Abstract
A sheet pile extraction in constructing of underground structures generates the voids into the ground. The generated voids results in ground settlement and deformation of underground structures due to a redistribution and transformation of the stresses of ground. In this study, in order to understand this phenomena, the elasto-plastic FE analysis, which takes into account a release of in-situ stress and contact between non-continuous ground surfaces located at the sides of the voids, was developed by adapting excavation techniques and incorporating pinball algorithms. Also, the laboratory tests on sheet pile extraction with a buried fl exible pipe were performed. It was shown that the numerical model is able to capture the behavior of a pipe deflection and ground surface settlement observed in experiments. Moreover, based on the simulated distribution of strain and stress in ground, the interaction mechanism between a buried flexible pipe and ground could be explained well.
