459

INDEX

SECTION PAGE

1. SCOPE • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1

2. GENERAL CRITERIA • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1

3. CONTRACTOR RESPONSIBILITIES • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 2

4. INFORMATION REQUIRED • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 3

5. TYPES OF TEMPORARY SHORING • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 5

6. GENERAL SHORING REQUIREMENTS • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 5

7. COMPUTATION OF APPLIED FORCES • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 7

8. STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 9

9. SOIL CHARACTERISTICS • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 10

10. PLANS • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 11

11. SUBMITTALS • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 13

12. APPENDIX • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 14

13. BIBLIOGRAPHY• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 14

GUIDELINES FOR TEMPORARY SHORING, Published October 25, 2004 i

460
 GUIDELINES FOR TEMPORARY SHORING

1. SCOPE
The scope of these guidelines is to inform public agencies, design engineers, contractors and
inspectors of current Railroad standards and requirements concerning design and construction of
temporary shoring.

1. The term Railroad refers to the Burlington Northern & Santa Fe Railway (BNSF) and/or the Union
Pacific Railroad (UPRR). The term Contractor is defined as any party gaining access to work on
Railroad right-of-way or other Railroad operating locations.

2. These guidelines are provided as a reference and may not be taken as authority to construct
without prior review and written approval of the Railroad. These guidelines supersede all previous
guidelines for temporary shoring and are subject to revision without notice.

3. These guidelines supplement the current, American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way
Association (AREMA) Manual of Recommended Practice. The 2002 AREMA Manual was utilized
in developing this guideline. The AREMA Manual is available from:

American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association

8201 Corporate Drive, Suite 1125
Landover, MD 20785-2230
Phone: (301) 459-3200
FAX: (301) 459-8077
www.arema.org

4. The specific requirements for temporary shoring addressed in this document shall be followed for
all locations where the Railroad operates, regardless of track ownership.

5. Any items not covered specifically herein shall be in accordance with the AREMA Manual and
subject to the review and approval of the Railroad. Where conflicts exist, the most stringent
specification should be applied.

6. All excavations shall also be governed by Railroad requirements, Federal, State and Local laws,
rules, and regulations concerning construction safety.

7. Safe rail operations shall be required for the duration of the project. All personnel, railroad tracks
and property shall be protected at all times.

8. To expedite the review process of the temporary shoring plans, drawings submitted by the
Contractors are required to adhere to the project specifications, AREMA and other Railroad
requirements.

2. GENERAL CRITERIA
The Contractor must not begin construction of any component of the shoring system affecting the
Railroad right-of-way until written Railroad approval has been received.

1. All excavations shall be in compliance with applicable OSHA regulations and shall be shored
where there is any danger to tracks, structures or personnel regardless of depth.

GUIDELINES FOR TEMPORARY SHORING, Published October 25, 2004 1

461
 2. The Contractor is responsible for planning and executing all procedures necessary to construct,
maintain and remove the temporary shoring system in a safe and controlled manner.

3. Emergency Railroad phone numbers are to be obtained from the Railroad representative in charge
of the project prior to the start of any work and shall be posted at the job site.

4. The Contractor must obtain a valid right of entry permit from the Railroad and comply with all
Railroad requirements when working on Railroad property.

5. The Contractor is required to meet minimum safety standards as defined by the Railroad.

6. All temporary shoring systems that support or impact the Railroad’s tracks or operations shall be
designed and constructed to provide safe and adequate rigidity.

7. The Railroad requirements, construction submittal review times and review criteria should be
discussed at the pre-construction meeting with the Contractor.

8. A flagman is required when any work is performed within 25 feet of track centerline. If the Railroad
provides flagging or other services, the Contractor shall not be relieved of any responsibilities or
liabilities as set forth in any document authorizing the work. No work is allowed within 50 feet of
track centerline when a train passes the work site and all personnel must clear the area within 25
feet of track centerline and secure all equipment when trains are present.

9. Appropriate measures for the installation and protection of fiber optic cables shall be addressed in
the plans and contract documents. For specific Railroad requirements and additional information
refer to:
www.bnsf.com or call 1-800-533-2891.
www.uprr.com, call 1-800-336-9193 or refer to UPRR Fiber Optic Engineering, Construction and
Maintenance Standards.
10. Relocation of utilities or communication lines not owned by the Railroad shall be coordinated with
the utility owners. The utility relocation plans must then be submitted to the Railroad utility
representative for approval. The shoring plans must include the correct contact for the Railroad,
State or Local utility locating service provider. The Railroad will not be responsible for cost
associated with any utility, signal, or communication line relocation or adjustments.

3. CONTRACTOR RESPONSIBILITIES
The Contractor shall be solely responsible for the design, construction and performance of the
temporary structure. (AREMA 8.28.1.3)

1. The Contractor’s work shall in no way impede the train operations of the Railroad and must be
coordinated with the local Railroad operating department.

2. The Contractor shall develop a work plan that enables the track(s) to remain open to train traffic at
all times.

3. The Contractor shall comply with all State and Federal Laws, county or municipal ordinances and
regulations which in any manner affect the work.

4. All removed soils will become the responsibility of the Contractor and shall be disposed of outside
the Railroad right-of-way according to the applicable Federal, State and Local regulations.

5. The Project Engineer and the Contractor shall evaluate the quality of materials furnished and work
performed.

GUIDELINES FOR TEMPORARY SHORING, Published October 25, 2004 2

462
 6. The Contractor is responsible to protect the Railroad ballast and subballast from contamination.

7. The Contractor must monitor and record top of rail elevations and track alignment for the duration
of the project. The movement shall be within the limits defined in Table 1, Deflection Criteria on
page 10. Displacements exceeding the limits defined in Table 1 must be immediately reported to
the Railroad. All work on the project must stop and the Railroad may take any action necessary to
ensure safe passage of trains. The Contractor must immediately submit a corrective action plan to
the Railroad for review and approval. The Railroad must review and approve the proposed repair
procedure. The repair must be inspected by the Railroad before the track can be placed back in
service.

8. Any damage to Railroad property such as track, signal equipment or structure could result in a train
derailment. All damage must be reported immediately to the Railroad representative in charge of
the project and to the Railroad Manager of Track Maintenance (MTM).

4. INFORMATION REQUIRED
Plans and calculations shall be submitted, signed and stamped by a Registered Professional Engineer
familiar with Railroad loadings and who is licensed in the state where the shoring system is intended
for use. Shoring design plans and calculations shall be in English units. If Metric units are used, all
controlling dimensions, elevations, design criteria assumptions, and material stresses shall be
expressed in dual units, with English units to be in parentheses. Information shall be assembled
concerning right-of-way boundary, clearances, proposed grades of tracks and roads, and all other
factors that may influence the controlling dimensions of the proposed shoring system. See section 10
for additional requirements.

1. Field Survey.
Sufficient information shall be shown on the plans in the form of profiles, cross sections and
topographical maps to determine general design and structural requirements. Field survey
information of critical or key dimensions shall be referenced to the centerline of track(s) and top of
rail elevations. Existing and proposed grades and alignment of tracks and roads shall be indicated
together with a record of controlling elevation of water surfaces or ground water. Show the location
of existing/proposed utilities and construction history of the area which might hamper proper
installation of the piling, soldier beams, or ground anchors.
2. Geotechnical Report shall provide:
a. Elevation and location of soil boring in reference to the track(s) centerline and top of rail
elevations.
b. Classification of all soils encountered.
c. Internal angle of soil friction.
d. Dry and wet unit weights of soil.
e. Active and passive soil coefficients, pressure diagram for multiple soil strata.
f. Bearing capacity and unconfined compression strength of soil.
g. Backfill and compaction recommendations.
h. Optimum moisture content of fill material.
i. Maximum density of fill material.
j. Minimum recommended factor of safety.
k. Water table elevation on both sides of the shoring system.
l. Dewatering wells and proposed flownets or zones of influence.
m. In seismic areas, evaluation of liquefaction potential of various soil strata.

3. Loads.

GUIDELINES FOR TEMPORARY SHORING, Published October 25, 2004 3

463
 All design criteria, temporary and permanent loading must be clearly stated in the design
calculations and on the contract and record plans. Temporary loads include, but are not limited to:
construction equipment, construction materials and lower water levels adjoining the bulkhead
causing unbalanced hydrostatic pressure. Permanent loads include, but are not limited to: future
grading and paving, Railroads or highways, structures, material storage piles, snow and
earthquake. The allowable live load after construction should be clearly shown in the plans and
painted on the pavements behind the bulkheads or shown on signs at the site and also recorded
on the record plans. Some of the loads are:
a. Live load pressure due to E80 loading for track parallel to shoring system.
b. Live load pressure due to E80 loading for track at right angle to shoring system.
c. Other live loads.
d. Active earth pressure due to soil.
e. Passive earth pressure due to soil.
f. Active earth pressure due to surcharge loads.
g. Active pressure due to sloped embankment.
h. Dead load.
i. Buoyancy.
j. Longitudinal force from live load.
k. Centrifugal forces.
l. Shrinkage.
m. Temperature.
n. Earthquake.
o. Stream flow pressure.
p. Ice pressure.

4. Drainage. (AREMA 8.20.2.4)

a. The drainage pattern of the site before and after construction should be analyzed and adequate
drainage provisions should be incorporated into the plans and specifications. Consideration
should be given to groundwater as well as surface drainage.
b. Drainage provisions for backfill should be compatible with the assumed water conditions in
design.

5. Structural design calculations.

a. List all assumptions used to design the temporary shoring system.
b. Determine E80 live load lateral pressure using the Boussinesq strip load equation. See Figure
2 which illustrates Plan Number 710001 “LIVE LOAD PRESSURE DUE TO COOPER E80”.
c. Computerized calculations and programs must clearly indicate the input and output data. List
all equations used in determining the output.
d. Example calculations with values must be provided to support computerized output and match
the calculated computer result.
e. Provide a simple free body diagram showing all controlling dimensions and applied loads on
the temporary shoring system.
f. Calculated lateral deflections of the shoring and effects to the rail system must be included.
See section 8, Part 6. Include the elastic deflection of the wall as well as the deflection due to
the passive deflection of the resisting soil mass.
g. Documents and manufacturer’s recommendations which support the design assumptions must
be included with the calculations.

