Abstract: This paper performs a series of model tests to explore the law of ground settlement induced by moving rigid wall with various movement modes, i. e. translating mode (T mode), rotating around toe mode (RB mode) or rotating around top mode (RT mode). The different ground settlement curves have been achieved with respect to three basic movement modes. It has been found that T mode movement tends to cause a spoon-type settlement profile with the maximum surface settlement at the wall back, and RB mode produces a triangle profile with the maximum surface settlement at the wall back, and RT mode movement results in a parabolic type settlement profile with the maximum surface settlement at a certain distance away from the wall back. For RB and RT modes, their ground settlement curves almost share the same area if their maximum movements of retaining wall are equal to each other. It is also found that for RB and RT modes, the sum of ground settlement of two modes is approximately equal to that for T mode. In addition, the wall movement-induced displacement area is almost equal to that of ground settlement. The experimental observed surface settlement agrees with the existing analytical solutions.

Key words: excavation of foundation pit, rigid wall, ground settlement, wall movement modes, model test