Abstract
The stability of the shield tunneling face is an extremely important factor affecting the safety of tunnel construction. In this study, a transparent clay with properties similar to those of Tianjin clay is prepared and a new transparent clay model test apparatus is developed to overcome the “black box” problem in the traditional model test. The stability of the shield tunneling face (failure mode, influence range, support force, and surface settlement) is investigated in transparent clay under active failure. A series of transparent clay model tests is performed to investigate the active failure mode, influence range, and support force of the shield tunneling face under different burial depth conditions, whereas particle flow code three-dimensional numerical simulations are conducted to verify the failure mode of the shield tunneling face and surface settlement along the transverse section under different burial depth conditions. The results show that the engineering characteristics of transparent clay are similar to those of soft clay in Binhai, Tianjin and satisfy visibility requirements. Two types of failure modes are obtained: the overall failure mode (cover/diameter: C/D ⩽ 1.0) and local failure mode (C/D ⩾ 2.0). The influence range of the transverse section is wider than that of the longitudinal section when C/D ⩾ 2.0. Additionally, the normalized thresholds of the relative displacement and support force ratio are 3%–6% and 0.2–0.4, respectively. Owing to the cushioning effect of the clay layer, the surface settlement is significantly reduced as the tunnel burial depth increases.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Horn N. Horizontal earth pressure on the vertical surfaces of the tunnel tubes. In: Proceedings of the National Conference of the Hungarian Civil Engineering Industry. Budapest, Hungary, 1961 (in German)
Murayama S, Endo M, Hashiba T, Yamamoto K, Sasaki H. Geotechnical aspects for the excavating performance of the shield machines. In: The 21st Annual Lecture in Meeting of Japan Society of Civil Engineers. Tokyo, Japan, 1966
Jancsecz S, Steiner W. Face Support for a Large Mix-Shield in Heterogeneous Ground Conditions. Tunnelling’94. Boston, MA: Springer, 1994, 531–550
Belter B, Heiermann W, Katzenbach R, Maidl B, Quick H, Wittke W. New concepts for realization of infrastructural projects. Bauingenieur, 1999, 74(1): 1–7 (in German)
Wei G, He F. Calculation of minimal support pressure acting on shield face during pipe jacking in sandy soil. Chinese Journal of Underground Space and Engineering, 2007, 3(5): 903–908 (in Chinese)
Hu W T, Lü X L, Huang M S. Three-dimensional limit equilibrium solution of the support pressure on the shield tunnel face. Chinese Journal of Underground Space and Engineering, 2011, 7(5): 853–856 (in Chinese)
Broms B B, Bennermark H. Stability of clay at vertical openings. Journal of the Soil Mechanics and Foundations Division, ASCE, 1967, 96(1): 71–94.
Davis E H, Gunn M J, Mair R J, Seneviratine H N. The stability of shallow tunnels and underground openings in cohesive material. Geotechnique, 1980, 30(4): 397–416
Leca E, Dormieux L. Upper and lower bound solutions for the face stability of shallow circular tunnels in frictional material. Geotechnique, 1990, 40(4): 581–606
Lü X L, Wang H R, Huang M S. Limit theoretical study on face stability of shield tunnels. Chinese Journal of Geotechnical Engineering, 2011, 33(1): 57–62 (in Chinese)
Kirsch A. Experimental investigation of the face stability of shallow tunnels in sand. Acta Geotechnica, 2010, 5(1): 43–62
Chen R P, Li J, Chen Y M, Kong L G. Large-scale tests on face stability of shield tunnelling in dry cohesionless soil. Chinese Journal of Geotechnical Engineering, 2011, 33(1): 117–122 (in Chinese)
Vlachopoulos N, Vazaios I, Madjdabadi B M. Investigation into the influence of excavation of twin-bored tunnels within weak rock masses adjacent to slopes. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 2018, 55(11): 1533–1551
Lu X L, Zhou Y C, Li F D. Centrifuge model test and numerical simulation of stability of excavation face of shield tunnel in silty sand. Rock and Soil Mechanics, 2016, 37(11): 3324–3328 (in Chinese)
di Prisco C, Flessati L, Frigerio G, Castellanza R, Caruso M, Galli A, Lunardi P. Experimental investigation of the time-dependent response of unreinforced and reinforced tunnel faces in cohesive soils. Acta Geotechnica, 2018, 13(3): 651–670
Zhou S W, Zhuang X Y, Zhu H H, Rabczuk T. Phase field modelling of crack propagation, branching and coalescence in rocks. Theoretical and Applied Fracture Mechanics, 2018, 96: 174–192