GUIDELINES FOR TEMPORARY SHORING, Published October 25, 2004 4

464
5. TYPES OF TEMPORARY SHORING
1. A shoring box is a prefabricated shoring system which is installed as the excavation progresses.
This shoring system is not accepted by the Railroad. This system is allowed in special applications
only, typically where Railroad live load surcharge is not present. The shoring box is moved down
into the excavation by gravity or by applying vertical loading from excavation equipment.
2. Anchored systems with tiebacks are discouraged. The tiebacks will be an obstruction to future
utility installations and may also damage existing utilities. Tiebacks must be removed per Railroad
direction. Removal of tieback assemblies is problematic.
3. An anchored sheet pile wall is a structure designed to provide lateral support for a soil mass and
derives stability from passive resistance of the soil in which the sheet pile is embedded and the
tensile resistance of the anchors.
a. For purposes of these guidelines, ground anchors shall be cement-grouted tiebacks designed,
furnished, installed, tested and stressed in accordance with the project specifications and
AREMA requirements.
4. An anchored soldier beam with lagging wall is a structure designed to provide lateral support for a
soil mass and derives stability from passive resistance of the soil in which the soldier beam is
embedded and from the tensile resistance of the ground anchors.
a. Anchored soldier beam with lagging walls are generally designed as flexible structures which
have sufficient lateral movement to mobilize active earth pressures and a portion of the passive
pressure.
b. For purposes of these specifications, soldier beams include steel H-piles, wide flange sections
or other fabricated sections that are driven or set in drilled holes. Lagging refers to the
members spanning between soldier beams.
5. A cantilever sheet pile wall is a structure designed to provide lateral support for a soil mass and
derives stability from passive resistance of the soil in which the sheet pile is embedded. If
cantilever sheet pile is used for shoring adjacent to an operating track, the shoring system shall be
at least 12’-0” away from the centerline of track. Cantilever sheet pile walls shall be used only in
granular soils or stiff clays.
6. A cantilever soldier beam with lagging wall is a structure designed to provide lateral support for a
soil mass and derives stability from passive resistance of the soil in which the soldier beam is
embedded.
7. A braced excavation is a structure designed to provide lateral support for a soil mass and derives
stability from passive resistance of the soil in which the vertical members are embedded and from
the structural capacity of the bracing members.
a. For purposes of these guidelines, the vertical members of the braced excavation system
include steel sheet piling or soldier beams comprised of steel H-piles, wide flange sections, or
other fabricated sections that are driven or installed in drilled holes. Wales are horizontal
structural members designed to transfer lateral loads from the vertical members to the struts.
Struts are structural compression members that support the lateral loads from the wales.
8. A cofferdam is an enclosed temporary structure used to keep water and soil out of an excavation
for a permanent structure such as a bridge pier or abutment or similar structure. Cofferdams may
be constructed of timber, steel, concrete or a combination of these. These guidelines consider
cofferdams primarily constructed with steel sheet piles.

6. GENERAL SHORING REQUIREMENTS

For general shoring requirements and specific applications of the following items refer to Figure 1 on
the next page which illustrates Plan Number 710000 “GENERAL SHORING REQUIREMENTS”.

GUIDELINES FOR TEMPORARY SHORING, Published October 25, 2004 5

465
466
 1. No excavation shall be permitted closer than 12’-0” measured at a right angle from the centerline
of track to the trackside of shoring system. If existing conditions preclude the installation of shoring
at the required minimum distance, the shifting of tracks or temporary removal of tracks shall be
investigated prior to any approval. All costs associated with track shifting or traffic interruption shall
be at Contractor’s expense.

2. Evaluate slope and stability conditions to ensure the Railroad embankment will not be adversely
affected. Local and global stability conditions must also be evaluated.

3. All shoring within the limits of Zone A or Zone B must be placed prior to the start of excavation.

4. Lateral clearances must provide sufficient space for construction of the required ditches parallel to
the standard roadbed section. The size of ditches will vary depending upon the flow and terrain
and should be designed accordingly.

5. The shoring system must be designed to support the theoretical embankment shown for zones A
and B.

6. Any excavation, holes or trenches on the Railroad property shall be covered, guarded and/or
protected. Handrails, fence, or other barrier methods must meet OSHA and FRA requirements.
Temporary lighting may also be required by the Railroad to identify tripping hazards to train
crewmen and other Railroad personnel.

7. The most stringent project specifications of the Public Utilities Commission Orders, Department of
Industrial Safety, OSHA, FRA, AREMA, BNSF, UPRR or other governmental agencies shall be
used.

8. Secondhand material is not acceptable unless the Engineer of Record submits a full inspection
report which verifies the material properties and condition of the secondhand material. The report
must be signed and sealed by the Engineer of Record.

9. All components of the shoring system are to be removed when the shoring is no longer needed. All
voids must be filled and drainage facilities restored. See compaction requirements section 9, Part
4.

10. Slurry type materials are not acceptable as fill for soldier piles in drilled holes. Concrete and
flowable backfill may prevent removal of the shoring system. Use compacted peagravel material.

7. COMPUTATION OF APPLIED FORCES

1. Railroad live load and lateral forces.
a. For specific applications of the Coopers E80 live load refer to Figure 2 on the next page which
illustrates Plan Number 710001 “LIVE LOAD PRESSURE DUE TO COOPER E80”.
Supplemental information and sample calculations are provided in the Appendix pages A-1
through A-4.
2. Dead load.
a. Spoil pile: must be included assuming a minimum height of two feet of soil adjacent to the
excavation.
b. Track: use 200 lbs/linear ft for rails, inside guardrails and fasteners.

c. Roadbed: ballast, including track ties, use 120 lb per cubic foot.

GUIDELINES FOR TEMPORARY SHORING, Published October 25, 2004 7

467
468
 3. Active earth pressure.

a. The active earth pressure due to the soil may be computed by the Coulomb Theory or other
approved method.
b. The active earth pressure at depth “za” is:
φ
PA = KA γ za , where KA = tan2(45 - 2 )
za = depth of soil influencing the active pressure.

4. Active earth pressure due to unbalanced water pressure.

a. When bulkheads are used for waterfront construction, the bulkhead is subjected to a maximum
earth pressure at the low water stage. During a rainstorm or a rapidly receding high water, the
water level behind the bulkhead may be several feet higher than in front of the bulkhead.
b. Drained conditions in backfill apply when clean sand or clean sand and gravel are used and
adequate permanent drainage outlets are provided. Where drained conditions exist, the design
water level may be assumed at the drainage outlet elevation.

5. Active earth pressure due to surcharge load.

The active earth pressure due to surcharge load q’:

φ
PU = KAq’, where KA = tan2(45 - 2 )

6. Passive earth pressure.

The passive earth pressure, Pp, in front of the bulkhead may also be computed by the Coulomb
Theory.
φ
Pp = Kp γ zp, where KP = tan2(45 + 2 )
zp = vertical distance beginning one foot below dredge line but not to exceed embedment depth

7. Pressure due to embankment surcharges.

Conventional analysis (Rankine, Coulomb, or Log-Spiral) should be used to determine the
additional surcharge from embankment slopes.

8. Additional analysis for centrifugal force calculations as described in AREMA Chapter 15, Part 1,
Section 1.3, Article 1.3.6 Centrifugal Loads are required where track curvature exceeds three
degrees.

9. Include and compute all other loads that are impacting the shoring system such as a typical
Railroad service vehicle (HS-20 truck).

8. STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY
Structures and structural members shall be designed to have design strengths at all sections at least
equal to the required strengths calculated for the loads and forces in such combinations as stipulated
in AREMA Chapter 8 Part 2 Article 2.2.4b, which represents various combinations of loads and
forces to which a structure may be subjected. Each part of the structure shall be proportioned for the
group loads that are applicable, and the maximum design required shall be used.

1. Embedment depth.
a. Calculated depth of embedment is the embedment depth required to maintain static
equilibrium.

GUIDELINES FOR TEMPORARY SHORING, Published October 25, 2004 9

469
 b. Minimum depth of embedment is the total depth of embedment required to provide static
equilibrium plus additional embedment due to the minimum factor of safety.
1. Embedment depth factor of safety for well-defined loading conditions and thoroughly
determined soil parameters is generally 1.3 for most temporary shoring systems. (See
AREMA 8.20.4.1.c)
2. All anchored shoring systems require a minimum embedment depth of 1.5 times the
calculated depth of embedment. Shallow penetration into strong soil layers is not
acceptable. (See AREMA 8.20.5.1)
2. The allowable stresses based on AREMA requirements are as follows:
Structural Steel: 0.55Fy for Compression in extreme fiber. (AREMA Ch.15 Table 1-11)
Structural Steel: 0.35Fy for Shear. (AREMA Ch.15 Table 1-11)
Sheet Pile Sections: 2/3 of yield strength for steel. (AREMA 8.20.5.7)
Concrete: 1/3 of Compressive strength. (AREMA 8.20.5.7)
Anchor Rods: 1/2 of yield strength for steel. (AREMA 8.20.5.7)

3. AISC allowances for increasing allowable stress due to temporary loading conditions are not
acceptable.

4. Gravity type temporary shoring systems must also be analyzed for overturning, sliding and global
stability.

5. The contractor is responsible for providing an approved test method to verify the capacity of
anchored or tieback systems. The manufacturers recommendations for testing must be satisfied.
Systems which support the Railroad embankment will be considered high risk in determining the
percentage of elements to be proof tested.

6. Calculated deflections of temporary shoring system and top of rail elevation shall not exceed the
criteria outlined in Table 1 Deflection Criteria.

Table 1 Deflection Criteria

Horizontal distance from Maximum horizontal Maximum acceptable horizontal
shoring to track C/L measured movement of shoring or vertical movement of rail
at a right angle from track system
12’ < S < 18’ 3/8” 1/4”
18’ < S < 24’ 1/2” 1/4”

9. SOIL CHARACTERISTICS
1. Subsurface Exploration. (AREMA 8.5.2.2)
a. Sufficient borings shall be made along the length of the structure to determine, with a
reasonable degree of certainty, the subsurface conditions. Irregularities found during the initial
soil boring program may dictate that additional borings be taken.
b. The subsurface investigation shall be made in accordance with the provisions of AREMA
Chapter 8 Part 22, Geotechnical Subsurface Investigation.

2. Type of backfill.
a. Backfill is defined as material behind the wall, whether undisturbed ground or fill, that
contributes to the pressure against the wall.

GUIDELINES FOR TEMPORARY SHORING, Published October 25, 2004 10

470
 b. The backfill shall be investigated and classified with reference to the soil types described in
AREMA Table 8-5-1.
c. Types 4 and 5 backfill shall be used only with the permission of the Engineer. In all cases the
wall design shall be based on the type of backfill used.

Table 8-5-1 (AREMA) Types of Backfill for Retaining Walls

Backfill
Type Backfill Description
Coarse-grained soil without admixture of fine soil particles, very free-
1
draining (clean sand, gravel or broken stone).
Coarse-grained soil of low permeability due to admixture of particles of silt
2
size.
Fine silty sand; granular materials with conspicuous clay content; or residual
3
soil with stones.
4 Soft or very soft clay, organic silt; or soft silty clay.
Medium or stiff clay that may be placed in such a way that a negligible
5 amount of water will enter the spaces between the chunks during floods or
heavy rains.

3. Computation of backfill pressure. (AREMA 8.5.3.2a)

a. Values of the unit weight, cohesion, and angle of internal friction of the backfill material shall be
determined directly by means of soil tests or, if the expense of such tests is not justifiable, by
means of AREMA Table 8-5-2 referring to the soil types defined in AREMA Table 8-5-1.
Unless the minimum cohesive strength of the backfill material can be evaluated reliably, the
cohesion shall be neglected and only the internal friction considered. See Appendix page A-6
for AREMA generic soil properties.

