Case Study: Weidlinger Associates achieves verified safety of One Financial Center during The Big Dig with ANSYS/Mechanical

Avoiding Big Problems on the Big Dig with ANSYS/Mechanical

Weidlinger Associates was engaged to assess the safety of One Financial Center, a 46‑story office building located just 25 feet from a 100‑foot deep excavation for Boston’s Central Artery/Tunnel Project (“The Big Dig”). The primary concern was ground settlement from de‑watering during tunneling and the resulting stresses on the building; Weidlinger used ANSYS/Mechanical from ANSYS to model the complex soil–structure interaction and evaluate risks.

Using ANSYS/Mechanical, Weidlinger built a 2‑D soil/structure interaction model and simulated 13 staged operations representing the excavation and de‑watering process. The ANSYS analyses showed the building’s movements remained within allowable limits, ensuring site and occupant safety, easing owner concerns, and providing measurable assurance via the 13 staged simulations and definitive acceptance of structural performance.

Weidlinger Associates

Gorden Chen

Senior Engineer