###### Abstract  
The bearing capacity of an open caisson under lateral loads is a key factor affecting the normal operation of an open caisson. It will inevitably have a disturbing effect on the surrounding soil layers during the sinking process of the caisson; that is, a disturbance ring will develop around the caisson. Based on the Jurong Yangtze River water supply project, the lateral bearing characteristics of the open caisson are analyzed by the numerical method with due consideration to soil disturbance, and the reinforcement scheme is optimized. The numerical results show that when the thickness of the disturbance ring is less than 0.5 m the disturbance ring has little effect on the lateral bearing capacity of the open caisson. An arc-shaped cement-soil reinforcement at the loading area can effectively improve the lateral bearing performance of the caisson. The optimized reinforcement thickness is 2 times that of the disturbance ring, and the reinforcement angle is approximately 60\({}^{\circ}\). open caisson; lateral bearing performance; disturbance ring: optimization reinforcement scheme; numerical simulation +
Footnote †: journal: Applied  
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model tests and finite-element numerical simulations to investigate the nonlinear tensile force-displacement patterns of the anchorage foundation in soft soil ground. [PERSON] and [PERSON] [6; 7; 8] proposed a nonlinear design model based on the generalized Winkler model to calculate the displacement of the caisson under lateral static and cyclic loads, and the model was validated by model tests. Further, based on the three-dimensional finite element model, [PERSON] et al. [9] investigated the deformation characteristic of the soil behind the reaction wall of an open caisson while considering the disturbance of the soil behind the reaction wall. The results showed that the reaction force has a significant effect on the deformation of the soil within the range of the reaction wall embedment depth. In order to investigate the soil-structure interaction characteristics, an energy-based analysis and design framework for a soil-structure interaction system is presented by [PERSON] et al. [10] in which energy dissipation in the soil and structural elastic plastic can be considered. [PERSON] et al. [11] proposed a numerical tool based on the Monkey-tail fundamental lumped parameter model for the simulation of dynamic soil-structure interaction (SSI). [PERSON] et al. [12] present experimental tests of four RC pile specimens backfilled with different damping material to assess their effect on the soil-structure hysteretic response. [PERSON] et al. [13] studied the load-displacement curve of the caisson under different horizontal loads by a series of model tests, and the horizontal displacement of the soil in the passive area was investigated as well. In addition, [PERSON] [14], [PERSON] et al. [15], [PERSON] et al. [16], [PERSON] et al. [17], and [PERSON] et al. [18] have investigated the deformation behaviour of an open caisson through model tests or numerical researches. It should be noted that in the above studies, the horizontal load is applied at the top of the caisson to simulate the displacement characteristics of the caisson as a foundation structure. However, when the open caisson is used as the working well of a jacking pipe, the jacking load mainly acts at the bottom part of the caisson, and the displacement characteristics will be different from those found when the load acts on the top of the caisson. In addition, the influences of the caisson construction were not considered in the analysis of the lateral load response characteristics of the caisson in the current study. During the sinking of the caisson, there will inevitably be severe disturbance to the adjacent soil layers, and a disturbance ring will be developed along the circumference of the caisson. When an undrained sinking method is adopted, the effect of the soil disturbance will be more significant.