Design and Evaluation of a Pneumatic Caisson Shaft Alternative for a Proposed Subterranean Library at MIT
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Design and Evaluation of a Pneumatic Caisson Shaft Alternative for a Proposed Subterranean Library at MIT by Jon Brian Isaacson B.Sc. Geological Engineering 1998 B.Sc. Economics 2000 M.Sc. Geological Engineering 2000 University of Missouri-Rolla Submitted to the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of MASTER OF ENGINEERING OF TECHNOLOGY in Civil and Environmental Engineering JUN 0 4 2001 AT THE MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY LIBRARIES JUNE 2001 ( 2001 Jon Brian Isaacson. All Rights Reserved. BARKER The author hereby grants to MIT permission to reproduce and to distributepublicly paper and electronic copies of this thesis for the purpose of publishing other works. Signature of Author___ _____ u oDepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering May 11, 2001 Certified by Herbert H. Einstein, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Thesis Supervisor Accepted by Oral Buyukozturk, Ph.D. Chairman, Departmental Committee on Graduate Studies Room 14-0551 77 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02139 Ph: 617.253.2800 MITLibraries Email: [email protected] Document Services http://Iibraries.mit.eduldocs DISCLAIMER OF QUALITY Due to the condition of the original material, there are unavoidable flaws in this reproduction. We have made every effort possible to provide you with the best copy available. If you are dissatisfied with this product and find it unusable, please contact Document Services as soon as possible. Thank you. The images contained in this document are of the best quality available. 2 Design and Evaluation of a Pneumatic Caisson Shaft Alternative for a Proposed Subterranean Library at MIT by Jon Brian Isaacson Submitted to the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering on May 11, 2001 in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of Master of Engineering in Civil and Environmental Engineering. Abstract A deep egress shaft was designed for a proposed subterranean library under McDermott Court on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Campus. The proposed shaft design utilized secant piles to construct the shaft before excavation. Detailed geotechnical parameters were calculated to refine the secant pile design. This thesis discusses an alternative design consisting of a prefabricated, segmental caisson with an pneumatically supported excavation face. Geotechnical aspects and structural calculations were conducted to design a pneumatic caisson capable of maintaining stability at the base of the excavation while in the soft soils beneath the site. Caisson launch and ballasting issues were addressed during the design of the pneumatic method. The pneumatic chamber pressure could not counter full hydrostatic conditions over the entire depth of the opening. The construction sequence for the caisson was also designed according to site geotechnical parameters. A comparison and evaluation between the proposed and alternate methods determined that the pneumatic method was less likely to cause local settlement and groundwater level fluctuations. Structural stability was more reliable for the pneumatic method due to its precast nature. Basal stability of the excavation was better due to the capability of problem and misalignment identification and mitigation by workers at the face. Federal regulations prohibited the pneumatic pressure from countering full hydrostatic conditions in the glacial till. Cost issues were the major drawback of the pneumatic method due to labor costs and low productivity. Mechanization at the face and remote operation could lower costs for the caisson method, which otherwise appears to be the better construction methodology. The stability analysis suggests that deep excavations are possible in the Boston Area using pneumatic methods and it is suggested that it be examined for the sinking of the large diameter library structure itself. Thesis Supervisor: Herbert H. Einstein, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering 3 4 Acknowledgements I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks to those of you who have helped me to fulfill a childhood dream. My father, Jack, who selflessly provided a wonderful life for his children, if I'm half the father you are I'll never go wrong. My sister, Jenna, whose talented eye can find the beauty in anyone and display it for all to see, I'm very proud of you. My Lady, Molly, who knows me better than I know myself, thank you for your incredible patience and sacrifice while I chased my dream. I shall never forget it, I promise. My grandparents, Schildknechts and Isaacson, never failing to encourage me to pursue my dreams. Thank you for all of your hard work and sacrifice, which has helped make my future so bright. My extended Rolla family, the Albertson Clan, your support has been incredible and unforgettable. My Princess, who's pant I have missed for many months. My late mother, Marcia, and late mentor, Paul, who both have taught me that every day is precious, that we know not what tomorrow brings, and that we should be thankful for every second of life that fate grants us. It is up to us to make the best of those moments, and to fill them with happiness whenever possible. Sincere thanks are extended to my advisor, Professor Herbert H. Einstein, for the opportunity to learn under his tutelage, you're the reason I came to MIT. I thank you for your patience. Special thanks to the M.Eng. Library Group (Rehkopf et al) without whom the subject of this thesis would have been entirely different. I also wish to extend my gratitude to the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department here at MIT for its financial support during this program. Without exception, I would like to thank every teacher and professor whom I have the privilege of learning under during the course of my life. You have all helped to pave the road I now travel. I appreciate the difficult work that you do, and none of you are unimportant. Thanks also to every relative and friend that I have, you know who you are. Your support and encouragement has enabled me to move mountains. And finally, my fellow classmates, "M- Engers," the finest bunch I have ever had the privilege of working with on a daily basis. I know one day I will miss this place, the lab I have called home for the past nine months, but it is this family that I will miss most of all. May all of you fulfill your dreams and live incredible lives. We made it, together, and ohmyliver! 5 6 Table of Contents ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................... 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS....... ................ 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS........................................................................................................ 7 LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................................................................... 11 LIST OF TABLES ...................................................................................................................... 13 1 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................... 15 1.1 Proposed Underground Library ............................................................................. 15 1.2 Need for Deep Egress System ................................................................................ .. 17 2 PROJECT SPECIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS.........................................21 2.1 Interior Requirem ents of Shaft Design ................................................................. 21 2.2 Factors of Safety ...................................................................................................... 23 2.3 Environm ental Impacts .......................................................................................... 24 2.3.1 Ground Movements ........................................................................................... 24 2.3.2 GroundwaterDrawdown.................................................................................... 24 2.4 Other Requirem ents................................................................................................ 25 3 GEOTECHNICAL ANALYSIS.................................................................................... 27 3.1 Proposal Param eters............................................................................................... 27 3.2 Detailed Geotechnical Param eters........................................................................ 27 4 SECANT PILE SHAFT DESIGN................................................................................. 31 4.1 Proposal Secant Pile Shaft Design .......................................................................... 31 4.2 Revised Secant Pile Shaft Design .......................................................................... 35 5 PNEUMATIC CAISSON DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION ALTERNATIVE ......... 37 5.1 Pneum atic Caisson M ethod ................................................................................... 37 5.2 Geotechnical Analysis of Design ............................................................................. 40 5.2.1 Basal Stability ................................................................................................... 40 5.2.2 Soil Skin Friction................................................................................................ 45 5.2.3 Simple Settlement ..............................................................................................