OSF Paper PDF
OSF Paper PDF
To cite this article: K.F. Pong, S.L. Foo, C.G. Chinnaswamy, C.C.D. Ng & W.L. Chow (2012): Design considerations for one-
strut failure according to TR26 a practical approach for practising engineers, The IES Journal Part A: Civil & Structural
Engineering, 5:3, 166-180
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The IES Journal Part A: Civil & Structural Engineering
Vol. 5, No. 3, August 2012, 166180
TECHNICAL PAPER
Design considerations for one-strut failure according to TR26 a practical approach for practising
engineers
K.F. Ponga*, S.L. Fooa, C.G. Chinnaswamya, C.C.D. Nga and W.L. Chowb
a
Geotechnical Engineering Department, Meinhardt Infrastructure Pte Ltd (Member of Meinhardt Group), Singapore; bFormerly of
Geotechnical Amberg and TTI Engineering Pte Ltd
(Received 22 May 2012; nal version received 13 June 2012)
Technical Reference 26: 2010 (TR26: 2010) requires the design of an earth retaining and stabilising system (ERSS) to
be structurally safe, robust and has sucient redundancy to avoid catastrophic collapse of the ERSS system resulting
from an isolated case of overloading or failure of any particular member which may lead to the failure of adjacent
members thus leading to progressive failure. One such redundancy check is the condition, where failure of a single
strut, anchor or tie-rod occurs or more commonly known as one-strut failure (OSF) stated in Clause 3.7.4 of TR26:
2010 at each stage of the construction works. Analysis for OSF is actually a three-dimensional (3D) problem and
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carrying out such 3D analyses covering all the cases of wall stiness, properties of the soil layers, friction between
retaining wall panels in the case of diaphragm wall, soil arching eect due to the deection of the retaining wall, etc. is
very time consuming. In the conventional approach for OSF using two-dimensional (2D) plane strain analysis, the
whole layer of failing strut is removed and thus provides paths to distribute the forces in the vertical direction only.
This usually leads to more conservative design with heavier struts sections. In this paper, a procedure to rationally
idealise OSF from a 3D analysis to a 2D plane strain analysis is presented. This simplied approach will be more
practical for practising engineers to arrive at a more ecient design without the need for rigorous 3D analysis. The
results of this simplied approach are compared with the conventional approach and results incorporating appropriate
strut stiness from 3D analysis. The comparison showed that the approach is reasonable.
Keywords: numerical modelling; deep excavation; practical approach; three-dimensional analysis; one-strut failure;
redundancy check; catastrophic collapse; overloading; progressive failure; TR26
possible cases of OSF is 21. It is very onerous to check 2. Modelling of strutting system
all 21 cases. In reality, only six cases need to be Figure 1 shows a typical layout of the strutting system
analysed. The rst case is OSF for strut at level 1 (S1) for an ERSS commonly used in deep excavation
when the excavation reaches strut at level 2 (S2) but projects. The soil and water pressures acting on the
before installing S2. The second case is OSF for S2 retaining wall are partially transferred to the struts
when the excavation reaches strut at level 3 (S3) but through the walers and partially to the soil support
before installing S3, etc. The sixth case is OSF for strut below the excavation level. In this force transfer
at level 6 (S6) when the excavation reaches the nal mechanism from soil to strut, the waler acts as a
excavation level. load distributing member and the strut acts as
Analysis for OSF is actually a three-dimensional compression member to balance the soil and water
(3D) problem and carrying out such 3D analyses pressures from both sides of the ERSS to maintain the
covering all the cases of wall stiness, properties of the force equilibrium in the system and thus stabilises the
soil layers, friction between retaining wall panels in ERSS.
the case of diaphragm wall, soil arching eect due to In order to carry out the plane strain analysis, the
the deection of the retaining wall etc. is very time equivalent stiness of the strut supporting system is
consuming. In the conventional design approach for needed in the 2D numerical analysis. This equivalent
OSF using two-dimensional (2D) plane strain analysis, stiness can be obtained as two springs in series as
the whole layer of failing strut is removed and thus shown in Figure 2 and can be derived as follows:
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provides paths to distribute the forces in the vertical When two springs are serially connected, the total
direction only. This usually leads to more conservative spring displacement due a given load is the sum of the
design with heavier struts sections. In this paper, a individual spring deections while subjected to the
procedure to rationally idealise the OSF case from a same loading. In other words,
3D analysis to a 2D plane strain analysis is presented.
This approach will be more practical for practising
deqvt dw ds 1
engineers to arrive at a more ecient design without
the need for rigorous 3D analysis. The results of this
approach are compared with the conventional ap- where d represents the deections and the suxes
proach and results incorporating appropriate strut eqvt,w and s represent equivalent, waler and struts,
stiness from 3D analysis of OSF. respectively.
Figure 2. Simplied model of strut-waler support system for retaining wall in deep excavation.
