Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Tunnelling and Hydrogeological Issues: A Short Review of the Current State of the Art

  • Review Paper
  • Published:
Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Since the 1960s, there has been an increasing interest in the understanding of the hydraulic flow inside a hard rock mass, since water inflow into deep tunnels constitute a hazard, in addition to being an important factor in controlling the advancement of excavation. The characterisation of fluid flow through hard rock masses is still one of the most challenging problems faced by geologists and engineers. A rock mass is characterised by networks of discrete and ubiquitous discontinuities that strongly affect its hydraulic properties, but detailed knowledge of the discontinuity properties allows for the evaluation of the hydraulic flow in the rock mass affected by the excavation of a tunnel. A geostructural field survey is fundamental in order to correctly define the discontinuity types, settings and networks. Numerous approaches have been proposed to estimate the water inflow based on empirical relations supported by field experience and case studies, as well as analytical solutions. Often, however, these approaches are not easily applicable in standard practice and in complex scenarios. The most appropriate approach to characterising the hydraulic flow of the rock mass and to predicting in the most effective way the expected water inflow during the excavation of a tunnel is based on a detailed geological model and geostructural analysis as described in this paper.

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

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Andersson J, Dverstorp B (1987) Conditional simulations of fluid flow in three-dimensional networks of discrete fractures. Water Resour Res 23:1876–1886

    Google Scholar 

  • Baecher GB, Lanney NA (1978) Trace length biases in joint surveys. In: Proceedings of the 19th U.S. symposium on rock mechanics, Stateline, Nevada, May 1978

  • Balberg I, Anderson CH, Alexander S, Wagner N (1984) Excluded volume and its relation to the onset of percolation. Phys Rev B 30:3933–3943

    Google Scholar 

  • Balberg I, Berkowitz B, Drachsler GE (1991) Application of a percolation model to flow in fractured hard rocks. J Geophys Res 96(B6):10015–10021

    Google Scholar 

  • Bandis SC, Lumsden AC, Barton NR (1983) Fundamentals of rock joint deformation. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci Geomech Abstr 20:249–268

    Google Scholar 

  • Bandis SC, Barton NR, Christianson M (1985) Application of a new numerical model of joint behaviour to rock mechanics problems. In: Proceedings of the international symposium on fundamentals of rock joints, Bjorkliden, Sweden, September 1985. Centek, Lulea, Sweden, pp 345–356

  • Barton N (1983) Application of Q-system and index tests to estimate shear strength and deformability of rock masses. In: Proceedings of the international symposium on engineering geology and underground construction, Laboratorio Nacional de Engenharia Civil, Lisbon, Portugal, September 1983, vol 2, pp II.51–II.70

  • Barton N, Choubey V (1977) The shear strength of rock joints in theory and practice. Rock Mech Rock Eng 10:1–54

    Google Scholar 

  • Barton N, de Quadros EF (1997) Joint aperture and roughness in the prediction of flow and groutability of rock masses. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 34(3–4):252.e1–252.e14

    Google Scholar 

  • Barton NS, Bandis S, Bakhtar K (1985) Strength, deformation and conductivity coupling of rock joints. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci Geomech Abstr 22:121–140

    Google Scholar 

  • Bear J (1972) Dynamics of fluids in porous media. American Elsevier Publishing Company Inc., New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Bear J (1993) Modeling flow and contaminant transport in fractured rocks. In: Bear J, Tsang C-F, de Marsily G (eds) Flow and contaminant transport in fractured rock. Academic Press, San Diego, pp 1–37

    Google Scholar 

  • Berkowitz B (1995) Analysis of fracture network connectivity using percolation theory. Math Geol 27:467–483

    Google Scholar 

  • Berkowitz B (2002) Characterizing flow and transport in fractured geological media: a review. Adv Water Resour 25:861–884

    Google Scholar 

  • Bieniawski ZT (1984) Rock mechanics design in mining and tunneling. A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam, pp 97–133

    Google Scholar 

  • Bogdanov AA (1947) The intensity of cleavage as related to the thickness of beds (in Russian). Soviet Geol 16:147

    Google Scholar 

  • Bogdanov II, Mourzenko VV, Thovert J-F, Adler PM (2003) Effective permeability of fractured porous media in steady state flow. Water Resour Res 39:1023–1039

