Static Analysis and Safety Assessment of Tilted Circular Sinking Wells
Anna Szymczak-Graczyk1,*, Tomasz Garbowski2, Florim Grajçevci3, Hajdar Sadiku3
1 Department of Construction and Geoengineering, Faculty of Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Poznan, Poland
2 Department of Biosystem Engineering, Faculty of Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Poznan, Poland
3 Department of Construction, Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Prishtina, Prishtina, Kosovo
* Corresponding Author: Anna Szymczak-Graczyk. Email: 
(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Modern Inverse Analysis Approaches for Structural Diagnosis and Parameter Identifications)
Structural Durability & Health Monitoring https://doi.org/10.32604/sdhm.2026.079217
Received 17 January 2026; Accepted 27 March 2026; Published online 13 April 2026
Abstract
Sinking wells (open caissons) are widely used deep foundation structures whose installation by the cut-and-sink method may lead to unintended deviation from verticality due to heterogeneous soil conditions and construction irregularities. While tilting is a frequently observed phenomenon, quantitative criteria for assessing the admissibility of an inclined well after completion of sinking remain insufficiently defined. This study presents a static analytical framework for evaluating stress redistribution beneath the concrete plug of a tilted well. The analysis is based on eccentric vertical load transfer and derives closed-form relationships linking the permissible inclination angle to well geometry (radius r, height H) and the ratio of total weight to shaft weight (Gc/G). A practical admissibility criterion is proposed by limiting the increase in maximum contact stress to 20% relative to the vertical configuration (
σ1 ≤ 1.2
σ). Parametric calculations performed for typical well dimensions (r = 2–5 m, H = 4–9 m) indicate that admissible inclination angles vary approximately from 1.6° to 11.6°, depending on geometric proportions and load distribution. The results demonstrate that stress amplification is governed primarily by bending moment induced by eccentricity rather than by axial load increase. The proposed formulation provides a transparent engineering tool enabling rapid assessment of whether a tilted sinking well may remain in service without exceeding acceptable soil stress amplification.
Keywords
Sinking well; structural tilt; geotechnical design; soil stress; construction monitoring; cut-and-sink
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