Re-writing the spring displacements in terms of modelling approach. The load combination factors for
spring stiness, the following equation in terms of limit states design of the structural elements are shown
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where K represents the stiness. (1) The rst approach is to consider removal of
Generally, in normal case, walers are supported by one row of struts in the geotechnical modelling
struts and splays which leads to a very short span of 2 using computer software (such as PLAXIS). In
2.5 m for the walers and thus the term Kw becomes too this case, the contribution of struts in the same
large and therefore, the rst term on the right hand layer as the failed strut in the horizontal
side of Equation (2) becomes negligible. Therefore, soil direction is totally ignored and the force from
and water pressures on the retaining wall are partly the failed strut can only be distributed vertically
transferred to the struts through the walers and the rest to the adjacent layers of struts. This conven-
to the soil support below the excavation level, tional approach may lead to a more conserva-
Equation (2) can be simplied as: tive design with higher reinforcement for walls
In normal case, and heavier sections for the struts.
(2) The second approach is to consider failure of a
Keqvt Ks : 3a single strut within a layer of struts in the
horizontal direction. The force of the failed strut
In OSF case, will be transferred both vertically and horizon-
tally. However, the waler at the level of the failed
Ks Kw
Keqvt : 3b strut has to be designed to transfer the load
Ks Kw horizontally. As such the span of the waler for
design would be increased compared with the
3. Modelling with one-strut failure (OSF) normal span. This is a more realistic approach.
The requirement of design for deep excavation to
accommodate possible failure of any individual strut, A case study based on the second approach using the
tie rod, ground anchor is stated in Clause 3.7.4 of analysis of a cross-over cut-and-cover tunnel from the
TR26. A similar clause is stated in BS 8002 (1994) as Downtown Line Stage 3 (DTL 3) Project was carried
well. For projects of Singapore Land Transport out. The objective was to assess that the second
Authority (LTA), consideration of OSF is a design approach is not too conservative for both the wall and
requirement stated in the LTA Civil Design Criteria the strutting system but yet remain robust. Two-
(2010). One-strut failure (OSF) is a 3D problem and it specic aspects were investigated:
will not be an easy task to model the problem using 3D
modelling every time a design of ERSS is carried out. (1) Reduced stiness of the failed strut to be
Therefore, it is necessary to idealise OSF in 2D analysis adopted in the geotechnical nite-element
to obtain a solution that is comparable to the 3D modelling.
The IES Journal Part A: Civil & Structural Engineering 169
(2) Waler span for the design of waler due to tion in the wall-waler-strut system. The structural
OSF. analysis was carried out using STAAD Pro program
and the geotechnical modelling was carried out using
PLAXIS program.
4. Methodology For the structural analysis, the actual strut and
Both structural and geotechnical modelling were waler stinesses were modelled with four dierent wall
carried out in an attempt to study the force distribu- stinesses as shown in Table 1, to study the waler span
for the design of waler due to OSF. This has been done
to determine the load distribution pattern for various
Table 1. Cases for dierent wall stiness to study eect on types of ERSS system.
waler span. For the geotechnical modelling, cases as indicate in
Cases Wall Table 2, e.g. removal of one layer of strut and dierent
strut stinesses were modelled in an attempt to study
1 Seventy per cent stiness of diaphragm wall of the force distribution in the wall-strut system. The
1200 mm
2 Seventy percent of CBP wall 800 mm diameter example chosen in this paper aims to compare the
3 Sheet Pile Wall KSP IV results of analyses from PLAXIS 2D model and
4 One hundred per cent stiness of diaphragm STAAD Pro 3D model. However, one should note
wall 1200 mm that it may not be necessary to check all combinations
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Figure 3. Structural model of a space frame with soil spring and releases between plate elements.
170 K.F. Pong et al.
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As shown in Figure 3, the retaining wall was the calculation of the lateral earth pressure are shown
modelled with plate elements with release between in Figure 5. Figure 6 shows the area of the study for
plate elements to simulate the joints between the the eect of removing a single strut from the level S4
retaining wall such as contiguous bored piles wall, struts.
secant bored piles wall and diaphragm wall. Soil Figure 7 shows the deection mode of the
springs were modelled to simulate the presence of temporary work system and Figure 8 shows the
passive soil resistance. The soil spring constants were deection of waler at level S4 in normal case and
derived using Vesics equation from Vesic (1975). OSF case.
Figure 4 shows the struts and walers sizes and Figures 919 show the bending moment result of
connections adopted in the structural models. waler with dierent wall stiness for both normal case
Figure 5 shows the application of earth lateral and OSF case. Figure 9 shows the eects of the
pressure on the retaining wall. The soil parameters for removal of a single strut at S4 level on the bending
The IES Journal Part A: Civil & Structural Engineering 171
moment induced in the waler at S4 level for Case 1, Figure 10 shows the eects of the removal of a
where the wall is a 1.2 m thick diaphragm wall and single strut at S4 level on the bending moment induced
cracked section properties (70% of full stiness) in the waler at S4 level for Case 2 where the wall is a
are used for the stiness of the wall. As shown in 0.8 m diameter contiguous bored pile wall and cracked
Figure 9, the maximum bending moment at the mid
span and support of the waler increases to about 1.5
times of the bending moment in normal condition
without OSF.
