Numerical Examination of EPB Shield Tunneling–Induced Responses at Various Discharge Ratios
Publication: Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities
Volume 33, Issue 3
Abstract
This study investigated earth pressure balance (EPB) shield tunneling–induced responses in terms of muck pressure, machine parameters, and surface settlements using an efficient numerical scheme that couples PFC3D and FLAC3D software. Tunneling cases with different discharge ratios in the chamber were conducted using PFC3D, and the surrounding ground was modeled in FLAC3D. The results showed that the muck pressures near the bulkhead vary periodically during shield tunneling and have negative relations with the discharge ratios. Pressure differences between the left and the right sides in the shield chamber, and at different longitudinal positions, were found to be subject to the discharge ratio in the chamber. Furthermore, negative relations between the discharge ratio and both the thrust in the shield and the torque in the cutterhead were observed during excavation. Finally, it was found that positive ground loss has a larger effect on surface settlement than its negative counterpart.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
The financial support from National Key R&D Program of China (No. 2017YFB1201204) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51778637) are acknowledged and appreciated.
References
Bezuijen, A., J. F. W. Joustra, A. M. Talmon, and B. Grote. 2005. “Pressure gradients at the tunnel face of an earth pressure balance shield.” In Vol. 2 of Proc., 31th World Tunnel Congress. 809–815. London: CRC Press.
Breugnot, A., S. Lambert, P. Villard, and P. Gotteland. 2016. “A discrete/continuous coupled approach for modeling impacts on cellular geostructures.” Rock Mech. Rock Eng. 49 (5): 1831–1848. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-015-0886-8.
Budach, C., and M. Thewes. 2015. “Application ranges of EPB shields in coarse ground based on laboratory research.” Tunnelling Underground Space Technol. 50: 296–304. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tust.2015.08.006.
Cai, M., P. K. Kaiser, H. Morioka, M. Minami, T. Maejima, Y. Tasaka, and H. Kurose. 2007. “FLAC/PFC coupled numerical simulation of AE in large-scale underground excavations.” Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci. 44 (4): 550–564. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrmms.2006.09.013.
Chen, S., S. Lee, and Y. Wei. 2016. “Numerical analysis of ground surface settlement induced by Double-O Tube shield tunnelling.” J. Perform. Constr. Facil. 30 (5): 04016012. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CF.1943-5509.0000732.
Coetzee, C. J. 2017. “Review: Calibration of the discrete element method.” Powder Technol. 310: 104–142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.powtec.2017.01.015.
Copur, H., H. Aydin, N. Bilgin, C. Balci, D. Tumac, and C. Dayanc. 2014. “Predicting performance of EPB TBMs by using a stochastic model implemented into a deterministic model.” Tunnelling Underground Space Technol. 42 (3): 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tust.2014.01.006.
Feng, Y., K. Han, and D. R. J. Owen. 2007. “Coupled lattice Boltzmann method and discrete element modeling of particle transport in turbulent fluid flows: Computational issues.” Int. J. Numer. Methods. Eng. 72 (9): 1111–1134. https://doi.org/10.1002/nme.2114.
Feng, Y., K. Han, D. R. J. Owen, and J. Loughran. 2009. “On upscaling of discrete element models: Similarity principles.” Eng. Comput. 26 (6): 599–609. https://doi.org/10.1108/02644400910975405.
Feng, Y., and D. R. J. Owen. 2014. “Discrete element modelling of large scale particle systems—I: Exact scaling laws.” Comput. Part Mech. 1 (2): 159–168. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40571-014-0010-y.
Indraratna, B., N. T. Ngo, C. Rujikiatkamjorn, and S. W. Sloan. 2015. “Coupled discrete element–finite difference method for analyzing the load-deformation behaviour of a single stone column in soft soil.” Comput. Geotech. 63: 267–278. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2014.10.002.
Itasca Consulting Group. 2003. PFC3D (particle flow code in 3 Dimensions), Version 3.1. User’s Manual 2003. Minneapolis: Itasca Consulting Group.
Koizumi, A. 1997. The investigation, design, and construction of shield tunnel. Tokyo: Japanese Geotechnical Society.
Liu, C., F. Qu, S. Li, and Q. Meng. 2012. “Optimal arrangement for pressure measurement points in working chamber of earth pressure balance shield.” J. Cent. South Univ. 19 (7): 1883–1891. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11771-012-1222-z.
Liu, P., S. Wang, L. Ge, M. Thewes, J. Yang, and Y. Xia. 2018. “Changes of Atterberg limits and electrochemical behaviors of clays with dispersants as conditioning agents for EPB shield tunnelling.” Tunnelling Underground Space Technol. 73: 244–251. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tust.2017.12.026.
Merritt, A. S., and R. J. Mair. 2008. “Mechanics of tunnelling machine screw conveyors: A theoretical model.” Geotechnique 58 (2): 79–94. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.2008.58.2.79.
Moeinossadat, S. R., K. Ahangari, and K. Shahriar. 2018. “Modeling maximum surface settlement due to EPBM tunnelling by various soft computing techniques.” Innovative Infrastruct. Solutions 3 (1): 10. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41062-017-0114-3.
Mosavat, K., and M. Mooney. 2015. “Examination of excavation chamber pressure on a 17.5 m diameter earth pressure balance tunnel boring machine.” In Proc., Int. Conf. on Tunnel Boring Machines in Difficult Grounds. Singapore: Monash Univ.
Nagel, F., J. Stascheit, and G. Meschke. 2012. “Numerical simulation of interactions between the shield-supported tunnel construction process and the response of soft water-saturated soils.” Int. J. Geomech. 12 (6): 689–696. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GM.1943-5622.0000174.
Park, K. H. 2004. “Elastic solution for tunnelling-induced ground movements in clays.” Int. J. Geomech. 4 (4): 310–318. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)1532-3641(2004)4:4(310).
Qu, T., S. Wang, J. Fu, Q. Hu, and J. Yang. 2019. “Numerical investigation on muck pressures during EPB shield tunneling with varying discharge ratio based on coupled PFC3D/FLAC3D method.” In Proc., 5th GeoChina Int. Conf. 2018: Tunneling in Soft Ground, Ground Conditioning and Modification Techniques, 204–213. Cham, Switzerland: Springer.
Shao, C., and D. Lan. 2014. “Optimal control of an earth pressure balance shield with tunnel face stability.” Autom. Constr. 46: 22–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2014.07.005.
Trivino, L. F., and B. Mohanty. 2015. “Assessment of crack initiation and propagation in rock from explosion-induced stress waves and gas expansion by cross-hole seismometry and FEM–DEM method.” Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci. 77: 287–299. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrmms.2015.03.036.
Vinai, R., C. Oggeri, and D. Peila. 2008. “Soil conditioning of sand for EPB applications: A laboratory research.” Tunnelling Underground Space Technol. 23 (3): 308–317. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tust.2007.04.010.
Wang, H. 2012. “Influence of aperture ratio of cutterhead of EPB shield on earth pressure in the chamber.” [In Chinese.] Chin. J. Underground Space Eng. 1: 89–93.
Wang, H., and D. Fu. 2007. “Theoretical and test studies on balance control of EPB shields.” [In Chinese.] China Civ. Eng. J. 40 (5): 61–68.
Wang, M., Y. Feng, and C. Wang. 2016. “Coupled bonded particle and lattice Boltzmann method for modelling fluid–solid interaction.” Int. J. Numer. Anal. Meth. Geomech. 40 (10): 1383–1401. https://doi.org/10.1002/nag.2481.
Wu, L., T. Guan, and L. Lei. 2013. “Discrete element model for performance analysis of cutterhead excavation system of EPB machine.” Tunnelling Underground Space Technol. 37: 37–44. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tust.2013.03.003.
Wu, L., F. Qu, W. Sun, S. Li, and C. Liu. 2010. “Discrete numerical model for analysis of chamber pressure of earth pressure balance shield machine.” [In Chinese.] Chin. J. Geotech. Eng. 32 (01): 18–23.
Ye, X., S. Wang, J. Yang, D. Sheng, and Y. Xia. 2017. “Soil conditioning for EPB shield tunnelling in argillaceous siltstone with high content of clay minerals: Case study.” Int. J. Geomech. 17 (4): 05016002. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GM.1943-5622.0000791.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities
Volume 33 • Issue 3 • June 2019
Copyright
©2019 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Mar 26, 2018
Accepted: Nov 9, 2018
Published online: Mar 22, 2019
Published in print: Jun 1, 2019
Discussion open until: Aug 22, 2019
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.