Abstract:In dense urban areas, the construction of traditional circular shafts faces severe challenges such as small site, high environmental protection requirements, significant construction risks and sensitivity to surrounding environmental disturbances. To address these challenges, the new technologies characterized by mechanization, automation, intelligence and greenness have emerged in the industry, such as the digital micro-perturbation pneumatic caisson (DMPC) and the vertical shaft machine (VSM) sinking method. Compared with the diaphragm wall enclosures, traditional caisson construction methods and other techniques, the new techniques offer the advantages of small site occupation, efficient construction, environmental friendliness and low cost. By comparatively analyzing the key technical performance of the construction process of circular shafts in urban dense areas, the applicable scenarios and technical advantages of different construction methods are explored. Finally, a detailed analysis is conducted on the restrictive factors, optimization process and optimization effect of the construction of circular shafts in a project in Shanghai. The findings indicate that the selection of construction techniques for circular shafts requires multi-dimensional considerations. New construction methods such as VSM and DMPC have good applicability in the soft soil area of Shanghai and have initially demonstrated technical advantages in certain scenarios.