    Google Scholar 

  • Bour O, Davy P (1997) Connectivity of random fault networks following a power law fault length distribution. Water Resour Res 33:1567–1583

    Google Scholar 

  • Bour O, Davy P (1998) On the connectivity of three-dimensional fault networks. Water Resour Res 34:2611–2622

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown SR, Kranz RL, Bonner BP (1986) Correlation between the surface of natural rock joints. Geophys Res Lett 13:1430–1433

    Google Scholar 

  • Burgess A (1977) Groundwater movements around a repository. Regional groundwater flow analysis. KBS Teknisk Rapport KBS54:03, Kaernbraenslesaekerhet, Stockholm, Sweden. Available online at: http://www.skb.se/upload/publications/pdf/TR54-03webbNY.pdf

  • Cacus MC, Ledoux E, de Marsily D, Tille B, Barbreau A, Durand E, Feuga B, Peaudecerf P (1990) Modeling fracture flow with a stochastic discrete fracture network: calibration and validation. 1. The flow model. Water Resour Res 26:479–489

    Google Scholar 

  • Cassan M (1980) Les essais d’eau dans la reconnaissance des sols. Eyrolles, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  • Cruden DM (1977) Describing the size of discontinuities. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci Geomech Abstr 14:133–137

    Google Scholar 

  • Darcel C, Bour O, Davy P, de Dreuzy JR (2003) Connectivity properties of two-dimensional fracture networks with stochastic fractal correlation. Water Resour Res 39:1272. doi:10.1029/2002WR001628

    Google Scholar 

  • de Marsily G (1986) Quantitative hydrogeology. Academic Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Durham WB, Bonner BP (1995) Closure and fluid flow in discrete fractures. In: Myer LR, Cook NGW, Goodman RE, Tsang CF (eds) Fractured and jointed rock masses. Balkema, Rotterdam, pp 441–446

  • El Tani M (2003) Circular tunnel in a semi-infinite aquifer. Tunn Undergr Space Technol 18:49–55

    Google Scholar 

  • El Tani M (2010) Helmholtz evolution of a semi-infinite aquifer drained by a circular tunnel. Tunn Undergr Space Technol 25:54–62

    Google Scholar 

  • Engelder T, Scholz CH (1981) Fluid flow along very smooth joints at effective pressures up to 200 megapascals. In: Mechanical Behaviour of Crustal Rock. Am Geophys Union Monograph 24:147–152

    Google Scholar 

  • Foyo A, Sánchez MA, Tomillo C (2005) A proposal for a secondary permeability index obtained from water pressure tests in dam foundations. Eng Geol 77:69–82

    Google Scholar 

  • Franciss FO (2010) Fractured rock hydraulics. CRC Press/Balkema, Boca Raton, 179 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Gale JE (1987) Comparison of coupled fracture deformation and fluid flow models with direct measurements of fracture pore structure and stress-flow properties. In: Farmer IW, Daemen JJK, Desai CS, Glass CE, Neuman SP (eds) Rock mechanics: proceedings of the 28th U.S. symposium, Tucson, Arizona, June/July 1987. Balkema, Rotterdam, pp 1213–1222

  • Galperin AM, Zaytsev VS, Norvatov YA (1993) Hydrogeology and engineering geology. Balkema, Rotterdam, 367 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Gates WCB (1997) The hydro-potential (HP) value: a rock classification technique for evaluation of the ground-water potential in fractured bedrock. Environ Eng Geosci 3(2):251–267

    Google Scholar 

  • Gentier S, Billaux D (1989) Caracterisation en laboratoire de l’espace fissural d’une fracture. In: Proceedings of the international symposium on rock at great depth, Pau, France, August 1989, Balkema, Rotterdam

  • Gonzalez de Vallejo LI (2005) Geoingegneria. Pearson Education, Milan, 717 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Goodman RE, Moye DG, Van Schalkwyk A, Javandel I (1965) Ground water inflows during tunnel driving. Eng Geol 2:39–56

    Google Scholar 

  • Gross MR (1993) The origin and spacing of cross joints: examples from the Monterey formation, Santa Barbara coastline, California. J Struct Geol 15:737–751

    Google Scholar 

  • Gustafson G (2012) Hydrogeology for rock engineers. Published by BeFo with ISRM sponsorship, Sweden, p 171

