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Time-dependent ground movements induced by shield tunneling in soft clay: a parametric study

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Abstract

In this work, the effects of coupled hydromechanical (consolidation) processes associated with shield tunneling excavation in soft clays are investigated with particular attention to the prediction of ground movements at the ground surface. A series of 2d FE analyses have been carried out in parametric form in order to investigate the effects of tunnel excavation velocity relative to the soil consolidation rate and the hydraulic boundary conditions at the tunnel boundary. The shield advancement process has been simulated with a simplified procedure incorporating both volume loss and ovalization of the tunnel section. In order to investigate the relative importance of soil consolidation during the excavation process, different characteristic times for the tunnel face advancement and for the consolidation process around the tunnel have been considered, for the two limiting conditions of fully permeable liner and impervious liner. The potential damage induced by the tunnel excavation on existing structures, based on computed ground surface distortions and horizontal deformations, has been found to vary significantly with time during the consolidation process. The results of the simulations allowed to obtain useful information on the minimum tunnel face advancement speed for which the assumption of fully undrained conditions for the soil during the excavations is acceptable, as well as on the speed range for which solving the fully coupled hydromechanical problem is necessary.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the two anonymous reviewers for their useful comments and suggestions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. eCampus University, Novedrate, CO, Italy

    Elisabetta Cattoni

  2. Perugia, Italy

    Chiara Miriano

  3. University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy

    Laura Boco & Claudio Tamagnini

Authors
  1. Elisabetta Cattoni
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  2. Chiara Miriano
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  3. Laura Boco
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  4. Claudio Tamagnini
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Claudio Tamagnini.

Additional information

Chiara Miriano—Professional Engineer, formerly at University of Perugia.

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Cattoni, E., Miriano, C., Boco, L. et al. Time-dependent ground movements induced by shield tunneling in soft clay: a parametric study. Acta Geotech. 11, 1385–1399 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-016-0452-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-016-0452-x

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