Table 8-5-2 (AREMA) Properties of Backfill Materials

Type of Unit Weight Lb. Cohesion Angle of Internal
Backfill Per Cu. Ft. “c” Friction
1 105 0 33°-42°(38°for broken stone)
2 110 0 30°
3 125 0 28°
4 100 0 0°
5 120 240 0°

4. Compaction.
a. The backfill shall preferably be placed in loose layers not to exceed 8 inches in thickness. Each
layer shall be compacted before placing the next, but over compaction shall be avoided.
b. It is required that backfill be compacted to no less than 95% of maximum dry density at a
moisture content within 2% of optimum and tested using Modified Proctor ASTM D1557.
c. Fill within 100 feet of bridge ends or 20 feet outside culverts shall be placed and compacted to
not less than 100% of maximum.
d. No dumping of backfill material shall be permitted in such a way that the successive layers
slope downward toward the wall. The layers shall be horizontal or shall slope downward away
from the wall.

10. PLANS
The shoring plans must completely identify the site constraints and the shoring system. Use the design
templates provided in the appendix as an example to show the required information, specifications and
drawings. The specific requirements of the plan submittals are as follows:

GUIDELINES FOR TEMPORARY SHORING, Published October 25, 2004 11

471
1. General plan view should show:
a. Railroad right-of-way and North arrow.
b. Position of all Railroad tracks and identify each track as mainline, siding, spur, etc.
c. Spacing between all existing tracks.
d. Location of all access roadways, drainage ditches and direction of flow.
e. Footprint of proposed structure, proposed shoring system and any existing structures if
applicable.
f. Proposed horizontal construction clearances. The minimum allowable is 12 feet measured at a
right angle from centerline of track.
g. Location of existing and proposed utilities.
h. Drawings must be signed and stamped by a Licensed Professional Engineer, registered in the
state where the work will be performed.
i. Railroad and other “CALL BEFORE YOU DIG” numbers.
j. Detailed view of shoring along with controlling elevations and dimensions.

2. Typical section and elevation should show:

a. Top of rail elevations for all tracks.
b. Offset from the face of shoring system to the centerline of all tracks at all changes in horizontal
alignment.
c. All structural components, controlling elevations and dimensions of shoring system.
d. All drainage ditches and controlling dimensions.
e. All slopes, existing structures and other facilities which may surcharge the shoring system.
f. Location of all existing and proposed utilities.
g. Total depth of shoring system.

3. General criteria
a. Design loads to be based on the AREMA manual and Cooper E80 loading.
b. Pressure due to embankment surcharges.
c. ASTM designation and yield strength for each material.
d. Maximum allowable bending stress for structural steel is 0.55Fy.
e. Temporary overstress allowances are not acceptable.
f. All timber members shall be Douglas Fir grade 2 or better.
g. Insitu soil classification.
h. Backfill soil classification.
i. Internal angle of friction and unit weight of the soil.
j. Active and passive soil coefficients.
k. Fill within 100 feet of bridge ends or 20 feet outside culverts shall be placed and compacted to
a minimum of 100% of maximum dry density tested per Modified Proctor ASTM D1557.
l. Slopes without shoring shall not be steeper than 2 horizontal to 1 vertical

GUIDELINES FOR TEMPORARY SHORING, Published October 25, 2004 12

472
 m. Dredge line elevation.
n. Shoring deflection to be calculated and meet Railroad requirements.

4. Miscellaneous:
a. Project name, location, GPS coordinates, track owner, Railroad line segment, milepost and
subdivision in the title block.
b. Procedure outlining the installation and removal of the temporary shoring system.
c. General notes specifying material requirements, design data, details, dimensions, cross-
sections, sequence of construction etc.
d. A description of the tieback installation including drilling, grouting, stressing information and
testing procedures, anchor capacity, type of tendon, anchorage hardware, minimum unbonded
lengths, minimum anchor lengths, angle of installation, tieback locations and spacing.
e. All details for construction of drainage facilities associated with the shoring system shall be
clearly indicated.
f. Details and descriptions of all shoring system members and connection details.
g. Settlement and displacement calculations.
h. Handrail and protective fence details along the excavation.
i. Drawings must be signed and stamped by a Licensed Professional Engineer, registered in the
state where the work will be performed.
j. Call before you dig number.
k. Construction clearance diagram.

11. SUBMITTALS
The Contractor will be responsible for any and all cost associated with the review of plans by the
Railroad. Review of design submittals by the Railroad will require a minimum of four (4) weeks. To
avoid impacting the construction schedule, the Contractor must schedule submittals well in advance.
Partial, incomplete or inadequate designs will be rejected, thus delaying the approval. Revised
submittals will follow the same procedure as the initial submittal until all issues are resolved. Submit a
minimum of three sets of shoring plans and two sets of calculations with manufacturers’ specifications.
Drawings and calculations must be signed and stamped by a Registered Professional Engineer
familiar with Railway loadings and who is licensed in the state where the shoring system is intended for
use. Drawings accompanying the shoring plans shall be submitted on 11” x 17” or 8½” x 11” sized
paper.

1. Contractor review.
The Contractor must review the temporary shoring plans to ensure that the proposed method of
construction is compatible with the existing site and soil conditions. The Contractor’s work plan
must be developed to allow train traffic to remain in service. Removal of the shoring system must
also be addressed.

2. Applicant and or Engineer of Record review.

The applicant and or Engineer of Record must review and approve the submittal for compliance
with the project specifications, AREMA Manual, these guidelines and structural capacity before
forwarding the submittal to the Railroad.

GUIDELINES FOR TEMPORARY SHORING, Published October 25, 2004 13

473
 3. Review process.
All design submittals shall be forwarded to the Railroad Representative who will send them to the
Structures Design Department. The Structures Design Department shall review or have an outside
consultant review said submittals. If a Railroad consultant performs said review, the consultant
may reply directly to the applicant or their representative after consultation with the Structures
Design Department. A copy of the reply will be mailed to the Railroad Representative. During the
review process the Railroad Representative is the point of contact to resolve outstanding issues.

