Modules
StruBIM Embedded Walls has three modules for the design and checking of specific types of walls that can be purchased together or separately:
- Diaphragm walls
Analysis, design and reinforcement of diaphragm walls, piled retaining walls and mini piled retaining walls. - Steel sheet piles
Analysis and design of steel sheet piles from the ArcelorMittal Catalogue and metal sheet piles with generic sections. - Critical slip circle
More information on this module can be found in the Safety checks section.
Construction phases
Users can define the different phases or stages of construction, specifying the following:
- Different depths of excavation.
- Struts or braces.
- Passive anchors (temporary or permanent).
- Active anchors (temporary or permanent).
- Foundations at the bottom level of the excavation.
- Floor slabs at different levels.
- Exterior loads applied on the ground.
- Loads transmitted by basement floors.
- Loads at the top of the embedded wall.
- Shrinkage in floor slabs.
- Strut temperature.
Soil
Users can define soil layers with different thicknesses with the properties obtained from the standard soil library. User-defined soils can also be added.
Berms can be applied at the infill and excavations at the backfill in specific phases.
Users can indicate the water table and rock soil layer levels. The program also allows users to define impermeable soil layers to indicate there may be layers with very different permeabilities.
Analysis Model
The analysis model used to obtain the forces and displacements of the embedded wall is based on soil-wall interaction methods, where the magnitude of soil pressures acting on the embedded wall depends on its displacement. In order to analyse the load and/or reaction that the soil produces on the embedded wall, the wall is considered to have non-linear elastoplastic behaviour, which is obtained from the approximation of the real behaviour of the soil, including its plastification. The linear range of behaviour is associated with the concept of linear subgrade modulus of the soil, and the plastic range with the active or passive pressures, depending on the displacement direction. Furthermore, the support elements (anchors, struts and floor slabs) enter a series of additional restrictions and loads, which are considered at the elevations where they are located.
Since the solution of the problem depends on the deformation of the embedded wall, the method requires the program to go through an iterative process until the equilibrium situation for iteration “i” is close enough to the one obtained at iteration "i+1".
Results
Check the diagrams for displacements, axial, shear, bending moment, and total pressure. The diagrams of several phases can be displayed simultaneously, in different colours, marking the significant points. The results can be sent to a printer or a DXF file can be created.
Safety checks
The program carries out three global stability checks:
- Ratio between the balancing moment of the passive pressure at the infill and the unbalancing moment of the active pressure at the backfill
This check is carried out in phases where there is either no support on the embedded wall or a maximum of one support, as in phases where there is more than one support, the embedded wall is already balanced. - Safety reserve of passive pressure at the infill
Like the previous check, this one is carried out in phases where there is no support on the embedded wall, or a maximum of one support, as in phases where there is more than one support, the embedded wall is already balanced. - Critical slip circle
For embedded walls, this check is carried out in the phases in which no floor slab has yet been built, as in the phases in which these become operational, the embedded wall is already balanced.
Reinforcement
The reinforcement of diaphragm walls or cast in-situ piles can be edited and modified. Changes can be made to the reinforcement and their compliance can be verified.
Comprehensive checklists of reinforced concrete sections are generated.
Reports
For all the data, drawings of the construction phases, analysis results, forces and deformed shapes.
Reports can be printed or generated as HTML, PDF and RTF files to be used with any editor.
The text can be printed alongside the drawing.
Seismic analysis
The pseudo-static method has been used for evaluating the pressure, with the dynamic earth pressure coefficients based on the Mononobe-Okabe method.
Drawings
Reinforcement detailing for diaphragm walls.
Drawings can also be exported in DXF and DWG format.
DXF and DWG construction details can also be added.
Assistant for multiple basements
This will help users enter the data for the standard building projects.
Layout of the wall path in plan view
StruBIM Embedded Walls includes a tool that allows users to define the layout of the embedded walls in plan view (with the option of importing DXF or DWG files). This way, when the project is exported to the BIM model, each span of the wall will be included in its position in the architectural model.
StruBIM Embedded Walls exports the anchors and elements that correspond to each type of wall (concrete volume, reinforcement, piles, mini piles or steel sheet piles) to the BIM model.