Internal Bracing? Only if you must.
If you can, obtain an easement and install anchors. If you can’t get an easement and you can’t cantilever, buckle up; you need internally braced soldier piles.
Easements
When your excavation is right up against a property line and it’s too deep to cantilever, tieback anchors are usually the best solution. Your specialty design-build geotechnical subcontractor will prepare a sketch so you can approach your neighbor for permission to install anchors that will remain in place after construction. Sometimes, though, the neighbor says no — not because of the small holes for the anchors, but because they simply don’t want a construction project next door. NIMBYism is alive and well.
If the easement is denied, internal bracing becomes the fallback option. But it comes with consequences: it impacts not just the cost of the support of excavation (SOE), but also the work and sequencing of the excavation, deep foundation, concrete, and waterproofing subcontractors. Before you proceed, make sure everyone understands the financial and logistical ripple effects — and consider that knowledge when attempting a financial negotiation to obtain an easement.
Installing Internally Braced Soldier Piles
The soldier piles are installed as usual. Excavation and lagging proceed down to the elevation of the first brace. At that point, a slope is excavated against the SOE face to create room for the brace installation. Once the internal braces (also called rakers) are positioned, deadmen — or sometimes a continuous deadman beam — are poured to provide the passive resistance needed to counteract soil and foundation loads. This setup creates a stiff, stable excavation — but also a logistical headache for the trades that follow.
Concrete Work
The real challenge begins during the concrete phase. The basement walls and footings must be formed and poured around the rakers. These braces penetrate the wall and remain in place until the building is ready for backfill — typically after the slabs and lower floors are completed. By then, the crew will need to remove the braces from tight spaces between the first-floor framing and the slab-on-grade. If two rows of bracing are required, the upper set may even pass through the floor above, making the process more complex. Once backfilling reaches the brace elevation, the braces can finally be removed. The openings through the wall must then be repaired — concrete patched, waterproofing restored, and quality checked to maintain watertight integrity.
Final Thoughts
Internal bracing is sometimes unavoidable. It complicates nearly every phase of construction — from excavation through waterproofing — and introduces coordination challenges between multiple trades.
When possible, invest the time and effort to secure an easement and use anchors. If you can’t, plan carefully, communicate early, and budget accordingly — because internal bracing is one of the toughest ways to hold the earth back.