Analysis on Seismic Damage Mechanism and Anti-Seismic Measures of Tunnels in Fault Fracture Zone

Abstract

Fault fracture zone is an important factor that leads to tunnel seismic damage. In order to research failure mechanism and anti-seismic measures of tunnels across large fault fracture zone, theoretical analysis and numerical simulation has been done to Jiaozhou Bay submarine tunnel in Qingdao. The research results indicate that: in fault fracture zones, surrounding rocks instability resulting from ground motion, the huge earthquake inertial force, and the deformation energy by bedrock surface wave with macro energy all can cause damage to tunnel lining, yet the latter is the primary reason; when the differences of mass density and stiffness between tunnel lining and wall rocks become big, ductile tunnels with light weight will aggravate damage to tunnels rather than improve their anti-seismic capability; keeping stability of surrounding rocks and guaranteeing mass density and stiffness of tunnel lining to be the same as or similar to that of surrounding rocks could prevent tunnel damages in fault fracture zone, yet the latter is the most effective way. This research achievement can set particular examples for research on seismic damage mechanism and for anti-seismic design of tunnel structure in highly seismic regions.