Simplified Reliability-Based Design of Wall Displacements for Excavations in Soft Clay Considering Cross Walls

Abstract

This study proposes a simplified reliability-based design (RBD) method for the serviceability limit state (SLS) of excavations considering cross walls. Although the effects of cross walls are highlighted, the proposed method is applicable to cases without cross walls. In the proposed RBD method, partial factors are calibrated using rigorous reliability theory to meet the target reliability index. A design example is used to illustrate the use of calibrated partial factors and to demonstrate the effectiveness of cross walls.