Laboratory Model Test of EPB Shield Tunneling in a Cobble-Rich Soil
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 146, Issue 10
Abstract
Model tests and field measurements were carried out to study the mechanical behavior of cobble-rich soil in response to shield tunneling. In particular, an experimental investigation was carried out using a laboratory-scale model. The model used includes a miniature shield machine that can approximate real tunnel construction, replicating the in-situ methods of excavation and support. The surface settlement and subsurface deformation were analyzed, and these data were compared with predictions based on previous studies. The results confirm that the model tests can effectively simulate the principal operations of a real earth-pressure-balance machine. The observed surface settlement troughs in both the transverse and longitudinal directions were found to be narrower than in clay or sandy soils. With respect to subsurface deformation, the deformation zone width decreases almost linearly as a function of depth.
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Acknowledgments
This research was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program (2016YFC0802205) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51578460).
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Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 146 • Issue 10 • October 2020
Copyright
© 2020 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Nov 6, 2018
Accepted: May 21, 2020
Published online: Aug 14, 2020
Published in print: Oct 1, 2020
Discussion open until: Jan 14, 2021
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