Experimental and numerical simulation of the propagation law of shock waves in corrugated steel-lined tunnels

Abstract

Corrugated steel support structures are widely used in engineering tunnels owing to their rapid construction and high bearing performance, allowing for the complex propagation of shock waves. To clarify the propagation law of shock waves in a corrugated steel tunnel with interior lining, a 30-m-long straight tunnel was built to explore the propagation of an explosion shock wave, and three different tunnel inner walls were designed, namely, a concrete inner wall and two types of corrugated steel linings. Based on the data on the monitored shock wave, the propagation law of shock waves in the tunnel was obtained, and the influence of corrugated steel linings on the shock waves was analyzed. A finite element model of the channel was established to verify the results of experiment and determine the model and related parameters. This model was also used to perform a numerical simulation of explosion shock wave propagation in corrugated steel-lined tunnels of various sizes. Based on the experimental and numerical simulation results, a prediction model of shock wave overpressure in corrugated steel-lined tunnels was obtained. Research showed that the shock-wave energy of wavefronts near walls was diverted, the formation and propagation of waves reflected from walls was affected by corrugated steel linings, which effectively improved the attenuation efficiency of shock waves in tunnels.