Characteristics of subway excavation in soft soil and protective effects of partition wall on the historical building and pile foundation building

It has been a key issue how to effectively reduce the construction influence on the excavation deformation and surrounding environment. This paper studies the protective effect of partition walls on the subway excavation and adjacent historical buildings. The lateral wall deflections, strut forces, and ground settlements were studied based on the field data at Daliang Station. The deformation characteristics of the historical Charity Association and Junwang Hotel were also discussed. Furthermore, the influence of different stiffness, depth, and location of partition walls on the historical building and pile foundation building near the excavation was analyzed. The results show that corner effects significantly affect the excavation deflection and adjacent historical buildings settlements. Partition walls can effectively reduce the wall deflection and ground settlements, and also can lessen the construction effect on adjacent historical buildings and pile foundation buildings. Besides, it is suggested that a position closer to the building, a depth similar to diaphragm wall depth, and medium rigidity for partition walls be adopted from the perspective of protected effect and economy. The results help to provide a basis for the optimal design of partition walls to protect adjacent buildings.