Zhou S W, Zhuang X Y, Rabczuk T. Phase field modeling of brittle compressive-shear fractures in rock-like materials: A new driving force and a hybrid formulation. Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering, 2019, 355: 729–752
Zhuang X Y, Zhou S W, Sheng M, Li G S. On the hydraulic fracturing in naturally-layered porous media using the phase field method. Engineering Geology, 2020, 266: 105306
Manouchehrian A, Marji M F, Mohebbi M. Comparison of indirect boundary element and finite element methods. Frontiers of Structural and Civil Engineering, 2012, 6(4): 385–392
Li Z L, Soga K, Wright P. Three-dimensional finite element analysis of the behaviour of cross passage between cast-iron tunnels. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 2016, 53(6): 930–945
Chen R P, Zhang P, Wu H N, Wang Z T, Zhong Z Q. Prediction of shield tunneling-induced ground settlement using machine learning techniques. Frontiers of Structural and Civil Engineering, 2019, 13(6): 1363–1378
Liu C, Pan L F, Wang F, Zhang Z X, Cui J, Liu H, Duan Z, Ji X Y. Three-dimensional discrete element analysis on tunnel face instability in cobbles using ellipsoidal particles. Materials (Basel), 2019, 12(20): 3347
Vazaios I, Vlachopoulos N, Diederichs M S. Mechanical analysis and interpretation of excavation damage zone formation around deep tunnels within massive rock masses using hybrid finite-discrete element approach: Case of Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) Underground Research Laboratory (URL) test tunnel. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 2019, 56(1): 35–59
Zhang Y M, Zhuang X Y, Lackner R. Stability analysis of shotcrete supported crown of NATM tunnels with discontinuity layout optimization. International Journal for Numerical and Analytical Methods in Geomechanics, 2018, 42(11): 1199–1216
Sun Z Z, Zhang Y M, Yuan Y, Mang H A. Stability analysis of a fire-loaded shallow tunnel by means of a thermo-hydro-chemomechanical model and discontinuity layout optimization. International Journal for Numerical and Analytical Methods in Geomechanics, 2019, 43(16): 2551–2564
Yan X, Sun Z Z, Li S C, Liu R T, Zhang Q S, Zhang Y M. Quantitatively assessing the pre-grouting effect on the stability of tunnels excavated in fault zones with discontinuity layout optimization: A case study. Frontiers of Structural and Civil Engineering, 2019, 13(6): 1393–1404
Rabczuk T, Belytschko T. Cracking particles: A simplified meshfree method for arbitrary evolving cracks. International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering, 2004, 61(13): 2316–2343
Rabczuk T, Zi G, Bordas S, Nguyen-Xuan H. A simple and robust three-dimensional cracking-particle method without enrichment. Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering, 2010, 199(37–40): 2437–2455
Mannheimer R J, Oswald C J. Development of transparent porous-media with permeabilities and porosities comparable to soils, aquifers, and petroleum reservoirs. Ground Water, 1993, 31(5): 781–788
Ahmed M, Iskander M. Transparent soil model tests and FE analyses on tunneling induced ground settlement. In: Geo-Frontiers 2011: Advances in Geotechnical Engineering. Virginia: ASCE, 2011, 3381–3390
Gong Q M, Zhou J H, Zhou S H, Ji C. Strength property and feasibility test of transparent soil to model clayey soil. Journal of Tongji University (Natural Science), 2016, 44(6): 853–860
Kong G Q, Li H, Yang Q, Meng Y D, Xu X L. Cyclic undrained behavior and liquefaction resistance of transparent sand manufactured by fused quartz. Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering, 2018, 108: 13–17
De Guzman E M B, Alfaro M C. Laboratory-scale model studies on corduroy-reinforced road embankments on peat foundations using transparent soil. Transportation Geotechnics, 2018, 16: 1–10
Kong G Q, Li H, Yang G, Cao Z H. Investigation on shear modulus and damping ratio of transparent soils with different pore fluids. Granular Matter, 2018, 20(1): 8
Wang J X, Liu X T, Liu S L, Zhu Y F, Pan W Q, Zhou J. Physical model test of transparent soil on coupling effect of cut-off wall and pumping wells during foundation pit dewatering. Acta Geotechnica, 2019, 14(1): 141–162
Iskander M, Liu J Y. Spatial deformation measurement using transparent soil. Geotechnical Testing Journal, 2010, 33(4): 314–321
Chen J F, Guo X P, Xue J F, Guo P H. Load behaviour of model strip footings on reinforced transparent soils. Geosynthetics International, 2019, 26(3): 251–260
