Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Influence of seasonal melt layer depth on the stability of surrounding rock in permafrost regions based on the measurement

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Natural Hazards Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

During tunnel construction in permafrost regions, control of the temperature field and depth of the seasonal melt layer of surrounding rock are the key factors that determine the stability of surrounding rock and the security of a structure. Based on the monitoring data on the temperature of the surrounding rock at two sections of Jiangluling Tunnel, the distribution regularities of the temperature field of the surrounding rock in different depths from the tunnel wall are obtained. These findings are used to determine the changing rules of the depth as well as the increasing speed of the depth of seasonal melt layer with time. At the same time, the influence of the surface of the accumulated temperature of surrounding rock to seasonal melt layer is analyzed, and the influence of the rule of the depth of seasonal melt layer on the stability of surrounding rock and arch crown settlement is determined. Results show that the temperature of the surrounding rock and the depth of the seasonal melt layer are controlled by engineering geological conditions of the surrounding rock and the temperature inside the tunnel. The temperature of the surrounding rock decreases with the increase in depth from the tunnel wall. Correspondingly, the depth of seasonal melt layer increases along with the temperature inside the tunnel. It is a positive correlation between seasonal melt layer and the surface of the accumulated temperature of surrounding rock, and with the increase in the depth of seasonal melt layer, the arch crown settlement increases, whereas the stability of the surrounding rock decreases.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bonacina C, Comini G, Fasano A et al (1973) Numerical solution of phase change problems. Int J Heat Mass Transf 16(6):1852–1882

    Google Scholar 

  • Comini G, Guidice SD, Lewis RW et al (1974) Finite element solution of nonlinear heat conduction problems with special reference to phase change. Int J Numer Methods Eng 8(6):613–624

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • He S, Jin H, Yu W et al (2008) Numerical analysis of the thaw circle characteristics of soil about underground heated pipeline in permafrost region. Oil Gas Storage Transp 27(1):21–25

    Google Scholar 

  • Huang S (2003) Study on the active ring of permafrost in the Kunlunshan tunnel on the tunnelling. J Glaciol Geocryol 25(Supp. 1):100–103

    Google Scholar 

  • Jia X, Li W, Zhu Y (2005) Analysis of stability for surrounding rock caused by depth of thawing range during plateau permafrost tunnel construction. Chin J Rock Mech Eng 24(supp. 2):5693–5697

    Google Scholar 

  • Li Y (2013) Study on the technique of controlling surrounding rock thawing depth and the law of tunnel lining deterioration. Shanghai: Tongji University, Master Thesis

  • Shamsundar N (1982) Formulae for freezing outside a circular tube with axial variation of coolant temperature. Int J Heat Mass Transf 25(10):1614–1616

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sheng Z (2011) Analysis on thawing cylinder depth’s influence on the tunnel stability with several-year Frozen earth. Railw Constr Technol 2:35–38

    Google Scholar 

  • Xia C, Zhang G, Xiao S (2010) Analytical solution to temperature fields of tunnel in cold region considering Lining and insulation layer. Chin J Rock Mech Eng 29(9):1767–1773

    Google Scholar 

  • Xu B, Ding J, Mi W et al (2009) Research on calculation method of buried pipe foundation melting laps in permafrost of Sino–Russian oil pipeline. Recent development of research on permafrost engineering and cold region environment, pp 208–214

  • Zhang X, Lai Y, Yang F et al (2002) Numerical analysis on freezing–thawing situation of tunnel’s surrounding rock in cold regions. J China Railw Soc 24(4):92–96

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang X, Su X, Lai Y et al (2003) Analyzing the effect of tunneling on temperature of permafrost in the Kunlun mountains, Tibetan Plateau. J Glaciol Geocryol 25(6):621–627

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang D, Wang M, Ren S (2007) Experimental study on temperature and response of seasonal active layer of tunnel’s surrounding rock in permafrost region on Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. Chin J Rock Mech Eng 26(3):614–619

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Science-Technology Support Program of China (No. 2014BAG05B05), the Western Traffic Science and Technology Projects (20113184901070), and China Postdoctoral Science Foundation Project (2014M551452).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geotechnical Engineering, Civil Engineering College, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China

    Shiwei Shen, Caichu Xia & Jihui Huang

  2. College of Construction Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun, 130026, Jilin, China

    Shiwei Shen

  3. Electric Power Design and Research Institute of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, 510663, Guangdong, China

    Yan Li

Authors
  1. Shiwei Shen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Caichu Xia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jihui Huang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Yan Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Caichu Xia.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Shen, S., Xia, C., Huang, J. et al. Influence of seasonal melt layer depth on the stability of surrounding rock in permafrost regions based on the measurement. Nat Hazards 75, 2545–2557 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-014-1442-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-014-1442-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation