Geo-Frontiers 2011 © ASCE 2011 3312

Deep Excavation Project under High Ground Water Table

Mustafa Serdar Nalçakan1, M. ASCE

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1
KILCI Engineering Company, 601 Street, No.1/8 Yildiz – Cankaya - ANKARA ,
TURKEY, P.O. Box: 06450, PH (90-312) 490 – 84 94; Fax: (90-312) 490 – 84 14;
email: msn@kilci.com.tr
ABSTRACT

The excavation project for the Shopping Center in Turkey with a depth of
17.0m was performed in cohesionless sandy and gravelly soils. Impervious pile walls
were constructed using 80-cm diameter reinforced concrete piles and jet grout
columns in between due to ground water table. Three levels of ground anchors were
used to support the piles. Excavation was monitored using inclinometers placed
inside the piles. Test excavation of approximately 300m2 of basement area was
performed to examine the need for jet grout base plug due to water infiltration from
the base. The excavation was completed successfully using an effective dewatering
system in 6 months. Observed pile wall displacements were in the order of 2-3 mm.
The construction operations were stopped for approximately 12 months of time. Due
to the possibility of failure of ground anchors and the potential stability problem in jet
grout columns under high hydrostatic pressures, it was decided to stop dewatering
and let the ground water table rise to its original level. After 12 months construction
operation was restarted and dewatering was successful to lower the water level below
the base of the excavation. Inclinometers showed some additional displacements
(maximum 5mm) during re-dewatering operations.

INTRODUCTION

The excavation project for the Shopping Center in Adana Turkey, very close
to Seyhan River (50m away from the site) was performed in cohesionless sand and
gravel formations under high ground water table in October 2008 with success. The
excavation was approximately 100m x 160m on plan and 17.0 m in depth.
Impervious pile walls were constructed using 80-cm diameter reinforced concrete
piles and jet grout columns were used in between. Three levels of ground anchors
were used to support the piles. Dewatering operations were performed by pumping.
Excavation was completed successfully using an effective dewatering system in 6
months.
Test excavation, approximately 300m2 basement area, was performed to see
the need for jet grout base plug due to water infiltrations from the base. Test
excavation was performed on the river side. After completion of the test excavation,
it is understood that there will be no need for the base plug jet columns. Ground

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water infiltrations were observed only from the anchors and the water can be easily
pumped. Excavation was monitored using inclinometers placed inside the piles. Four
inclinometers were installed inside the piles. Observed pile wall displacements were
in the order of 2-3 mm.
The construction operations after completion of the excavation were decided
to be stopped for 12 months of time due to economical crisis in the world wide. Due
to the possibility of failure of ground anchorages and failure of jet grout columns
under high hydrostatic pressure, it is decided to stop dewatering and let the ground
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water table to rise to its original position. Construction operation was restarted and
dewatering was completed in 3 days to lower the raised ground water level below the
base of the excavation. Daily inclinometric measurements were done during this
dewatering operation. Inclinometers were showed some additional displacements
(maximum 5mm) during re-dewatering operations.

SOIL PROFILE

Ground investigation program including borehole drillings, test pits,

laboratory tests and field pumping tests for the determination of permeability
coefficient were achieved. Piezometers were installed during field pumping tests to
monitor ground water levels. There exist mainly alluvial deposits carried by the
Seyhan River. Brown colored stiff silty clay layers were encountered up to 7.0m
below ground surface. There exist some calcareous sand and gravel layers within this
silty clay layers. Standard penetration tests (SPTs) were performed in this layer. SPT
N values range from 32 to 50+. Silty clays were classified as CH according to Unified
Soil Classification System. There exist gravelly clay and clayey gravel layers
between 7.0m to 9.0m in depth. Then the main formation i.e. sandy gravel (GW, GP-
GM) layers were encountered up to 17.0 to 20.0m in depth. Some thin sandy
intermediate layers were also observed especially between 16.0m to 17.0m in depth.
There observed also some cobbles and conglomerate levels within this main sand and
gravel formation. The SPT blow counts were more than 50 for less than 15cm of
penetration, which signifies very dense strata for the main gravel formations. In some
depths the penetration for a given number of blows increased, which indicated that
although the layer is densely compacted, it is not as compact as the layers below.
As far as sieve analysis results are considered, the following percentages can
be modeled for the main formation of Sand and Gravel layers. Silt and Clay: 3-7%;
Sand - Fine: 3-7%, Medium: 12-15%, Coarse: 15-20%; Gravel: 47-65%.
Conglomerate rocks were encountered after 17.0m - 20.0m in depth in all
boreholes up to 40m in depth. Conglomerates were made up of large sediments like
gravels and pebbles and they were very little cemented. There observed no ground
water table in the upper silty clay layers. Ground water level was observed at
approximately 7.0m in depth below the original ground surface.

