Two-Dimensional Numerical Analysis for TBM Tunneling-Induced Structure Settlement: A Proposed Modeling Method and Parametric Study

Abstract

The construction of tunnels in densely populated urban areas poses a significant challenge in terms of anticipating the settlement that may result from tunnel excavation. This paper presents a new and more realistic modeling method for tunnel excavation using a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM). This method is compared with other reference modeling methods using a validated model of a subsurface tunnel excavated by a TBM with a slurry shield. A parametric study is conducted to investigate the impact of key parameters, including structure width, foundation depth, eccentricity, load on the structure, overburden depth, and tunnel diameter, on tunnel–soil–structure interaction and the resulting structure settlements. The results reveal that the tunnel diameter, eccentricity, and overburden depth have a significant impact on structure settlements, with values of 22.5%, 17%, and 7.1%, respectively. Finally, the paper proposes an equation for predicting the maximum settlement of a structure, considering the critical parameters. The validity of the equation is evaluated by comparing its results with the outputs from various case studies, including a newly validated model, two real-life case studies, and centrifuge tests. The results indicate a high level of consistency between the calculated and measured settlements.

Novel Insights in Soil Mechanics: Integrating Experimental Investigation with Machine Learning for Unconfined Compression Parameter Prediction of Expansive Soil

“…Effective applications of various machine learning (ML) models have been found in geotechnical analysis. These models cover a broad range, including support vector machines (SVMs) [39], multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS) [40,41], relevant vector machines (RVMs) [42], decision tree regression (DTR) [43], gradient boosting regression (GBR) [43], K nearest neighbor regression (KNR) [43], particle swarm optimization (PSO) [44], random forest regression (RFR) [43], extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) [38,[45][46][47], extreme learning machines (ELMs) [40], symbolic regression (SR) [48,49], and artificial neural networks (ANNs) [50][51][52][53][54]. Table 1 summarizes several studies that employed machine learning in geotechnical engineering.…”

Optimization Analysis of Partition Wall Support Scheme of Multi-Arch Tunnel

“…According to geotechnical data and laboratory geotechnical experiment results and considering the "Code for Design of Composite Structures", model material parameters were determined, as summarized in Table 2. Strata were modeled using entity units with the Mohr-Column model; the initial support was modeled using plate elements with elastic behavior, and the middle wall was modeled using entity units with elastic behavior [3].…”

“…With the rapid expansion of urban railways, the construction of subway tunnels has progressively revealed the evolution features of enormous burial depth, large sections, and big spans [1][2][3][4][5]. The increase in the number of large-section tunnels has also created some engineering challenges, such as surrounding rock deformation [6][7][8], support structure instability [9][10][11], and lining cracking [12][13][14], which have seriously threatened project construction and operation safety.…”

Parametric Investigation of Interaction between Soil-Surface Structure and Twin Tunnel Excavation: A Comprehensive 2D Numerical Study

“…To validate the numerical modeling approach for simulating soil behavior during tunnel excavations, two constitutive models, namely HS (hardening soil) and HSS (hardening soil with small strain stiffness), were selected based on previous studies [6,7,23,30] that recommended their suitability. The numerical simulations were performed using a coarse mesh with local refinement, consisting of 703 elements.…”

“…This study represents an extension of a previous study [23], which primarily focused on the analysis of a single tunnel. In contrast, the current study delves into twin tunnels, enabling a comprehensive understanding of the distinctive interaction effects inherent in this specific tunnel configuration and its impact on surface structures.…”