Dynamic response of a lined tunnel with transmitting boundaries

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to investigate the validity of transmitting boundaries in dynamic analysis of soil-structure interaction problems. As a case study, the proposed Baghdad metro line is considered. The information about the dimensions and the material properties of the concrete tunnel and surrounding soil were obtained from a previous study. A parametric study is carried out to investigate the effect of several parameters including the peak value of the horizontal component of earthquake displacement records and the frequency of the dynamic load. The computer program (Mod-MIXDYN) is used for the analysis. The numerical results are analyzed for three conditions; finite boundaries (traditional boundaries), infinite boundaries modelled by infinite elements (5-node mapped infinite element) presented by Selvadurai and Karpurapu, 1988), and infinite boundaries modelled by dashpot elements (viscous boundaries). It was found that the transmitting boundary absorbs most of the incident energy. The distinct reflections observed for the "fixed boundaries" disappear by using "transmitted boundaries". This is true for both cases of using viscous boundaries or mapped infinite elements. The type and location of the dynamic load represent two controlling factors in deciding the importance of using infinite boundaries. It was found that the results present significant differences when earthquake is applied as a base motion or a pressure load is applied at the surface ground. The peak value of the vertical displacement at nodes A, B, E and F (located at the tunnel's crown and side walls, and at the surface above the tunnel and at the surface 6.5 m away from tunnel's centre respectively) increases with the frequency of the surface pressure load for both cases 1 and 2 (traditional boundaries and mapped infinite elements respectively) while it decreases for case 3 (viscous boundaries). The modular ratio Ec/Es (modulus of elasticity of the concrete lining to that of the surrounding soil) has a considerable effect on the peak value of the horizontal displacement at node B (on the side wall of the tunnel lining) increase about (17.5) times, for the three cases (1, 2, and 3).