IN METRO MANILA
Roy Anthony C. Luna, MSCE 1, 2
Jose Carlo Eric L. Santos, MSCE 1, 2
Michael Paolo V. Follosco, MSCE1
John Michael B. Gargullo 1
Regine Chloe S. Albea 1
Gian Paulo D. Reyes 1
Neil Angelo G. Luzano 1
Mark Albert H. Zarco 2
2
Abstract:
With the rapid and continuing urban development in various cities in Metro Manila, the Philippines' national capital
region, comes the increasing number of high-rise buildings, typically with multi-level basements. With deep
excavations ranging from 15 meters to 25 meters, usually with adjoining buildings or major roads, the stability of
vertical cuts, and consequently, the protection of adjacent property and construction safety, becomes a primary
concern.
Metro Manila's regional bedrock, the Guadalupe Tuff Formation (GTF), is a horizontally-bedded rock composed of
tuffaceous sandstone, siltstone, and shale. With a residual soil mantle ranging from 1.0 meter, to as much as 15 meters
in some areas, the design of adequate excavation protection is a major challenge. This paper presents the typical
characteristics and geotechnical properties of the GTF, based on the results of several tests for various projects.
Practicable engineering measures for excavation protection - soil nails and ground anchors, diaphragm walls, and
secant piles - and their design considerations are presented. Modeling and analysis using limit-equilibrium approach
and finite-element method are discussed. Case studies are presented.
Keywords: Stability analysis, Deep excavations, Finite element method, Limit equilibrium approach, Excavation
protection
INTRODUCTION
4
Fig. 2 Photo of Guadalupe Tuff Formation or adobe
SEISMIC CONSIDERATIONS
6
In limit equilibrium approach, the mass is divided into
small slices along an assumed or known failure surface.
The forces that are acting on each slice such as weight,
normal and tangential reactions, and shear forces are
determined. By equilibrium conditions, the moment of
the driving forces about the center of the failure surface
should be equal to the moment of the resisting forces.
Procedures for slope stability analysis (SSA) can become
quite rigorous because of the complex equations
involved. For this reason, commercial computer software
have been developed for performing slope stability
analysis, which can be used for numerous iterations and
for a varying set of boundary conditions. The final output
shows data and a figure of the slip circle with the least
factor of safety for the slope being analyzed. Below is an
example of a mathematical model of a vertical cut using
Rocscience Slide 6.0.
CASE STUDY
Exposed
Height
13.2 m
13.2 m
14.2 m
3.5 m
Allowable
Deformation
66.0 mm
66.0 mm
71.0 mm
17.5 mm
Lateral
Deformation
13.3 mm
10.6 mm
15.1 mm
13.0 mm
CONCLUSION
Exhaustive analysis and reasonably conservative
design for deep excavation protection measures is
essential in ensuring safety. Limit Equilibrium
Method is adequate in establishing global stability,
while Finite Element Method can be utilized for
deformation analysis.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors acknowledge the assistance provided by the
technical staff of AMH Philippines, Inc. in the
preparation of this paper.
REFERENCES