Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/919243

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Title
Stability of circular tunnels in soft ground
Author/Creator
Wilson, D. W.;  Sloan, S. W.;  Abbo, A. J.
Institution
The University of Newcastle. Faculty of Engineering & Built Environment, School of Engineering
Description
This paper considers the undrained stability of a circular tunnel in soft ground where the strength increases linearly with depth. Solutions are obtained which enable designers to compute the tunnel pressure that is needed to maintain stability of an unsupported heading during the construction process. These solutions take account of the ground surcharge, the tunnel geometry, the soil unit weight, a non-homogeneous undrained shear strength, and are expressed in dimensionless form. The numerical results have been obtained using finite element formulations of the upper and lower bound theorems of limit analysis. By obtaining upper and lower bound estimates on the tunnel pressure, the actual tunnel pressure required to maintain stability can be bracketed from above and below. This provides an inbuilt error indicator for the accuracy of the solutions. Some upper bounds are also presented from the use of simple rigid block mechanisms. These mechanisms are shown to give accurate upper bounds in some cases. Where possible, the theoretical predictions are compared against experimental data obtained from centrifuge and laboratory tests.
Relation
17th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering. Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering: The Academia & Practice of Geotechnical Engineering, Volume 1 (Alexandria, Egypt 5-9 October, 2009) p. 1770-1773
Relation
http://www.booksonline.iospress.nl/Content/View.aspx?piid=15744
Date
2009
Publisher
IOS Press
Keyword(s)
tunnel stability;  limit analysis;  plasticity
Resource Type
conference paper
Identifier
http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/919243
Identifier
ISBN:9781607500315
Reviewed
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Subject
"Stability of circular tunnels in soft ground"
 
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