and vertical displacements, and deformation modes, offering engineering recommendations for optimization. Our analysis shows that, due to significant variations in the thickness of soft soil layers in Guangzhou, the maximum lateral displacement of the support structures predominantly ranges from 15 to 30 mm, while vertical ground deformations range from 0.86 parts per thousand to 2.35 parts per thousand of the excavation depth. Increasing the insertion ratio of the support structures improves their stiffness and reduces surface settlement caused by excavation. However, when the base of the support structure is embedded in the load-bearing rock layer and the insertion ratio exceeds 0.25, further increases in the insertion ratio lead to diminishing returns in controlling surface settlement. Both vertical ground deformations and lateral displacements of the support structures are positively correlated with excavation depth, while negatively correlated with the length-to-width ratio, width-to-depth ratio, and insertion ratio of the excavation. Based on these findings, we propose construction measures to enhance the stability of deep excavations and protect adjacent structures.

In practical engineering, the magnitude of soil unloading rebound is closely related to the physical and mechanical properties of the soil. Therefore, there are significant differences in geological conditions among the different regions. As such, targeted research on the rebound law and calculation methods of foundation pits is needed. This article reports indoor experiments and numerical simulation methods which are used to study the trends and calculation methods of foundation pit rebound based on typical geological conditions in South China. Our findings are as follows. 1) At maximum consolidation stress ranging from 100 kPa to 400kPa, the maximum rebound rate of plain fill soil in typical soil layers is 0.0539-0.0704, the rebound rate of silty clay is 0.0373-0.0528, the rebound rate of coarse sand is 0.0296-0.0343, the rebound rate of gravelly cohesive soil is 0.0159-0.0305, the rebound rate of fully weathered granite is 0.0175-0.0344, and the rebound rate of strongly weathered granite is 0.0170-0.0379. 2) The rebound indices do not change with changes in the unloading ratio or initial consolidation stress. The rebound indices of the soil layer from top to bottom are 0.0143, 0.0119, 0.0077, 0.0096, 0.0083, and 0.0076, respectively, and a formula for calculating the rebound modulus of typical soil layers in South China was proposed. 3) The pore ratio of the soil after the end of the recompression process is lower than that which occurs after the first compression. The difference between the compression porosity ratio of the soil layer from top to bottom and the compression porosity ratio is 0.1, 0.08, 0.02, 0.06, 0.02, and 0.03, respectively. 4) The calculation of the depth of influence by the self-weight stress offset method is based on the theory of eliminating self-weight stress and unloading stress. The calculation depth is not affected by geological conditions, the formula for calculating the rebound modulus is consistent with the formula obtained from experimental research, and the calculation results are in good agreement with the numerical values.