Academic Journal

Performance of an Irregular Top-Down Excavation with Synchronous Construction of Superstructure and Substructure: Case Study and Numerical Exploration.

Bibliographic Details
Title: Performance of an Irregular Top-Down Excavation with Synchronous Construction of Superstructure and Substructure: Case Study and Numerical Exploration.
Authors: Huang, Keqi, He, Xiaopei, Liu, Xiaomin, Wang, Jiawei, Zhang, Qiang, Ge, Longbo
Source: International Journal of Geomechanics; Jul2026, Vol. 26 Issue 7, p1-13, 13p
Subject Terms: Excavation (Civil engineering), Retaining walls, Structural analysis (Engineering), Computer simulation, Building foundations, Building design & construction
Geographic Terms: Shenzhen (Guangdong Sheng, China : East), China
Abstract: This study investigates a 24-m-deep irregular excavation in Shenzhen, China, which is surrounded by dense buildings and constructed by the top-down method with synchronous construction of the superstructure and substructure. Based on field instrumentation data, this paper uses finite-element software PLAXIS to simulate the entire construction process and verifies the precision of the numerical model. The numerical analysis reveals the three-dimensional deformation characteristics of the retaining wall, the vertical deformation patterns of the supporting system, and the axial force redistribution in the slabs, thereby providing a theoretical basis for optimization design. The following major findings are obtained: (1) adjacent buildings, especially high-rise buildings, increase retaining wall deflections as a surcharge, and the construction of the superstructure has a negligible effect on retaining wall deformation; (2) the irregular excavation geometry leads to an asymmetrical wall deflection distribution, with larger deflections near external corners because of a smaller boundary constraint. The large internal corner causes a double-peak distribution of wall deflection; (3) the overload generated by superstructure construction leads to a decrease in the rising rate of the column and retaining wall and even causes settlement; (4) the stress concentration phenomenon is observed at the excavation openings, and structural design recommendations such as local strengthening around the edges of openings are provided; (5) the excavation-induced building damage potential is assessed as negligible, confirmed by the absence of cracks in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of International Journal of Geomechanics is the property of American Society of Civil Engineers and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Complementary Index
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: edb
DbLabel: Complementary Index
An: 193805086
RelevancyScore: 1082
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 1082.42175292969
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Performance of an Irregular Top-Down Excavation with Synchronous Construction of Superstructure and Substructure: Case Study and Numerical Exploration.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Huang%2C+Keqi%22">Huang, Keqi</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22He%2C+Xiaopei%22">He, Xiaopei</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Liu%2C+Xiaomin%22">Liu, Xiaomin</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wang%2C+Jiawei%22">Wang, Jiawei</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zhang%2C+Qiang%22">Zhang, Qiang</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ge%2C+Longbo%22">Ge, Longbo</searchLink>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: International Journal of Geomechanics; Jul2026, Vol. 26 Issue 7, p1-13, 13p
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subject Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Excavation+%28Civil+engineering%29%22">Excavation (Civil engineering)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Retaining+walls%22">Retaining walls</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Structural+analysis+%28Engineering%29%22">Structural analysis (Engineering)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computer+simulation%22">Computer simulation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Building+foundations%22">Building foundations</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Building+design+%26+construction%22">Building design & construction</searchLink>
– Name: SubjectGeographic
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Shenzhen+%28Guangdong+Sheng%2C+China+%3A+East%29%22">Shenzhen (Guangdong Sheng, China : East)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22China%22">China</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: This study investigates a 24-m-deep irregular excavation in Shenzhen, China, which is surrounded by dense buildings and constructed by the top-down method with synchronous construction of the superstructure and substructure. Based on field instrumentation data, this paper uses finite-element software PLAXIS to simulate the entire construction process and verifies the precision of the numerical model. The numerical analysis reveals the three-dimensional deformation characteristics of the retaining wall, the vertical deformation patterns of the supporting system, and the axial force redistribution in the slabs, thereby providing a theoretical basis for optimization design. The following major findings are obtained: (1) adjacent buildings, especially high-rise buildings, increase retaining wall deflections as a surcharge, and the construction of the superstructure has a negligible effect on retaining wall deformation; (2) the irregular excavation geometry leads to an asymmetrical wall deflection distribution, with larger deflections near external corners because of a smaller boundary constraint. The large internal corner causes a double-peak distribution of wall deflection; (3) the overload generated by superstructure construction leads to a decrease in the rising rate of the column and retaining wall and even causes settlement; (4) the stress concentration phenomenon is observed at the excavation openings, and structural design recommendations such as local strengthening around the edges of openings are provided; (5) the excavation-induced building damage potential is assessed as negligible, confirmed by the absence of cracks in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: Abstract
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of International Journal of Geomechanics is the property of American Society of Civil Engineers and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edb&AN=193805086
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1061/IJGNAI.GMENG-13072
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 13
        StartPage: 1
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Shenzhen (Guangdong Sheng, China : East)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: China
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Excavation (Civil engineering)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Retaining walls
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Structural analysis (Engineering)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Computer simulation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Building foundations
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Building design & construction
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Performance of an Irregular Top-Down Excavation with Synchronous Construction of Superstructure and Substructure: Case Study and Numerical Exploration.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Huang, Keqi
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: He, Xiaopei
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Liu, Xiaomin
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Wang, Jiawei
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Zhang, Qiang
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Ge, Longbo
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 07
              Text: Jul2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 15323641
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 26
            – Type: issue
              Value: 7
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: International Journal of Geomechanics
              Type: main
ResultId 1