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Figure 6. Area of study for the 3D structural analyses. Figure 7. Deection mode of the temporary work system.
Figure 9. Waler bending moment with and without one-strut failure (Case 1: 70% stiness of 1200 mm thick diaphragm wall).
Figure 10. Waler bending moment with and without one-strut failure (Case 2: 70% of CBP wall 800 mm diameter).
The IES Journal Part A: Civil & Structural Engineering 173
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Figure 11. Waler bending moment with and without one-strut failure (Case 3: Sheet Pile Wall KSP IV).
Figure 12. Waler bending moment with and without one-strut failure (Case 4: 100% stiness of diaphragm wall 1200 mm).
174 K.F. Pong et al.
section properties (70% of full stiness) are used for Figure 12 shows the eects of the removal of a
the stiness of the wall. As shown in Figure 10, the single strut at S4 level on the bending moment induced
maximum bending moment at the mid span and in the waler at S4 level for Case 4, where the wall is
support of the waler increases to about 1.8 times of 1.2 m thick diaphragm wall with full (100%) wall
the bending moment in normal condition without stiness. As shown in Figure 12, the maximum bending
OSF. moment at the mid span and support of the waler
Figure 11 shows the eects of the removal of a increases to about 2.6 times of the bending moment in
single strut at S4 level on the bending moment induced normal condition without OSF.
in the waler at S4 level for Case 3, where the wall is The comparison of bending moment ratio and span
KSP IV sheet pile wall. As shown in Figure 11, the length ratio for dierent wall stiness are presented in
maximum bending moment at the mid span and Figures 13 and 14, respectively. It is observed that the
support of the waler increases to about 2.2 times of ratio of maximum bending moment in OSF case to
the bending moment in normal condition without maximum bending moment in normal case without OSF
OSF. decreases when the retaining wall stiness increases.
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Figure 13. Graph showing the ratio of waler bending moment with OSF to Normal case.
Figure 14. Graph showing the ratio of waler span with OSF to Normal case.
The IES Journal Part A: Civil & Structural Engineering 175
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Figure 15. Geometry of the retaining wall and strutting system with details of strut and waler sizes.
Figure 16. Sectional view of the plain strain 2D model in PLAXIS program.
Figure 17. PLAXIS model showing the OSF for strut at level 4 (S4) for Cases 15.
The IES Journal Part A: Civil & Structural Engineering 177
second case is OSF for S2 when the excavation reaches Figure 13, which shows the comparison of waler
strut at level 3 (S3) but before installing S3. The third span length with dierent wall stiness, indicates that
case is OSF for S3 when the excavation reaches strut at the increase in span length due to OSF ranges from 1.6
level 4 (S4) but before installing S4. The fourth case is L to 1.2 L. Hence, it is reasonable to adopt 1.5 L for
OSF for S4 when the excavation reaches strut at level 5 waler design.
(S5) but before installing S5. The fth case is OSF for As shown Figure 20, in the comparison of dia-
S5 when the excavation reaches strut at level 6 (S6) but phragm wall bending moment with dierent strut
before installing S6. The sixth case is OSF for strut at stiness, the diaphragm wall design is generally gover-
level 6 (S6) when the excavation reaches the nal ned by normal case, though there are locations where
excavation level. removal of one layer of struts governs. However, it
The strut stiness comparisons for all the cases of may be too conservative to consider removal of one
analyses mentioned above are tabulated in Figure 18. layer of struts in geotechnical modelling, hence adop-
The results of strut forces for all the cases of analyses ting combined stiness as illustrated in Figure 21 was
mentioned above are tabulated in Figure 19. The strut found to be reasonable.
forces tabulated are based on the maximum strut It is also noted that the bending moment diagram
forces for each layer of the struts for the various of the diaphragm wall in Cases 3 and 4 analyses are
scenarios and sequence of OSF in each case of analysis very similar. This shows that the assumption of strut
with dierent approach of simulation of OSF analysed stiness equivalent to the original strut stiness
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Figure 19. Comparison of strut forces (in kN/m) for Upper Changi cross-over cut-and-cover tunnel.
Figure 20. Comparison of diaphragm wall bending moment with dierent strut stiness.
Figure 21. Recommended approach for derivation of OSF strut stiness to be used in PLAXIS modelling.
180 K.F. Pong et al.
stiness equivalent to the original strut stiness multi- LTA Civil Design Criteria Revision A7 for Road and Rail
plied by a reduction factor of 1.5 is a reasonable Transit Systems, Land Transport Authority, 2010.
simplied assumption of the reduced strut stiness as a Puller, M., 2003. Deep excavations: a practical manual,
result of a single strut failure as compared to the strut 2nd ed. Thomas Telford Publishing.
stiness derived from the 3D structural analysis. The TR26: 2010. Technical reference for deep excavation, Spring
Singapore, Singapore.
increase in span length due to OSF ranges from 1.6 L Vesic, A.S., 1975. Foundation engineering handbook, 1st ed.
to 1.2 L. Hence, it is reasonable to adopt 1.5 L for Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, Chapter 14, Pile
waler design. In the comparison of diaphragm wall Foundation, 561563.