A Simple Coupled Analysis of an Arch Bridge Subjected to Tunnelling-Induced Movements

Due to urban tunnelling activities, bridges may be subjected to excavation-induced ground movements that can affect their serviceability. The Tideway Tunnel being constructed in London involves multiple under-crossings of bridges along the River Thames. The monitoring data collected will provide an opportunity for the application and validation of numerical methods for tunnel-bridge interaction. Although field monitoring data are not yet available for publication, the response of the Grosvenor Bridge at Battersea to tunnelling-induced displacements is examined in this work with numerical models. In particular, a simple approach for the preliminary assessment of tunnelling impact on framed structures on shallow foundations is presented; the adopted two-stage finite element model uses integral forms of Mindlin’s solutions to calculate the soil stiffness matrix, while structural members including the piers, arches, deck and spandrel columns are modelled as beam elements in the superstructure stiffness matrix. Preliminary results provide useful insights into the response of arch bridges to tunnelling-induced ground movements at different levels of model complexity.