Stability Investigation of a Deep Shaft Using Different Methods
Publication: International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 21, Issue 2
Abstract
The New Zigana Tunnel is, at 14.5 km long, the longest highway tunnel project in Turkey. In this project, it is planned to construct two service shafts to provide access to outside the tunnel and temporary ventilation. Service Shaft 2 (Ø = 2.60 m), which is 220 m in depth, was opened by the raise boring machine (RBM) method. In this study, the wall stability of Service Shaft 2 was investigated using empirical analysis, analytical analysis, and numerical simulation methods. To define the rock masses on the shaft route, the rock mass rating (RMR), Q, and geological strength index (GSI) classification systems were utilized as an empirical approach. The rock-support interaction and convergence-confinement methods were applied in the analytical analysis of wall stability. To determine the plastic zones that occurred around the unsupported shaft walls, 2D and 3D numerical simulations (FEM-based) were used. According to the results of empirical analysis, there is no need for support to ensure the stability of shaft walls. Conversely, the analytical and numerical methods exhibited more conservative results than other methods and suggested support application for stability. According to the convergence-confinement method and 2D FEM simulation, the plastic zone around the shaft walls developed after depths of 105 and 81 m, respectively. Finally, the results obtained from these analyses were compared with actual field situations, and their compatibility was investigated. It was concluded that, of these analysis methods, 2D FEM simulation is most compatible with the actual field data.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
The authors acknowledge the editor and reviewers for their valuable contributions. Also, we thank Geology Engineer Aytuna Sayin, MSc., from the Turkish General Directorate of Highways (TGDH) for the office work associated with this study.
References
Acun, D. 2009. “Investigation of the properties of surrounding rocks and stability for Amasra-Tarlaağzi shaft.” M.Sc. thesis, Dept. of Mining Engineering, Zonguldak Karaelmas Univ.
Aydan, O., T. Akagi, and T. Kawamoto. 1993. “The squeezing potential of rocks around tunnels; theory and prediction.” Rock Mech. Rock Eng. 26 (2): 137–163. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01023620.
Aye, T. T., M. S. Y. Tong, K. H. Yi, and E. Arunasoruban. 2014. “Design and construction of large diameter circular shafts.” In Underground Singapore 2014. 1–14. Singapore: Tunnelling and Underground Construction Society.
Barton, N. R., R. Lien, and J. Lunde. 1974. “Engineering classification of rock masses for the design of tunnel support.” Rock Mech. 6 (4): 189–236. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01239496.
Bieniawski, Z. T. 1974. “Geomechanics classification of rock masses and its application in tunneling.” In Vol. 1A of Proc., 3 Int. Congress on Rock Mechanics, 27–32. Lisbon, Portugal: International Society of Rock Mechanics.
Bieniawski, Z. T. 1989. Engineering rock mass classifications. New York: Wiley.
Cai, M., P. K. Kaiser, Y. Tasaka, and M. Minami. 2007. “Determination of residual strength parameters of jointed rock masses using the GSI system.” Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci. 44 (2): 247–265. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrmms.2006.07.005.
Carranza-Torres, C., and C. Fairhurst. 2000. “Application of the convergence-confinement method of tunnel design to rock-masses that satisfy the Hoek–Brown failure criterion.” Tunnelling Underground Space Technol. 15 (2): 187–213. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0886-7798(00)00046-8.
Deere, D. U. 1964. “Technical description of rock cores for engineering purposed.” Rock Mech. Rock Eng. 1 (1): 17–22.
Fang, Y., Z. Yao, G. Walton, J. Zhou, W. Xu, and Y. Zheng. 2020. “Evaluating the impact of blast-induced damage on the rock load supported by liner in construction of a deep shaft: A case study of ventilation shaft of Micangshan road tunnel project.” Adv. Civ. Eng. 2020: 9068345. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/9068345.
Fenner, R. 1938. “Untersuchungen zur Erkenntnis des Gebirgsdrucks.” Glückauf 74 (32): 681–695.
Ferreira, P. H. 2005. “Mechanized mine development utilizing rock cutting and boring through raise and blind boring techniques.” In Proc., 3rd Southern African Conf. on Base Metals, 297–315. Zambia, South Africa: Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.
Genis, M., and D. Acun. 2015. “A comparative study of shaft stability by analytical and numerical methods.” Çukurova Univ. J. Fac. Eng. Arch. 30 (2): 201–215.
Georgiannou, V. N., A. Serafis, and E. M. Pavlopoulou. 2017. “Analysis of a vertical segmental shaft using 2D and 3D finite element codes.” Int. J. GEOMATE 13 (36): 138–146. https://doi.org/10.21660/2017.36.88132.
Grimstad, E., and N. Barton. 1993. “Updating the Q-system for NMT.” In Int. Symp. on Sprayed Concrete-Modern use of Wet-Mix Sprayed Concrete for Underground Support, Norwegian Concrete Association, 44–66. Oslo, Norway: Norwegian Concrete Association.
Guler, E. 2013. “A methodology for lining design of circular mine shafts in different rock masses.” M.Sc. thesis, Dept. of Mining Engineering, Middle East Technical Univ.
Gurocak, Z. 2011. “Analyses of stability and support design for a diversion tunnel at the Kapikaya dam site, Turkey.” Bull. Eng. Geol. Environ. 70 (1): 41–52. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-009-0258-2.
Gurocak, Z., P. Solanki, and M. M. Zaman. 2007. “Empirical and numerical analyses of support requirements for a diversion tunnel at the Boztepe dam site, eastern Turkey.” Eng. Geol. 91 (2–4): 194–208. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2007.01.010.
Hoek, E., and M. S. Diederichs. 2006. “Empirical estimation of rock mass modulus.” Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci. 43 (2): 203–215. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrmms.2005.06.005.
Hoek, E., C. Carranza-Torres, and B. Corkum. 2002. “Hoek-Brown failure criterion-2002 edition.” In Proc., NARMS-TAC2002, Mining Innovation and Technology, 267–273. Toronto, ON: Tunnelling Association of Canada.
Hoek, E., T. G. Carter, and M. S. Diederichs. 2013. “Quantification of the geological strength index chart.” In Proc., 47th US Rock Mechanics and Geomechanics Symp., 1–9. Alexandria, VA: American Rock Mechanics Association.
Hoek, E., P. K. Kaiser, and W. F. Bawden. 1995. Support of underground excavations in hard rock. Rotterdam, Netherlands: Balkema.
Hormazabal, E., C. Soto, C. Russo, and C. Carranze-Torres. 2012. “Estimation of Support Requirement for Large Diameter Ventilation Shaft at Chuquicamata Underground Mine in Chile.” In Harmonising Rock Engineering and the Environment, 1511–1520. London: Taylor and Francis Group.
ISRM (International Society of Rock Mechanics). 2007. The complete ISRM suggested methods for rock characterization, testing and monitoring: 1974-2006. Ankara, Turkey: ISRM.
Kanik, M. 2019. “Evaluation of the limitations of RMR89 system for preliminary support selection in weak rock class.” Comput. Geotech. 155: 103159. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2019.103159.
Kanik, M., and Z. Gurocak. 2018. “Importance of numerical analyses for determining support systems in tunneling: A comparative study from the Trabzon-Gumushane tunnel, Turkey.” J. Afr. Earth. Sci. 143: 253–265. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2018.03.032.
Kanik, M., Z. Gurocak, and S. Alemdag. 2015. “A comparison of support systems obtained from the RMR89 and RMR14 by numerical analyses: Macka Tunnel project, NE Turkey.” J. Afr. Earth. Sci. 109: 224–238. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2015.05.025.
Kaya, A., and F. Bulut. 2019. “Geotechnical studies and primary support design for a highway tunnel: A case study in Turkey.” Bull. Eng. Geol. Environ. 78 (8): 6311–6334. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-019-01529-8.
Kaya, A., F. Bulut, S. Alemdag, and A. Sayin. 2011. “Analysis of support requirements for a tunnel portal in weak rock: A case study in Turkey.” Sci. Res. Essays 6 (31): 6566–6583. https://doi.org/10.5897/SRE11.1691.
Kaya, A., and A. Sayin. 2019. “Engineering geological appraisal and preliminary support design for the Salarha Tunnel, Northeast Turkey.” Bull. Eng. Geol. Environ. 78 (2): 1095–1112. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-017-1177-2.
Ketin, I. 1966. “Tectonic units of Anatolia.” MTA Bull. 66: 23–34.
Long, P. D. 2015. “3D FEM analysis of a vertical shaft constructed in a slope.” Jpn. Geotech. Soc. Spec. Publ. 2 (44): 1573–1577. https://doi.org/10.3208/jgssp.VNM-02.
Oh, J., W. F. Daly, J. Rybansky, and K. Xu. 2012. “Numerical analysis of shaft and tunnel design adjacent to station cavern.” In GeoCongress 2012, Geotechnical Special Publication 225, edited by R. D. Hryciw, A. Athanasopoulos-Zekkos, and N. Yesiller, 3285–3294. Reston, VA: ASCE.
Priest, S. D., and J. A. Hudson. 1976. “Discontinuity spacing in rock.” Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci. Geomech. Abstr. 13 (5): 135–148. https://doi.org/10.1016/0148-9062(76)90818-4.
Rocscience Inc. 2016. RS3 v1.0 3D finite element analysis for rock and soil. Toronto, ON: Rocscience Inc.
Rocscience Inc. 2017a. Rocdata v5.0 rock, soil and discontinuity strength analysis. Toronto, ON: Rocscience Inc.
Rocscience Inc. 2017b. RS2 v9.0 finite element analysis for excavations and slopes. Toronto, ON: Rocscience Inc.
Sheorey, P. R., M. G. Murali, and A. Sinha. 2001. “Influence of elastic constants on the horizontal in situ stress.” Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci. 38 (8): 1211–1216. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1365-1609(01)00069-7.
Sun, X., G. Li, C. Zhao, Y. Liu, and C. Miao. 2019. “Investigation of deep mine shaft stability in alternating hard and soft rock strata using three-dimensional numerical modeling.” Processes 7 (1): 2. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7010002.
Yalcin, E., Z. Gurocak, R. Ghabchi, and M. Zaman. 2016. “Numerical analysis for a realistic support design: Case study of the Komurhan tunnel in eastern Turkey.” Int. J. Geomech. 16 (3): 05015001. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GM.1943-5622.0000564.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 21 • Issue 2 • February 2021
Copyright
© 2020 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Feb 28, 2020
Accepted: Sep 15, 2020
Published online: Dec 2, 2020
Published in print: Feb 1, 2021
Discussion open until: May 2, 2021
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.