EXCAVATION TESTS ON ALUMINUM ROD MODEL GROUND TO SIMULATE GROUND HEAVE

Abstract

When performing the open-cut method, ground heave due to excavation may impact existing structures, causing deformation and other effects. Therefore, predicting the effects of ground heave near structures and considering countermeasures is essential. However, the interaction between the structure and ground during ground heave is not fully understood, leading to discrepancies between predictions and actual measurements. We analyzed this interaction through model experiments. Initially, we conducted an excavation experiment using an aluminum rod model ground that simulates sand behavior in two dimensions to assess whether ground heave could be accurately reproduced. This model enables image-based analysis to capture displacement and strain distribution near structures. We placed two earth retaining wall models, each 200 mm high, in a model ground measuring 1000 mm in width and 400 mm in height. Using a ground anchor model, we subjected the walls to tension equivalent to the earth pressure at rest. The primary experimental variable was the distance between the earth retaining walls. The intervening ground was excavated, and images were analyzed to assess the resulting ground behavior. Results confirmed that the aluminum rod model ground could simulate the upward vertical displacement patterns similar to those of the actual ground. These findings provide valuable reference data for future model experiments involving embedded structures such as tunnels.