Two- and Three-dimensional Numerical Back-analysis of Deep Excavation Case Studies from Budapest, Hungary

Abstract

In this paper, the numerical back analyses of four, typical, monitored deep excavations completed in Budapest are presented. The typical excavation solution in Budapest city center, down to 15–18 m excavation depth, is a diaphragm wall embedded in the clay bedrock and supported by prestressed anchors embedded in the sedimentary soils above the clay. In these case studies this solution is analyzed with traditional Winkler type and more complex PLAXIS 2D and 3D finite element models. The focus of the study was to compare the measured wall deformations with the calculated ones derived by the listed methods. As the clay bedrock is a deterministic layer for the wall behavior, several different FEM models were prepared to analyze the appropriateness of the potential constitutive models for its proper characterization. As a conclusion, practical proposals were made for practitioners for future excavations.