Shown for illustration only; not for construction.
The engineering team advises on industry best practice in accordance with British Standards and Eurocodes.
The design approach considers industry developments and updates to standards, with an economical philosophy that balances risk and cost.
DAACE develops designs for excavations, timber headings and shaft sinking alongside retaining walls, sheet piling and anchorages. The approach considers ground conditions, groundwater, nearby structures, access and the proposed construction sequence so that support arrangements and excavation methods suit the site.
Excavation, heading and shaft design
Design for supported excavations considers the temporary support needed at each stage of digging, from sheets, frames and props to the sequence in which they are installed and removed. For timber headings, the arrangement of heading frames and lagging is set out to suit the ground and the size of the opening. For shaft sinking, the lining, its installation as excavation proceeds and the base are considered together, so that the shaft can be built in practical, staged steps. Each arrangement is assessed for the specific site.
Groundwater and buoyancy
Where shafts, bases and other underground structures sit below the water table, buoyancy calculations assess the upward water pressure acting on them against their own weight and any appropriate additional resistance. The check considers construction stages, such as an empty shaft before its base or permanent loads are in place, as well as the completed works. The results inform the base thickness, any anchorage and the water-control arrangements chosen for the project.