12. APPENDIX
ITEM PAGE

1. SAMPLE PROBLEM • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • A-1 & A-2

2. CHART A • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • A-3 & A-4

3. GUIDELINE & WEBSITE DIRECTORY • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • A-5

4. TABLES • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • A-6
AREMA Table 8-20-1. Granular Soils
AREMA Table 8-20-2. Silt and Clay Soils
AREMA Table 8-20-3. Unit Weights of Soils, and Coefficients of Earth Pressure

5. TEMPLATES
GENERAL CRITERIA AND MISCELLANEOUS • • • • • • • • • • • A-7
GENERAL PLAN VIEW • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • A-8
TYPICAL SECTION & ELEVATION VIEW • • • • • • • • • • • • A-9

13. BIBLIOGRAPHY
The following list of references used in these guidelines are placed here in alphabetical order for your
convenience.

1. Manual for Railway Engineering, 2002 American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way
Association.

2. TRENCHING AND SHORING MANUAL, January 1990, Revision 11/12/96. State of California
Department of Transportation, Office of Structures Construction.

GUIDELINES FOR TEMPORARY SHORING, Published October 25, 2004 14

474
 SAMPLE PROBLEM

Point in question: S = 12 ft H = 6 ft

80,000 lbs
q= = 1778 psf for E80 loading, axle spacing = 5 ft, tie length b = 9 ft
(5 ft)(9 ft)

Solve for X1 = S - b/2 = 7.5 ft Solve for X2 = S + b/2 = 16.5 ft

⎛X ⎞ ⎛ X2 ⎞
Solve for θ 1 = arctan⎜ 1 ⎟ = 0.896 radians Solve for θ 2 = arctan⎜ ⎟ = 1.222 radians
⎝ H⎠ ⎝ H ⎠
θ +θ2
Solve for β = θ 2 − θ 1 = 0.326 radians Solve for α = 1 = 1.059 radians
2
S
Note: tan α ≠
H

• Pressure, Ps due to E80 liveload at the above-identified point:

Ps =
2q
(β − sin β cos 2α ) = 2 * 1778 (0.326 − sin(0.326) cos(2 * 1.059)) = 558.psf
π π

• Shear due to E80 liveload at the above-identified point:

2qHβ 2 * 1778 * 6 * 0.326
Rx = = = 2214.lbs /ft
π π
• Depth z from base of tie:
2⎛ π ⎞ 2⎛ π ⎞ ⎛π ⎞ ⎛π ⎞
H2β − bH+ x2 ⎜ −θ2 ⎟ − x1 ⎜ −θ1⎟ 62 * 0.326− 9 * 6 + 16.52⎜ − 1.222⎟ − 7.52⎜ − 0.896⎟
z= ⎝2 ⎠ ⎝2 ⎠= ⎝2 ⎠ ⎝2 ⎠ = 3.77.ft
2Hβ 2 * 6 * 0.326

GUIDELINES FOR TEMPORARY SHORING, Published October 25, 2004 A-1

475
 SAMPLE PROBLEM (CONTINUED)

• Moment due to E80 liveload at the above identified point:

( )
M = R x H − z = 2214 * (6 − 3.77 ) = 4940 ft-lbs/ft

Use the above equations to determine Ps, M, Rx & z due to the E80 liveload along the entire depth of
the shoring system. Typically the equations are evaluated on 6” increments to determine the maximum
values along the depth of the shoring system. The resultants must be combined with other applicable
pressures and loads to evaluate the total loading on the shoring system for the entire depth of the
system. Determine the minimum embedment depth required and the minimum cross sectional
properties of the shoring system based on the allowable stresses and the required factors of safety.

GUIDELINES FOR TEMPORARY SHORING, Published October 25, 2004 A-2

476
 CHART A

This chart identifies the active pressure and resulting forces due to E80 liveload.
See "SAMPLE PROBLEM" sheet for definitions of variables and equations.
1. Select distance S from track centerline to face of shoring.
2. Select depth H2 below base of tie.
3. Read Ps, M, R and z from the table.
4. Use the procedure outlined in the sample problem to determine
values at non-tabulated points.

Ps =
2q
[β − sin β cos(2α )]
π where q = 1778 psf

Boussinesq surcharge pressure E80 live load for H 1=0

Depth below top of Horizontal distance (S) from shoring to track CL measured at a right angle
shoring H2 (ft) Variables
12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30
Ps (psf) 305 220 166 130 105 86 72 61 53 46
α (radians) 1.38 1.41 1.44 1.45 1.47 1.48 1.48 1.49 1.50 1.50

2 β (radians) 0.14 0.10 0.07 0.06 0.05 0.04 0.03 0.03 0.02 0.02
z (ft) 1.32 1.33 1.33 1.33 1.33 1.33 1.33 1.33 1.33 1.33
M (ft-lbs/ft) 215 152 114 89 71 58 49 41 36 31
R (lbs/ft) 317 226 170 132 106 87 73 62 53 46
Ps (psf) 496 381 299 240 197 164 138 118 102 89
α (radians) 1.21 1.27 1.31 1.34 1.36 1.38 1.40 1.41 1.43 1.44

4 β (radians) 0.25 0.19 0.14 0.11 0.09 0.07 0.06 0.05 0.05 0.04
z (ft) 2.59 2.61 2.63 2.64 2.64 2.65 2.65 2.65 2.65 2.66
M (ft-lbs/ft) 1,609 1,165 882 692 557 459 384 327 281 244
R (lbs/ft) 1,141 840 643 508 411 339 285 242 209 182
Ps (psf) 558 461 381 317 266 225 193 167 146 128
α (radians) 1.06 1.13 1.19 1.23 1.27 1.29 1.32 1.34 1.35 1.37

