Parametric Study on the Effect of Pile Diameter on the Performance of Braced Excavations Supported by Piles and Struts

Year 2025, Volume: 17 Issue: 4, 188 - 196, 31.12.2025

Dara Hajebi , Gebrail Bekdaş , Sinan Melih Nigdeli

https://doi.org/10.24107/ijeas.1639486

Abstract

The increasing number of construction projects has led to a growing demand for deep-supported excavations. Identifying the key parameters affecting cost is essential. Deep excavation design is influenced by multiple factors, including soil conditions, excavation depth, and support system characteristics. Additionally, ensuring excavation safety requires adherence to specific criteria related to displacement and stress limits. This study presents a parametric investigation focusing on the influence of pile diameter on excavation costs. Numerical analyses were conducted using PLAXIS, integrated with Python through the PLAXIS API, to automate simulations. Various soil types and excavation depths were considered. The design, construction, and performance of deep excavations involve competing mechanisms, where improved displacement control through larger pile diameters is achieved at the expense of increased internal forces and cost.

Keywords

Deep excavation , parametric study , PLAXIS , Python , cost analysis

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