Surface Subsidence Induced by Groundwater Drainage Tunneling in Granite Residual Soils (Burata Railway Tunnel, Spain)
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 139, Issue 5
Abstract
Underground tunneling, besides raising geotechnical challenges, can often modify the hydrological regime around an excavated area. This fact entails not only the modification of superficial aquifers but also the appearance of subsidence phenomena as a consequence of the decrease in pore pressure. In the end, this may jeopardize the structural integrity of the construction, leading to delays and undesirable secondary effects. This paper documents the problems arising from the construction of a railway tunnel for a high-speed train in the province of Orense in the northwest of Spain. The tunnel was excavated through a highly weathered granitic massif using conventional methods. The drawdown in the water table caused by the tunnel advance was analyzed and monitored. The initial lowering of the water level was followed by a period of soil subsidence with deflections reaching up to 104 mm. These differential settlements happened along a 150-m strip on both sides of the tunnel axes, which affected urbanized areas. The topographic downfall was located ahead of the perforation head; however, it occurred after the lowering of the water table as an immediate consequence.
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Acknowledgments
This work has been financed by Project CTM2009-11522 of the Ministry of Science and Technology of Spain. Comments and suggestions by Jesper Fallesen improved the quality of the paper. The authors thank Robin Walker of englishglobal.com for revision of the English grammar and structure.
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Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 139 • Issue 5 • May 2013
Pages: 821 - 824
Copyright
© 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Feb 24, 2011
Accepted: Jul 30, 2012
Published online: Aug 4, 2012
Published in print: May 1, 2013
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