6 β (radians) 0.33 0.25 0.20 0.16 0.13 0.11 0.09 0.08 0.07 0.06
z (ft) 3.77 3.83 3.88 3.90 3.92 3.94 3.95 3.96 3.96 3.97
M (ft-lbs/ft) 4,944 3,674 2,830 2,244 1,822 1,508 1,269 1,082 933 813
R (lbs/ft) 2,214 1,696 1,332 1,070 877 731 618 529 458 400
Ps (psf) 535 476 414 358 309 268 234 205 181 160
α (radians) 0.94 1.02 1.08 1.13 1.17 1.21 1.24 1.26 1.29 1.30

8 β (radians) 0.37 0.29 0.24 0.19 0.16 0.14 0.12 0.10 0.09 0.08
z (ft) 4.84 4.97 5.06 5.11 5.16 5.19 5.21 5.23 5.24 5.26
M (ft-lbs/ft) 10,481 8,006 6,286 5,051 4,141 3,452 2,920 2,501 2,165 1,892
R (lbs/ft) 3,316 2,641 2,134 1,751 1,456 1,228 1,047 903 786 689
Ps (psf) 474 449 411 370 329 293 260 232 207 186
α (radians) 0.83 0.92 0.99 1.04 1.09 1.13 1.17 1.19 1.22 1.24

10 β (radians) 0.38 0.32 0.26 0.22 0.19 0.16 0.14 0.12 0.10 0.09
z (ft) 5.81 6.02 6.16 6.26 6.34 6.39 6.44 6.47 6.50 6.52
M (ft-lbs/ft) 18,145 14,227 11,385 9,280 7,689 6,463 5,502 4,736 4,117 3,610
R (lbs/ft) 4,328 3,571 2,964 2,482 2,099 1,792 1,544 1,341 1,175 1,037
Ps (psf) 404 403 386 360 331 302 274 248 225 204
α (radians) 0.75 0.83 0.90 0.96 1.01 1.06 1.10 1.13 1.16 1.18

12 β (radians) 0.38 0.33 0.28 0.24 0.20 0.18 0.15 0.13 0.12 0.11
z (ft) 6.68 6.97 7.18 7.34 7.46 7.55 7.61 7.67 7.71 7.75
M (ft-lbs/ft) 27,703 22,237 18,121 14,980 12,550 10,641 9,121 7,895 6,894 6,068
R (lbs/ft) 5,207 4,424 3,763 3,214 2,762 2,389 2,080 1,823 1,608 1,427
Ps (psf) 338 351 349 337 319 298 276 255 234 215
α (radians) 0.68 0.76 0.83 0.89 0.94 0.99 1.03 1.07 1.10 1.13

14 β (radians) 0.38 0.33 0.28 0.25 0.22 0.19 0.17 0.15 0.13 0.12
z (ft) 7.46 7.85 8.13 8.35 8.51 8.64 8.74 8.82 8.89 8.94
M (ft-lbs/ft) 38,880 31,856 26,395 22,116 18,729 16,021 13,831 12,043 10,568 9,339
R (lbs/ft) 5,948 5,178 4,499 3,913 3,414 2,990 2,631 2,327 2,068 1,847
Ps (psf) 280 301 310 308 300 286 271 254 237 220
α (radians) 0.62 0.70 0.77 0.83 0.88 0.93 0.97 1.01 1.04 1.07

16 β (radians) 0.36 0.32 0.28 0.25 0.22 0.20 0.18 0.16 0.14 0.13
z (ft) 8.17 8.64 9.01 9.29 9.51 9.68 9.82 9.93 10.03 10.10
M (ft-lbs/ft) 51,411 42,880 36,066 30,598 26,183 22,590 19,644 17,207 15,175 13,468
R (lbs/ft) 6,563 5,829 5,158 4,560 4,034 3,576 3,179 2,837 2,540 2,284
GUIDELINES FOR TEMPORARY SHORING, Published October 25, 2004 A-3
477
 CHART A continued

This chart identifies the active pressure and resulting forces due to E80 liveload.
See "SAMPLE PROBLEM" sheet for definitions of variables and equations.
1. Select distance S from track centerline to face of shoring.
2. Select depth H2 below base of tie.
3. Read Ps, M, R and z from the table.
4. Use the procedure outlined in the sample problem to determine
values at non-tabulated points.

Ps =
2q
[β − sin β cos(2α )]
π where q = 1778 psf

Boussinesq surcharge pressure E80 live load for H 1=0

Depth below top of Horizontal distance (S) from shoring to track CL measured at a right angle
shoring H2 (ft) Variables
12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30
Ps (psf) 231 256 271 277 276 269 259 247 234 220
α (radians) 0.57 0.64 0.71 0.77 0.82 0.87 0.92 0.96 0.99 1.02

18 β (radians) 0.35 0.31 0.28 0.25 0.23 0.20 0.18 0.16 0.15 0.13
z (ft) 8.80 9.37 9.81 10.16 10.44 10.67 10.85 11.00 11.12 11.22
M (ft-lbs/ft) 65,062 55,110 46,976 40,313 34,834 30,304 26,536 23,384 20,728 18,477
R (lbs/ft) 7,072 6,386 5,739 5,145 4,609 4,132 3,710 3,338 3,012 2,725
Ps (psf) 191 217 236 246 250 249 244 237 227 217
α (radians) 0.52 0.59 0.66 0.72 0.77 0.82 0.87 0.91 0.94 0.98

20 β (radians) 0.33 0.30 0.28 0.25 0.23 0.21 0.19 0.17 0.15 0.14
z (ft) 9.37 10.03 10.56 10.98 11.32 11.59 11.82 12.01 12.16 12.30
M (ft-lbs/ft) 79,641 68,368 58,973 51,137 44,586 39,093 34,465 30,548 27,216 24,367
R (lbs/ft) 7,493 6,859 6,245 5,668 5,135 4,651 4,214 3,822 3,474 3,163
Ps (psf) 159 184 204 217 225 228 227 223 217 210
α (radians) 0.49 0.55 0.62 0.67 0.73 0.77 0.82 0.86 0.90 0.93

22 β (radians) 0.31 0.29 0.27 0.25 0.23 0.21 0.19 0.17 0.16 0.14
z (ft) 9.89 10.64 11.24 11.73 12.14 12.47 12.74 12.97 13.17 13.33
M (ft-lbs/ft) 94,986 82,497 71,913 62,945 55,341 48,878 43,370 38,658 34,611 31,122
R (lbs/ft) 7,842 7,260 6,684 6,131 5,611 5,128 4,685 4,283 3,918 3,590
Ps (psf) 133 157 176 191 202 207 210 209 206 201
α (radians) 0.45 0.52 0.58 0.63 0.68 0.73 0.78 0.82 0.85 0.89

24 β (radians) 0.30 0.28 0.26 0.24 0.22 0.20 0.19 0.17 0.16 0.15
z (ft) 10.35 11.19 11.87 12.44 12.90 13.29 13.62 13.89 14.13 14.32
M (ft-lbs/ft) 110,969 97,366 85,670 75,625 66,997 59,577 53,183 47,661 42,875 38,716
R (lbs/ft) 8,132 7,600 7,064 6,540 6,037 5,564 5,122 4,715 4,342 4,001
Ps (psf) 112 134 153 168 180 188 192 194 193 191
α (radians) 0.42 0.48 0.54 0.60 0.65 0.69 0.74 0.78 0.82 0.85

26 β (radians) 0.28 0.27 0.25 0.23 0.22 0.20 0.19 0.17 0.16 0.15
z (ft) 10.78 11.69 12.45 13.09 13.62 14.07 14.44 14.77 15.04 15.28
M (ft-lbs/ft) 127,485 112,863 100,135 89,071 79,460 71,105 63,836 57,499 51,963 47,113
R (lbs/ft) 8,376 7,890 7,393 6,899 6,418 5,959 5,524 5,118 4,741 4,393
Ps (psf) 94 114 132 148 160 169 175 179 180 180
α (radians) 0.40 0.46 0.51 0.56 0.61 0.66 0.70 0.74 0.78 0.81

28 β (radians) 0.27 0.26 0.24 0.23 0.21 0.20 0.19 0.17 0.16 0.15
z (ft) 11.17 12.16 12.99 13.70 14.29 14.80 15.23 15.60 15.91 16.19
M (ft-lbs/ft) 144,448 128,896 115,211 103,191 92,642 83,385 75,258 68,113 61,823 56,274
R (lbs/ft) 8,581 8,137 7,677 7,214 6,758 6,315 5,892 5,491 5,115 4,764
Ps (psf) 80 98 115 130 142 152 160 165 167 168
α (radians) 0.37 0.43 0.48 0.53 0.58 0.63 0.67 0.71 0.74 0.78

30 β (radians) 0.26 0.25 0.23 0.22 0.21 0.20 0.18 0.17 0.16 0.15
z (ft) 11.52 12.59 13.49 14.26 14.92 15.48 15.97 16.38 16.75 17.06
M (ft-lbs/ft) 161,789 145,388 130,819 117,903 106,466 96,343 87,381 79,443 72,404 66,153
R (lbs/ft) 8,755 8,349 7,925 7,492 7,060 6,636 6,227 5,834 5,462 5,112
Ps (psf) 69 85 101 115 127 137 145 151 155 157
α (radians) 0.35 0.41 0.46 0.51 0.55 0.60 0.64 0.68 0.71 0.75

32 β (radians) 0.25 0.24 0.22 0.21 0.20 0.19 0.18 0.17 0.16 0.15
z (ft) 11.85 12.98 13.95 14.79 15.51 16.13 16.67 17.13 17.54 17.89
M (ft-lbs/ft) 179,452 162,274 146,888 133,136 120,859 109,909 100,144 91,432 83,655 76,706
R (lbs/ft) 8,904 8,532 8,140 7,736 7,329 6,925 6,531 6,150 5,785 5,438
GUIDELINES FOR TEMPORARY SHORING, Published October 25, 2004 A-4
478
 GUIDELINE & WEBSITE DIRECTORY

BNSF guidelines are as follows:

a. Guidelines for Design and Construction of Grade Separation Structures.

UPRR guidelines are as follows:

a. Underpass Structures – “Guidelines for Design and Construction of Grade Separation

Underpass Structures.”
b. Overhead Grade Separation – “Guidelines for Design of Highway Separation Structures Over
Railroad (Overhead Grade Separation).”
c. Demolition – “Guidelines for Preparation of a Bridge Demolition and Removal Plan for Structures
Over Railroad.”
d. Shoofly – “Guidelines for Design and Construction of Shoofly (Detour) Tracks.”
e. Fiber Optic – “UPRR Fiber Optic Engineering, Construction And Maintenance Standards.”
1/1/2002
f. Pipeline – “Pipeline Installation” available at www.uprr.com.
g. Industry Track – “Technical Specification for Construction of Industrial Tracks”

WEBSITE DIRECTORY:

1. www.astm.org
2. www.arema.org
3. www.bnsf.com
4. www.pilespecs.com
5. www.uprr.com

GUIDELINES FOR TEMPORARY SHORING, Published October 25, 2004 A-5

479
480
481
482
483