Study on Non-limit Active Earth Pressure Distribution of Deep Large Circular Excavations Considering Groundwater and Spatial Soil Arching Effects
（1. School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen 518107; 2. State Key Laboratory for Tunnel
Engineering, Guangzhou 510275; 3. Guangdong Key Laboratory of Marine Civil Engineering, School of Civil Engineering,
Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275; 4. Guangzhou Metro Construction Management Co., Ltd., Guangzhou 510000;
5. Guangdong Construction Engineering Co.Ltd of China Railway Third Group, Guangzhou 510000）
Abstract：
With the increasing application of deep and large circular excavations, developing an earth pressure evaluation method that comprehensively accounts for complex influencing factors is of significant engineering value for enhancing design accuracy and scientific reliability. In this study, a non-limit active earth pressure calculation method for circular excavations is proposed, which incorporates groundwater effects, spatial arching effects, and wall displacement patterns. The applicability and effectiveness of the method are validated through an engineering case study. Furthermore, the influences of soil parameters, wall displacement patterns, surface surcharge, and groundwater level on earth pressure distribution are investigated. The results show that the earth pressure in circular excavations first increases and then decreases with depth, and due to spatial arching effects, it is significantly lower than the traditional Rankine earth pressure estimation. The earth pressure is negatively correlated with soil cohesion and internal friction angle. Surface surcharge generates additional earth pressure on the upper portion of the wall, which decreases with depth. A lower groundwater level, larger wall displacement magnitude, and wider displacement zone result in a more significant reduction in active earth pressure.
LIANG Yu1,
2,
3 FAN Xiaofeng3 HUANG Linchong2 etc
.Study on Non-limit Active Earth Pressure Distribution of Deep Large Circular Excavations Considering Groundwater and Spatial Soil Arching Effects[J] MODERN TUNNELLING TECHNOLOGY, 2025,V62(5): 43-
2025, Vol. 62 