The Problem

Excavations cover a broad range of geotechnical engineering from building construction to open pit mining and can be the basis for a wide range of analyses, depending on the questions being asked. Common to all issues in this category are the release of locked in stresses when the soil or rock is unloaded. In addition, the presence of water in the ground or free water on the surface can greatly change the excavation behaviour from a seepage and stability perspective.

The Solution

The integration in GeoStudio provides a wide range of approaches for dealing with excavations. Insitu stresses and pore-water pressure conditions can be established such that upon removal of the ground, rebound displacements can be computed. Steady state or transient pore-water flow systems can be simulated and incorporated into dewatering and stability evaluations. Detailed stress paths can be monitored during these transient changes in pore-water pressure. In an advanced analysis, a slope failure in a pit can be accounted for as a result of a sudden collapse of unstable ground. In addition, a dynamic earthquake analysis can be carried out to assess the potential for generation of excess pore-water pressures in the ground or plastic deformation due to stress-redistribution.