Dynamic evolution in mechanical characteristics of complex supporting structures during large section tunnel construction

The shallow tunnelling method(STM)often uses temporary supports to divide large section tunnels into several closed or semiclosed sections so as to share the upper load.The complex support system composed of primary and temporary supports can ensure safety during tunnel construction.Based on the large section tunnel of Beijing Subway Line 12,the mechanical characteristics of support system by the double-side-drift method(DSDM)during excavation and demolition were analyzed through numerical simulation and monitoring.The study showed that the middle cave excavation was the most critical stage of the DSDM,during which the load on the supporting structure increased significantly.The temporary vertical support bore most of the new load during middle cave excavation.During the demolition stage,the load was redistributed,which caused arch settlement and section convergence.The removal of the temporary vertical support exerted the greatest impact in this process.The lateral temporary inverted arch changed from axial compression to axial tension after the middle and lower caves were excavated.Based on the mechanical characteristics of the support system,some engineering suggestions were proposed for large section tunnel construction.These research results can provide reference for the design and construction of similar large section tunnels.

Control of rock joint parameters on deformation of tunnel opening

In this paper, stress behavior of shallow tunnels under simultaneous non-uniform surface traction and symmetric gravity loading was studied using a direct boundary element method（BEM）. The existing fullplane elastostatic fundamental solutions to displacement and stress fields were used and implemented in a developed algorithm. The cross-section of the tunnel was considered in circular, square, and horseshoe shapes and the lateral coefficient of the domain was assumed as unit quantity. Double-node procedure of the BEM was applied at the corners to improve the model including sudden traction changes. The results showed that the method used was a powerful tool for modeling underground openings under various external as well as internal loads. Eccentric loads significantly influenced the stress pattern of the surrounding tunnel. The achievements can be practically used in completing and modifying regulations for stability investigation of shallow tunnels.

Comparison of shallow tunneling method with pile and rib method for construction of subway station in soft ground

In the present study,a comparison between the new shallow tunneling method(STM)and the traditional pile and rib method(PRM)was conducted to excavate and construct subway stations in the geological conditions of Tehran.First,by selecting Station Z6 located in the Tehran Subway Line 6 as a case study,the construction process was analyzed by PRM.The maximum ground settlement of 29.84 mm obtained from this method was related to the station axis,and it was within the allowable settlement limit of 30 mm.The acceptable agreement between the results of numerical modeling and instrumentation data indicated the confirmation and accuracy of the excavation and construction process of Station Z6 by PRM.In the next stage,based on the numerical model validated by instrumentation data,the value of the ground surface settlement was investigated during the station excavation and construction by STM.The results obtained from STM showed a significant reduction in the ground surface settlement compared to PRM.The maximum settlement obtained from STM was 6.09 mm as related to the front of the excavation face.Also,the sensitivity analysis results denoted that in addition to controlling the surface settlement by STM,it is possible to optimize some critical geometric parameters of the support system during the station excavation and construction.