SHORING SYSTEM

The excavation was 100m x 160m on plan view and 17.0m in depth. Since the
ground water level was observed at 7.0m below the ground surface, 10m of

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excavation will need to be performed below ground water table. Ground water level
fluctuated around 1.0m depending on the Seyhan River water level, which is 50m
away from the excavation site (Figure 1).
Impervious pile walls were constructed using 80cm diameter reinforced
concrete piles (130cm apart from each other) and 80cm diameter jet grout columns in
between (TYPE-I) and behind the piles (TYPE-II) to set up an impervious boundary
(Figure 2). Piles and jet grout columns (TYPE-I and II) were started at -6.0 to 7.0m.
Sloped excavation with a ratio of H:V=1:1 were performed up to -6.0 to 7.0m level
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within the very stiff silty clay without water level. Piles were drilled using casings up
to the end levels.

Figure 1. General View and Layout Plan of Shopping Center

Figure 2. Shoring System (Pile Wall with Jet Grout Intermediate Columns)

Piles were 15.0m to 18.0m long bored reinforced concrete piles and they
penetrated 3.0m to 5.0m into the base level. Jet grout columns were constructed after
piling operations. Jet grout columns (80 cm diameters) were designed to penetrate

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5.0m more than the piles into the base of excavation to lengthen the flow path of
water infiltrations into the base. Three levels of ground anchors were designed to
support the shoring system. The anchors were designed according to British Codes
for Ground Anchorages (BS-8081). Details of the anchors were given in Table 1.

Table 1. Details for the Ground Anchors

Anchorage No Level from top Total Length Spacing

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1 -9.00 17.00m 2.00m

2 -12.00 16.00m 2.00m
3 -15.00 14.00m 2.60m

Jet grout test columns were performed in the site before starting piling and jet
grouting operations. Pressure- rod lifting time per step and water/cement ratios were
examined through jet grout column tests performed at the site. The injection pressures
varied between 400 to 500 bars and the diameter of the nozzles were 2.5-3.00mm to
form 80cm diameter jet grout columns. Jet-1 method with two nozzles was used in
the project. A water/cement ratio of w/c=1 ratio and standard dosage of 450 kg of
cement per cubic meter of ground were used. Performance tests for the jet grout
columns were conducted in accordance with the recommendations made by Melegani
(2008).
Finite element analyses for the shoring system were performed. Load on the
anchors, bending moments in the piles and other related design parameters were
calculated. Stage construction was performed in the analyses (Figure 3).

Figure 3. Finite Element Analysis for Deep Excavation Project.

The anayses were performed for three different sections of the piling system.
Depending on the sectional properties (depth of excavation, soil properties, etc)
anchor loads were calculated as 440 to 500 kN at the first ground anchor level

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(-9.00m level). Similarly, 340 to 420 kN of anchor load were estimated at the second
level (-12.00m level) and 320 to 380 kN at the final level (-15.00m level). The soil
properties used in finite element analyses were given in Table 2.

Table 2. Soil Properties Used in Finite Element Analysis

Unit Modulus of Friction

Cohesion,
Soil Profile USCS Weight, Elasticity, E Angle,
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c (kPa)
γ (kN/m3) (kN/m2) φ (°)
Silty Clay CH 19.0 25,000 50 0
Gravel GW-GP 21.0 100,000 1 35
Conglomerate - 22.0 200,000 5 40

All anchors were tested to 125% of their design loads (the design capacity of
anchors was around 800 kN) and the anchors were locked to 80% to 100% of the
design loads depending on the site loading conditions (near the existed buildings, the
locking percentage was 100%) in the project. The anchors were very successful in
this project due to soil conditions (mainly gravel) in the anchor bond levels. For
example only 6 of 121 anchors were failed before reaching their design load
capacities. The percentage of the failed anchors was around 4% only.

