The Stability of a Slurry Trench in Cohesionless Soils

• Author(s) / Creator(s)

  • Morgenstern, N. R.
  • Amir-Tahmasseb, I.

• Hydrostatic pressure, arching of the soil and electro-osmotic forces have each been suggested as the dominant factor to account for stability of trench excavations in cohesionless soils supported by clay slurries. The Authors suggest that the most important mechanism is the hydrostatic pressure of the slurry. However, the increase in density of the slurry due to the suspension of cuttings must be considered in computing this hydrostatic pressure. While a concrete diaphragm cut-off was under construction at Pierre-Benite, France, an unexpected flood occurred, causing several slips in the trench excavation. The analysis of these slips is presented and it confirms that the stability of a slurry trench in cohesionless soil can be accounted for provided that the correct density is used in computing the hydrostatic pressure of the slurry.

• Date created

  1965

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Stability
  • Cohesionless soils
  • Slurry trenches

• Type of Item

  Article (Published)

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3PK07799

• License

  © 1965 Thomas Telford. The original author(s) and source must be cited. Permission is granted by ICE Publishing to print one copy for personal use. Any other use of these PDF files is subject to reprint fees.