Deep Excavation–Induced Stability Evaluation of a Triple Tunnel Using Discrete and Continuum Numerical Modeling
Publication: International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 25, Issue 1
Abstract
One of the most crucial tasks in the design, control, and construction of urban deep excavations is ensuring the safety of the existing underground infrastructure. Deformation and settlement created by excavation may damage the adjacent tunnels. In this study, the stability of an existing triple tunnel in relation to the construction of an adjacent deep excavation is evaluated by numerical simulation using both the discrete-element method (DEM) and the finite-element method (FEM). A deep excavation supported by the retaining wall and five levels of strutting system was created adjacent to an existing triple tunnel. The excavation’s width and depth were 30 and 16 m, respectively. In both discrete-element (DE) and finite-element (FE) simulations, the horizontal spacing of the triple tunnel wall relative to the retaining wall (SH) is varied between 3 and 35 m, while vertical spacing of the triple tunnel’s crown from the ground surface (SV) is changed from 4.8 to 32 m. The results indicated that at a certain value of SV and with increasing the SH, the horizontal displacement of the wall decreases. The variations in the triple tunnel position significantly affected the settlement pattern. In addition, the results showed that the maximum vertical displacement occurred at the middle tunnel crown, while the lowest value of the maximum vertical displacement was found at the crown of the right tunnel. At a certain value of the vertical displacement, the wall horizontal displacement is deduced by increasing in the SH value.
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Data Availability Statement
All data, models, and codes generated or used during the study appear in the published article.
Notation
The following symbols are used in this paper:
- B
- width of excavation;
- c
- soil cohesion;
- Db
- embedded depth of the retaining wall;
- De
- depth of excavation;
- Dt
- tunnel diameter;
- d
- thickness;
- deq
- thickness of plate element;
- EA
- axial stiffness;
- EI
- flexural rigidity;
- reference secant stiffness obtained from triaxial compression tests;
- reference secant stiffness obtained from one-dimensional compression tests;
- reference secant stiffness for the unloading/reloading stiffness;
- Gs
- secant shear modulus;
- G0
- initial or very small-strain shear modulus;
- reference initial shear stiffness;
- kn
- normal stiffness;
- ks
- shear stiffness;
- Ls
- spacing in out-of-plane direction;
- n − bond
- bond normal strength;
- Rf
- failure ratio;
- Rint
- interface reduction factor;
- Rmax
- maximum radius of the particle assembly;
- Rmin
- minimum radius of the particle assembly;
- s − bond
- bond shear strength;
- υ
- Poisson’s ratio;
- γ
- unit weight;
- γ0.7
- strain at which the Gs is reduced to 70% G0;
- φ
- friction angle; and
- ψ
- Dilatancy angle.
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Published In
International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 25 • Issue 1 • January 2025
Copyright
© 2024 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Nov 20, 2023
Accepted: Jun 18, 2024
Published online: Oct 16, 2024
Published in print: Jan 1, 2025
Discussion open until: Mar 16, 2025
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