  • Hakami E, Barton N (1990) Aperture measurements and flow experiments using transparent replicas of rock joints. In: Barton N, Stephansson O (eds) Proceedings of the international symposium on rock joints, Loen, Norway, June 1990. Balkema, Rotterdam, pp 383–390

  • Hamm S-Y, Kim MS, Cheong J-Y, Kin J-Y, Son M, Kim T-W (2007) Relationship between hydraulic conductivity and fracture properties estimated from packer tests and borehole data in a fractured granite. Eng Geol 92:73–87

    Google Scholar 

  • Harris JF, Taylor GL, Walper JL (1960) Relation of deformational fractures in sedimentary rocks to regional and local structure. AAPG Bull 44:1853–1873

    Google Scholar 

  • Heuer R (1995) Approche quantitative, théorique et empirique, del Ronald E.Heuer, sur le venues d’eu en tunnel. In: Proceedings of the rapid excavation and tunneling conference, San Francisco, California, June 1995

  • Hobbs DW (1967) The formation of tension joints in sedimentary rocks: an explanation. Geol Mag 104:550–556

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoek E (1994) The challenge of input data for rock engineering. ISRM News J 2(2):23–24

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoek E, Brown ET (1980) Underground excavations in rock. Institution of Mining and Metallurgy, London, 527 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Holmøy KH (2008) Significance of geological parameters for predicting water leakage in hard rock tunnels. Dissertation, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway

  • Hosseinian A, Rasouli V, Rasouli V (2010) Fluid flow response of JRC exemplar profiles. In: Proceedings of EUROCK 2010—rock mechanics in civil and environmental engineering, Lausanne, Switzerland, June 2010

  • Hsieh PA, Neuman SP (1985) Field determination of the three-dimensional hydraulic conductivity tensor of anisotropic media: 1. Theory. Water Resour Res 21:1655–1665

    Google Scholar 

  • Hsu YJ, Chung M, Ku C, Tan C, Weng W (2007) An application of acoustic televiewer and double packer system to the study of the hydraulic properties of fractured rocks. In: Proceedings of the 60th Canadian geotechnical conference and 8th joint CGS/IAH-CNC groundwater conference, Ottawa, Canada, October 2007, vol 1, pp 415–422

  • Huang Q, Angelier J (1989) Fracture spacing and its relation to bed thickness. Geol Mag 126:355–362

    Google Scholar 

  • Hudson JA, Harrison JP (1997) Engineering rock mechanics: an introduction to the principles. Pergamon Press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Hwang J-H, Lu C-C (2007) A semi-analytical method for analyzing the tunnel water inflow. Tunn Undergr Space Technol 22:39–46

    Google Scholar 

  • International Society for Rock Mechanics (ISRM) (1981) Rock characterization testing & monitoring: ISRM suggested methods. Commission on testing methods

  • Iwai K (1976) Fundamental studies of fluid flow through a single fracture. Ph.D. thesis, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA, 208 pp

  • Jacob CE, Lohman SW (1952) Nonsteady flow to a well of constant drawdown in an extensive aquifer. Trans AGU 33(4):559–569

    Google Scholar 

  • Kranz RL (1979) Crack growth and development during creep of Barre granite. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci Geomech Abstr 16:23–35

    Google Scholar 

  • Kiraly L (1969) Anisotropie et hétérogénéité de la perméabilité dans les calcaires fissurés. Eclogae Geol Helv 62(2):613–619

    Google Scholar 

  • Kiraly L (1978) La notion d’unité hydrogéologique. Bull Cent Hydrogéol Neuchâtel 2:83–216

    Google Scholar 

  • Ladeira FL, Price NJ (1981) Relationship between fracture spacing and bed thickness. J Struct Geol 3(2):179–183

    Google Scholar 

  • Lapcevic PA, Novakowski KS, Cherry JA (1990) The characterization of two discrete horizontal fractures in shale. In: Proceedings of the technology transfer conference, Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Toronto, Canada, November 1989

  • Lee HS, Cho TF (2002) Hydraulic characteristics of rough fractures in linear flow under normal and shear load. Rock Mech Rock Eng 35(4):299–318

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee CH, Farmer I (1993) Fluid flow in discontinuous rock. Chapman & Hall, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee C-H, Deng B-W, Chang J-L (1995) A continuum approach for estimating permeability in naturally fractured rocks. Eng Geol 39:71–85

