Which technique or equipment is used to stabilize the sides of an excavation?

• A. Shoring
• B. Diking
• C. Sheeting
• D. Bracing

Answer: (A)

Stabilizing the sides of an excavation is done with a temporary support system that resists the lateral soil pressure pushing inward. Shoring is that system: it uses vertical supports (posts or piles) with horizontal members (wales) and braces to hold the earth back and keep the excavation open for workers and equipment. Materials can be timber, steel, or aluminum, and the system can be set before digging or added as digging progresses. Diking is about controlling water and doesn’t provide wall stabilization. Sheeting involves lining the walls with panels to form a wall, and bracing refers to the braces used within a shoring or sheeted system; however, the overall method most directly described for keeping the sides from collapsing is shoring.