Deformation Based Design Methodology for Excavation Support Systems

NSF Project CMS-0650911 will to provide three-dimensional finite element analyses of three case histories and will develop a deformation-based design methodology for excavation support systems. The proposed methodology will incorporate the three-dimensional influences of constructing the support wall and installing the support system; the three-dimensional influences of excavating and backfilling the site (including time delays for infrastructure construction); and the influences of three-dimensional ground deformations. Because of the modular and well-defined nature of the tasks associated with this research, a unique opportunity exists for active participation of undergraduate researchers with this project. In addition, the Civil Engineering Department at the University of Kentucky has an existing population of women and minority students and thus there is the opportunity to specifically emphasize participation of underrepresented groups. A REU Supplement is requested for two undergraduate researchers. The proposed research tasks take into consideration time constraints of the undergraduate researchers in performing the research activities. Also, the proposed tasks take into consideration the lack of knowledge of supporting background materials and the lack of motivation to do mundane data entry tasks. Thus, both students will have a data extraction component to help them develop a background for the subject matter and an ?active? component to facilitate them actively engaging into the research.