    Google Scholar 

  • Lei S (1999) An analytical solution for steady flow into a tunnel. Ground Water 37:23–26

    Google Scholar 

  • Lin L, Xu Y (2006) A tensor approach to the estimation of hydraulic conductivities in Table Mountain Group aquifers of South Africa. Water SA 32(3):371–378

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu J, Elsworth D, Brady BH (1999) Linking stress-dependent effective porosity and hydraulic conductivity fields to RMR. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 36:581–596

    Google Scholar 

  • Lombardi G (1992) The F.E.S. rock mass model. Part I. Dam Engineering 3:49–76

    Google Scholar 

  • Lomize GM (1951) Water flow through jointed rock (in Russian). Gosenergoizdat, Moscow

    Google Scholar 

  • Long JCS, Remer JS, Wilson CR, Witherspoon PA (1982) Porous media equivalents for networks of discontinuous fractures. Water Resour Res 18(3):645–658

    Google Scholar 

  • Louis C (1974) Introduction à l’hydraulique des roches. Bur Rech Geol Min 4(3):283–356

    Google Scholar 

  • Maréchal J-C, Perrochet P (2003) New analytical solution for the study of hydraulic interaction between Alpine tunnels and groundwater. Bull Soc Géol Fr 174(5):441–448

    Google Scholar 

  • Mathab MA, Grasso P (1992) Geomechanics principles in the design of tunnels and caverns in rocks. Elsevier Press, Amsterdam, 250 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Min K-B, Jing L, Stephansson O (2004) Determining the equivalent permeability tensor for fractured rock masses using a stochastic REV approach: method and application to the field data from Sellafield, UK. Hydrogeol J 12(5):497–510

    Google Scholar 

  • Muskat M (1937) The flow of homogeneous fluids through porous media. McGraw Hill, New York, pp 175–181

    Google Scholar 

  • Narr W, Suppe J (1991) Joint spacing in sedimentary rocks. J Struct Geol 13(9):1037–1048

    Google Scholar 

  • Nilsen B (2011) Hard rock tunnelling with particular focus on deep, subsea tunnels in difficult rock conditions. In: Proceedings of lectures for new horizons by eminent scholars, ESCO seminar, Seoul Korea, May 2011, pp 1–25

  • Nilsen B, Henning JE (2009) Thirty years of experience with subsea tunnels. In: Proceedings of the 5th symposium on strait crossings 2009, Trondheim, Norway, June 2009. Tapir Uttrykk, pp 35–44

  • Oda M (1985) Permeability tensor for discontinuous rock masses. Geotechnique 35:483–495

    Google Scholar 

  • Odling NE (1997) Scaling and connectivity of joint systems in sandstones from western Norway. J Struct Geol 19:1257–1271

    Google Scholar 

  • Odling NE, Gillespie P, Bourgine B, Castaing C, Chiles JP, Christensen NP, Fillion E, Genter A, Olsen C, Thrane L, Trice R, Aarseth E, Walsh JJ, Watterson J (1999) Variations in fracture system geometry and their implications for fluid flow in fractured hydrocarbon reservoirs. Pet Geosci 5(4):373–384

    Google Scholar 

  • Olsson WA, Brown SR (1993) Hydromechanical response of a fracture undergoing compression and shear. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci Geomech Abstr 30:845–851

    Google Scholar 

  • Palmstrom A (2005) Measurements of and correlations between block size and rock quality designation (RQD). Tunn Undergr Space Technol 20:362–377

    Google Scholar 

  • Park K-H, Leeb J-G, Owatsiriwonga A (2008) Seepage force in a drained circular tunnel: an analytical approach. Can Geotech J 45:432–436

    Google Scholar 

  • Pelizza S, Soldo L (1995) Nel mondo del tunnelling la catena progettuale è indebolita dalle scarse indagini preliminari. COCIS, Luglio-Ottobre, pp 24–26

    Google Scholar 

  • Perrochet P (2005) Confined flow into a tunnel during progressive drilling: an analytical solution. Ground Water 43(6):943–946

    Google Scholar 

  • Piggott AR (1990) Analytical and experimental studies of rock fracture hydraulics. Ph.D. thesis, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA

  • Pineau A (1985) L’échantillonage des espacements entre fractures: une distribution exponentielle négative tronquée. Comptes Rendus de l’Académie des Sciences, Série II 301:1043–1046

    Google Scholar 

  • Polubarinova KPA (1962) Theory of ground water movement. Translated by De Wiest RJM. Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersy

  • Price NJ (1966) Fault and joint development in brittle and semibrittle rock. Pergamon Press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Priest SD (1985) Hemispherical projection methods in rock mechanics. George Allen and Unwin, London, 124 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Priest SD, Hudson JA (1976) Discontinuity spacings in rock. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci Geomech Abstr 13:135–148

    Google Scholar 

  • Priest SD, Hudson JA (1981) Estimation of discontinuity spacing and trace length using scanline surveys. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci Geomech Abstr 18:183–197

    Google Scholar 

  • Pyrak-Nolte LJ, Myer LR, Cook NGW (1990a) Transmission of seismic waves across single natural fractures. J Geophys Res 95:8617–8638

    Google Scholar 

  • Pyrak-Nolte LJ, Nolte DD, Myer LR, Cook NGW (1990b) Fluid flow through single fractures. In: Barton N, Stephansson O (eds) Proceedings of the international symposium on rock joints, Loen, Norway, June 1990. Balkema, Rotterdam, pp 405–412

  • Rat M (1973) Ecoulement et répartition des pressions interstitielles autour des tunnels. Bull Liaison Lab Ponts Chauss 68:109–124

    Google Scholar 

  • Raven KG, Gale JE (1985) Water flow in a natural rock fracture as a function of stress and sample size. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci Geomech Abstr 22(4):251–261

    Google Scholar 

  • Renshaw CE, Park JC (1997) Effect of mechanical interactions on the scaling of fracture length and aperture. Nature 386:482–484

    Google Scholar 

  • Reuter E, Kopp B, Lemke S (2000) Hallandsas Tunnel. Waterproofing system with a 4 mm thick plastic membrane. Tunnel 6:39–45

    Google Scholar 

  • Robinson PC (1983) Connectivity of fracture systems—a percolation theory approach. J Phys Math A Math Gen 16(3):605–614

    Google Scholar 

  • Robinson PC (1984) Connectivity, flow and transport in network models of fractured media. Ph.D. thesis, Oxford University

  • Rouleau A, Gale JE (1985) Statistical characterization of the fracture system in the Stripa granite, Sweden. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci Geomech Abstr 22:353–367

    Google Scholar 

  • Rutqvist J, Stephansson O (2003) The role of hydromechanical coupling in fractured rock engineering. Hydrogeol J 11(1):7–40

    Google Scholar 

  • Rutqvist J, Bäckström A, Chijimatsu M, Feng X-T, Pan P-Z, Hudson J, Jing L, Kobayashi A, Koyama T, Lee H-S, Huang X-H, Rinne M, Shen B (2009a) A multiple-code simulation study of the long-term EDZ evolution of geological nuclear waste repositories. From the issue entitled “Special Issue: THE DECOVALEX-THMC PROJECT (Safety assessment of nuclear waste repositories)”. Environ Geol 57:1313–1324

    Google Scholar 

  • Rutqvist J, Barr D, Birkholzer JT, Fujisaki K, Kolditz O, Liu Q-S, Fujita T, Wang W, Zhang C-Y (2009b) A comparative simulation study of coupled THM processes and their effect on fractured rock permeability around nuclear waste repositories. From the issue entitled “Special Issue: THE DECOVALEX-THMC PROJECT (Safety assessment of nuclear waste repositories)”. Environ Geol 57:1347–1360

    Google Scholar 

  • Sahimi M (1995) Flow and transport in porous media and fractured rock. Wiley-VCH, Weinheim

    Google Scholar 

  • Samardzioska T, Popov V (2005) Numerical comparison of the equivalent continuum, non-homogeneous and dual porosity models for flow and transport in fractured porous media. Adv Water Resour 28(3):235–255

    Google Scholar 

  • Scheidegger AE (1960) The physics of flow through porous media. Macmillan, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Schrauf TW, Evans DD (1986) Laboratory studies of gas flow through a single natural fracture. Water Resour Res 22(7):1038–1050

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz FW, Smith L, Crowe AS (1983) A stochastic analysis of macroscopic dispersion in fractured media. Water Resour Res 19:1253–1265

