Sotto Mayor Palace - design and performance of a deep excavation

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to present the main design and construction criteria considered in the definition of the earth retaining and underpinning solutions adopted at the Sotto Mayor Palace deep excavation works, as well as their performance during the different construction phases. The main purpose of this 150,000m3  excavation,  mainly in miocenic soils, was the construction  of 8 floors  below ground level on a 7,600m² arca, keeping in the middle of the site arca the  historic  building  of Sotto Mayor Palace, with masonry structure and three floors, resting on a 900m2 arca.