Sun J Z, Liu J Y. Visualization of tunnelling-induced ground movement in transparent sand. Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology, 2014, 40: 236–240
Lü X L, Zhou Y C, Huang M S, Zeng S. Experimental study of the face stability of shield tunnel in sands under seepage condition. Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology, 2018, 74: 195–205
Xiang Y Z, Liu H L, Zhang W G, Chu J, Zhou D, Xiao Y. Application of transparent soil model test and DEM simulation in study of tunnel failure mechanism. Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology, 2018, 74: 178–184
Gong Q M, Zhao Y, Zhou J H, Zhou S H. Uplift resistance and progressive failure mechanisms of metro shield tunnel in soft clay. Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology, 2018, 82: 222–234
Yuan B X, Sun M, Wang Y X, Zhai L H, Luo Q Z, Zhang X Q. Full 3D displacement measuring system for 3D displacement field of soil around a laterally loaded pile in transparent soil. International Journal of Geomechanics, 2019, 19(5): 04019028
Lei H Y, Liu Y N, Zhai S B, Tu C K, Liu M. Visibility and mechanical properties of transparent clay. Chinese Journal of Geotechnical Engineering, 2019, 41(S2): 53–56 (in Chinese)
Zhang Y P, Li L, Wang S Z. Experimental study on pore fluid for forming transparent soil. Journal of Zhejiang University (Engineering Science), 2014, 48(10): 1828–1834 (in Chinese)
Lei H Y, Ren Q, Lu H B, Li B. Research on consolidation property of double layer soft clay foundation under different relative thickness conditions. Chinese Journal of Underground Space and Engineering, 2018, 14(3): 705–711 (in Chinese)
Hong Z S, Onitsuka K. A method of correcting yield stress and compression index of Ariake clays for sample disturbance. Soils and foundations, 1998, 38(2): 211–222
Hong Z S, Liu S Y, Yu X J. On destructuration of structured soils. Rock and Soil Mechanics, 2004, 25(5): 684–687 (in Chinese)
Sun X H, Miao L C, Lin H S. Arching effect of soil ahead of working face in shield tunnel in sand with various depths. Rock and Soil Mechanics, 2017, 38(10): 2980–2988 (in Chinese)
Mair R J. Centrifugal Modelling of Tunnel Construction in Soft Clay. Cambridge: Cambridge University, 1978
Franza A, Marshall A M, Zhou B, Shirlaw N, Boone S. Greenfield tunnelling in sands: The effects of soil density and relative depth. Geotechnique, 2018, 69(4): 297–307
Zhang K G, Liu S Y. Soil Mechanics. Beijing: China Architecture & Building Press, 2010 (in Chinese)
Ahmed M, Iskander M. Evaluation of tunnel face stability by transparent soil models. Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology, 2012, 27(1): 101–110
Zhou S W, Rabczuk T, Zhuang X Y. Phase field modeling of quasistatic and dynamic crack propagation: COMSOL implementation and case studies. Advances in Engineering Software, 2018, 122: 31–49
Zhou S W, Zhuang X Y, Rabczuk T. A phase-field modeling approach of fracture propagation in poroelastic media. Engineering Geology, 2018, 240: 189–203
Zhou S W, Zhuang X Y, Rabczuk T. Phase-field modeling of fluid-driven dynamic cracking in porous media. Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering, 2019, 350: 169–198
Peck R B. Deep excavations and tunneling in soft ground. In: Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering. Mexico, 1969: 225–290
Knothe S. Observations of surface movements under influence of mining and their theoretical interpretation. In: Proceedings of the European congress on ground movement. Leeds: University of Leeds, 1957, 210–218
Mair R J, Taylor R N. Theme lecture: Bored tunnelling in the urban environment. In: Proceedings of the Fourteenth International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering. balkema, Hamburg, 1997, 2353–2385
Hung C J, Monsees J, Munfah N, Wisniewski J. Technical Manual for Design and Construction of Road Tunnels. Report to US Department of Transportation prepared by Parsons Brinckerhoff, Inc. FHWA-NHI-09–010. 2009
Acknowledgements
The study described herein was financially supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (No. 2017YFC0805402) and the Open Project of the State Key Laboratory of Disaster Reduction in Civil Engineering (No. SLDRCE17-01). All support received is appreciated.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lei, H., Zhang, Y., Hu, Y. et al. Model test and discrete element method simulation of shield tunneling face stability in transparent clay. Front. Struct. Civ. Eng. 15, 147–166 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11709-020-0704-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11709-020-0704-6