    Google Scholar 

  • Segan S, Karasaki K (1993) TRINET: A flow and transport code for fracture networks—user’s manual and tutorial. Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory report LBL-34834, Berkeley, CA

  • Serafim JL (1968) Influence of interstitial water on the behaviour of rock masses. In: Stagg KG, Zienkiewicz OC (eds) Rock mechanics in engineering practice. Wiley, New York, pp 55–97

    Google Scholar 

  • Shapiro AM, Andersson J (1985) Simulation of steady-state flow in three-dimensional fracture networks using the boundary-element method. Adv Water Resour 8:106–110

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith LP (1937) Heat flow in an infinite solid bounded internally by a cylinder. J Appl Phys 8:441–448

    Google Scholar 

  • Snow DT (1969) Anisotropie permeability of fractured media. Water Resour Res 5:1273–1289

    Google Scholar 

  • Tsang YW (1984) The effect of tortuosity on fluid flow through a single fracture. Water Resour Res 20(9):1209–1215

    Google Scholar 

  • Tsang YW, Witherspoon PA (1983) The dependence of fracture mechanical and fluid flow properties on fracture roughness and sample size. J Geophys Res 88(B3):2359–2366

    Google Scholar 

  • Walsh JB (1981) Effect of pore pressure and confining pressure on fracture permeability. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci Geomech Abstr 18:429–435

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang M, Kulatilake PHSW, Panda BB, Rucker ML (2001) Groundwater resources evaluation case study via discrete fracture flow modeling. Eng Geol 62:267–291

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang TT, Jeng FS, Lo W (2004) Mitigating large water ingress into New Yungchuen Tunnel, Taiwan. Bull Eng Geol Environ 70:173–186

    Google Scholar 

  • Wei ZQ, Hudson JA (1988) Permeability of jointed rock masses. In: Romana M (ed) Proceedings of the international symposium on rock mechanics and power plants, Madrid, Spain, September 1988. Balkema, Rotterdam, pp 613–626, ISBN 9061918278

  • Wei ZQ, Egger P, Descoeudres F (1992) Cyclic hydromechanical normal behaviour of rock joints. In: Proceedings of the ISRM conference on fractured and jointed rock masses, Lake Tahoe, California, June 1992, vol 2, pp 389–398

  • Wei ZQ, Egger P, Descoeudres F (1995) Permeability predictions for jointed rock masses. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci Geomech Abstr 32(3):251–261

    Google Scholar 

  • Witherspoon PA, Wang JSY, Iwai K, Gale JE (1980) Validity of Cubic Law for fluid flow in a deformable rock fracture. Water Resour Res 16(6):1016–1024

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang L, Franklin JA (1993) Prediction of water flow into rock tunnels: an analytical solution assuming an hydraulic conductivity gradient. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci Geomech Abstr 30(1):37–46

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhou CB, Sharma RS, Chen YF, Rong G (2008) Flow–stress coupled permeability tensor for fractured rock masses. Int J Num Anal Meth Geomech 32:1289–1309

    Google Scholar 

  • Zienkiewicz OC, Pande GN (1977) Time-dependent multilaminate model of rocks—a numerical study of deformation and failure of rock masses. Int J Num Analyt Meth Geomech 1:219–247

    Google Scholar 

  • Zimmerman RW, Bodvarsson GS (1996) Effective transmissivity of two-dimensional fracture networks. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci Geomech Abstr 33(4):433–438

    Google Scholar 

  • Zimmerman RW, Kumar S, Bodvarsson GS (1991) Lubrication theory analysis of the permeability of rough-walled fractures. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci Geomech Abstr 28(4):325–331

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank Emeritus Professor John A. Hudson of Imperial College in the UK for his editorial assistance during the preparation of this paper and the reviewers for their helpful comments.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth Sciences, University of Firenze, Via G. La Pira 4, 50121, Florence, Italy

    Massimo Coli & Alice Pinzani

Authors
  1. Massimo Coli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Alice Pinzani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alice Pinzani.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Coli, M., Pinzani, A. Tunnelling and Hydrogeological Issues: A Short Review of the Current State of the Art. Rock Mech Rock Eng 47, 839–851 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-012-0319-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-012-0319-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation