波浪循环荷载作用下盾构穿越海堤过程中下卧软土的弱化响应研究

Cyclic degradation of soft clay subjected to repeated wave loading and stress relief during tunnel driving through a seawall

以穿越海堤的电厂进排水隧道盾构施工为背景,利用空心圆柱扭剪仪实现软土单元主应力轴连续旋转来模拟波浪荷载,逐步降围压来模拟地层损失引起应力释放,研究了波浪荷载长期循环剪切作用下盾构施工对软土强度特性影响规律。基于波浪荷载作用下土体单元上的应力分量计算公式,结合试验仪器特点设计了盾构施工和波浪耦合作用下软土的应力路径,开展了不同围压降低程度下软土的长期循环剪切试验和固结不排水三轴剪切试验。试验结果表明:(1)软土单元的各应变分量基本呈正弦或余弦曲线分布,竖向应变ε_z和扭剪应变ε_(zθ)受盾构施工的影响较小,径向应变ε_r和环向应变ε_θ受盾构施工影响显著;(2)盾构施工和波浪荷载均会降低原状软土的动剪切刚度,且二者耦合作用对软土刚度的影响要明显高于波浪荷载单独的影响;(3)盾构施工引起的土体损失会显著降低软土孔压,盾构施工完成后,波浪引起孔压缓慢累积;(4)循环荷载作用下,盾构施工扰动程度越大,土体的强度降低越多,盾构施工和波浪荷载的耦合扰动效应不容忽视。

During the sub-sea tunnelling through a seawall, the soil adjacent to the tunnel may simultaneously bear tunneling-induced stress relief and wave-induced cyclic shearing. To investigate the coupling effects of stress relief and repeated loading on the mechanical behaviors of soft clay, a series of experiments were carried out using a hollow cylinder apparatus, which imposed undrained cyclic shearing to the soil samples under a reducing confining stress, followed by undrained shearing. The cyclic stresses simulated in the tests were estimated using elastic solution for a seabed subjected to the wave loadings. The test results show that the variation of each stress component under the coupled loading follows a sine or cosine relationship. The coupled loading plays a more significant role in affecting the radial strain(εr) and hoop strain(εθ) than the vertical strain(εr) and the torsional shear strain(εzθ) of the soft clay. The shear modulus of the soil experiences more degradation under the coupled loading than that under the single action of cyclic shearing. The pore pressure of the soil reduces under the disturbance of shield construction and begins to increase slowly under the wave loading after construction. At a given cyclic magnitude, the reduction of soil strength significantly depends on the magnitude of stress relief. A larger stress relief leads to a more reduction in the post-cyclic shear strength of the soil. Based on the experimental findings presented above, it is suggested that coupling effect between the cyclic shearing and the stress relief should be taken into account while designing sub-sea tunneling through a seawall.