Finite element analysis of responses of building adjacent to excavation considering initial differential settlement

Considering the initial differential settlement of buildings as well as small strain characteristic of soil, the impact of the distance between the building and the excavation and the stiffness of the building on the differential settlement are analyzed. It is necessary to consider the initial differential settlement of the building. When the longitudinal walls of the building are perpendicular to the retaining wall and are located over the lowest point of the settlement trough, sagging deformation occurs and its trend is the same as the initial settlement. So the initial deflection increases the tensile strain. In this case, taking account of initial deflection is necessary. Especially for the building with low stiffness, the influence of the initial settlement on the tensile strain of the building is more obvious. When the longitudinal wall of building is perpendicular to the retaining wall and located over the hogging zone of the settlement trough, taking no account of initial deflection is conservative since the deflection trend is opposite to the initial settlement. When the longitudinal walls are located over the sagging and hogging zone, the initial deflection should be considered in the sagging zone.