Research on the Distribution Law of Lateral Earth Pressure on Adjacent Structures Under the Influence of Retaining Structure Deformation.

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Title:	Research on the Distribution Law of Lateral Earth Pressure on Adjacent Structures Under the Influence of Retaining Structure Deformation.
Authors:	Luo, Hua¹ 12015024@hnist.edu.cn, Liu, Ying¹ 822511140652@vip.hnist.edu.cn, Liang, Yongyan¹ 822111140454@vip.hnist.edu.cn, Wang, Weiwei¹ 12013032@hnist.edu.cn, Li, Bin¹ 12007030@hnist.edu.cn, She, Qincong¹ 22017036@hnist.edu.cn, Zeng, Yongqing¹ 1013433575@qq.com
Source:	Engineering Letters. May2026, Vol. 34 Issue 5, p2072-2085. 14p.
Subjects:	Earth pressure, Soil-structure interaction, Rotational motion, Retaining walls, Finite element method, Building foundations, Structural analysis (Engineering), Soil mechanics
Abstract:	In urban excavation and renovation projects, deep foundations are frequently constructed adjacent to existing structures. Although isolation piles are commonly employed to reduce excavation-induced effects, the deformation of these piles or the adjacent structures themselves--resulting from soil unloading on one side and unbalanced loads such as structural self-weight and construction surcharges on the other--involves a complex soil-structure interaction that remains insufficiently understood. This study combined physical model tests and numerical simulations to investigate the failure mechanism of confined finite soil and the associated lateral earth pressure distribution on a neighboring structure induced by rotational deformation of the retaining wall. Ten sets of model tests were conducted under sandy soil conditions to investigate the influence of deformation of a foundation pit retaining structure on the lateral earth pressure distribution of an adjacent structure. The influencing factors and variation patterns of earth pressure and structural displacement on the adjacent structure side during rotational deformation of the retaining structure were analyzed. The research indicates that the plastic zone of the finite soil develops from the upper left corner to the lower right corner, forming multiple parallel inclined slip surfaces within the soil mass. When the width-to-height ratio (B/H) ranges from 0.1 to 0.5, the boundary of the finite soil plastic zone intersects with the adjacent structure. As the rotational deformation of the movable wall around its base increases, the resultant earth pressure above approximately 1/4 of the height of the adjacent structure gradually decreases, while the resultant earth pressure below this height gradually increases. By the end of the test, the resultant earth pressure below this height was significantly greater than that above. A finite element model was established to simulate the interaction between the finite soil and the adjacent structure under rotational deformation of the retaining structure. The failure mode of the soil, distribution law of the earth pressure, and structural deformation obtained from the numerical simulation showed good agreement with the experimental results, verifying the validity of the finite element model. Based on this, parameter analysis was conducted using the finite element method to explore the influence of rotation ratio, surcharge, and soil density on the soil failure mode and earth pressure distribution. The results show that an increase in the rotation ratio of the retaining structure makes the boundary of the soil plastic zone and the slip surface more pronounced; an increase in the surcharge on the structure side leads to an increase in the resultant earth pressure on the adjacent structure side, and the point of application of the resultant force shifts upward; an increase in soil density does not affect the morphological characteristics of the failure surface but increases the maximum value of earth pressure. This study clarifies the evolution of lateral earth pressure and failure mechanism of finite soil under retaining wall deformation, providing a theoretical basis for the design and deformation control of isolation piles in similar adjacent construction scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database:	Engineering Source

Description
Abstract:	In urban excavation and renovation projects, deep foundations are frequently constructed adjacent to existing structures. Although isolation piles are commonly employed to reduce excavation-induced effects, the deformation of these piles or the adjacent structures themselves--resulting from soil unloading on one side and unbalanced loads such as structural self-weight and construction surcharges on the other--involves a complex soil-structure interaction that remains insufficiently understood. This study combined physical model tests and numerical simulations to investigate the failure mechanism of confined finite soil and the associated lateral earth pressure distribution on a neighboring structure induced by rotational deformation of the retaining wall. Ten sets of model tests were conducted under sandy soil conditions to investigate the influence of deformation of a foundation pit retaining structure on the lateral earth pressure distribution of an adjacent structure. The influencing factors and variation patterns of earth pressure and structural displacement on the adjacent structure side during rotational deformation of the retaining structure were analyzed. The research indicates that the plastic zone of the finite soil develops from the upper left corner to the lower right corner, forming multiple parallel inclined slip surfaces within the soil mass. When the width-to-height ratio (B/H) ranges from 0.1 to 0.5, the boundary of the finite soil plastic zone intersects with the adjacent structure. As the rotational deformation of the movable wall around its base increases, the resultant earth pressure above approximately 1/4 of the height of the adjacent structure gradually decreases, while the resultant earth pressure below this height gradually increases. By the end of the test, the resultant earth pressure below this height was significantly greater than that above. A finite element model was established to simulate the interaction between the finite soil and the adjacent structure under rotational deformation of the retaining structure. The failure mode of the soil, distribution law of the earth pressure, and structural deformation obtained from the numerical simulation showed good agreement with the experimental results, verifying the validity of the finite element model. Based on this, parameter analysis was conducted using the finite element method to explore the influence of rotation ratio, surcharge, and soil density on the soil failure mode and earth pressure distribution. The results show that an increase in the rotation ratio of the retaining structure makes the boundary of the soil plastic zone and the slip surface more pronounced; an increase in the surcharge on the structure side leads to an increase in the resultant earth pressure on the adjacent structure side, and the point of application of the resultant force shifts upward; an increase in soil density does not affect the morphological characteristics of the failure surface but increases the maximum value of earth pressure. This study clarifies the evolution of lateral earth pressure and failure mechanism of finite soil under retaining wall deformation, providing a theoretical basis for the design and deformation control of isolation piles in similar adjacent construction scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:	1816093X