Abstract: The normal water table level in the Yangtze River near Jingzhou City is above the ground surface inside the Jingjiang Embankment. A deep excavation site in the center of Jingzhou City is only 700 m from the embankment along the Yangtze River. Due to its proposed eight meters of excavation depth, this site is classified as Level I on the Importance Class Scale (most important). This site is characterized by underlying saturated soft soil strata, high artesian water head and adjacent structures that are sensitive to construction disturbance. Therefore, stringent requirements are placed on deep excavation design and construction. Using theoretical analysis and empirical judgments, different supporting structures are selected based on the characteristics of soil strata and the geometry of the excavations at the various locations. Supporting structures include cast\|in\|place piles, rigid frame piles and arch\|supporting piles. These supporting structures are not only for the excavation construction easement but also for minimizing settlement and differential settlement problems surrounding the structures.

Key words: soft soils, deep excavations, cast\, in\, place piles, rigid frame piles, arching supports