TEST EXCAVATION, DEWATERING AND MONITORING

Test excavation, approximately 300m2 basement area, was performed to

examine the need for jet grout base plug due to water infiltrations from the base. Test
excavation was also selected at the river side to examine the performance of the
shoring system. The test excavation was performed at the corner side of the
excavation. Two sides of the test excavation (river and south side) were constituted
by the original shoring system of the main excavation. Other two sides were
constructed by sloped excavation (H:V=1:1 and 1.50m wide berm in the mid-height
of the excavation) and two levels of jet grouts (20m in length and intersected side by
side) impervious walls (Figure 4).
The test excavation was completed successfully and ground water was easily
dewatered from the site. Water infiltration was very limited. The main infiltration was
observed from the side walls where ground anchors were installed. Infiltration from
the base levels was very limited due to existence of the conglomerate layers at the
bottom. Based on the experience of test excavation, it was decided not to form a jet
grout base plug at the bottom.

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Figure 4. Layout Plan of Test Excavation Performed at the Site.

Figure 5. Photograph of Test Excavation

Shoring system was monitored using four inclinometers placed inside the
piles at the center of each side wall. Inclinometric measurements were done
depending on the excavation and dewatering stages, drilling and locking stages of the
anchorages. Inclinometers showed 2-3mm of maximum displacement (Figure 6) in
the piles revealing that the excavation was completed safely in September 2008
without having a jet grout base plug by the successful dewatering system (Figure 7).
The construction operations after completion of the excavation were decided
to be stopped for approximately 12 months of time due to economy crisis worldwide.
There was a possibility of failure of ground anchors and possibility of loss of bonding
in the jet grout columns. There may be failure of the shoring system due to high
hydrostatic pressures for almost one year of the waiting time. Therefore, it is decided
to stop dewatering and let the ground water table rise to its original level in October
2008 (Figure 8).

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Figure 6. Displacement Profile at the Final Stage of the Excavation

Figure 7. Final Stages of the Excavation, September 2008

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Figure 8. Excavation after Stopping Dewatering October 2008

Construction was restarted after solving the economical problems and

dewatering was successful again to lower the water level below the base of the
excavation. It took 3 days to lower the water table. Inclinometers showed some
additional displacements during the re-dewatering operations and reached up to
5.0mm of maximum displacements (Figure 9).

CONCLUSION

The excavation project for the Shopping Center was performed in

cohesionless sand and gravel formations which were very near to river. The
excavation was approximately 100m x 160m in dimensions and 17.0m in depth.
Impervious pile walls, 80cm diameter reinforced concrete and jet grout columns in
between were used due to existence of high ground water table. Three levels of
ground anchors were used to support the piles. Test excavation was performed to
examine the need for jet grout base plug due to water infiltrations from the base. It
was observed that water infiltration was very limited and the main infiltration was
from the side walls rather than the base. Based on the experience of test excavation,
it was decided that there will be no need for base jet grout plug. Excavation was
completed successfully using an effective dewatering in 6 months.
The construction operations after completion of the excavation were decided
to be stopped for 12 months of time. Due to the possibility of failure of ground
anchors and loss of bonding strength in jet grout columns, and possible failure of the
shoring system due to high hydrostatic pressures that existed for almost one year of
waiting time, it is decided to stop dewatering and let the ground water table rise to its
original position in October 2008.

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The construction operation was later restarted with re-dewatering. It took 3

days to lower the water level below the bottom of the excavation. Inclinometers
showed some additional displacements during the re-dewatering operations and
reached up to 5.0mm of displacements. Ground anchors worked properly after 12
months of the waiting time under high water pressures.
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Figure 9. Inclinometer Displacement Profile Immediately After Re-starting

Dewatering Operations in October 2009

REFERENCES

BSI, British Standard Institution (1989), “ BS8081, British Standard Code of Practice
for Ground Anchorages”.
KILCI Engineering Company, (October 2007), “Deep Excavation Project and
Geotechnical Report for Adana Shopping Center Project - Adana -TURKEY
Adana-Yuregir - 5161/10924/1”.
KILCI Engineering company (October 2008), “Instrumentation Report for Adana
Shopping Center Project”.
Melegari Cesare (2007), “Introduction to the Jet-Grouting Method, Tecniwell
Publication”.

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