Face stability analysis of large shield-driven tunnel in rock-soil interface composite formations

Abstract

A new 3D log-spiral model (LS-M model) is proposed to determine the minimal support pressure on the tunnel face of a large shield-driven tunnel in rock-soil interface (RSI) composite formations. In the proposed LS-M model, we define the RSI angle ω and use a new approach to calculate the equivalent tunnel face area, which provides a collapse zone with more realistic geometry than the traditional wedge model. And it has acceptable accuracy with simpler implementation than limit equilibrium analysis. Comparing with previous studies and 3D numerical analysis, it indicates that: (i) the LS-M results agree well with others in full-soil formations on the variation patterns of minimum support pressure and stability coefficients Nc and Nγ; (ii) the critical RSI angle ωcr, which is predominantly influenced by soil cohesion, increases with the soil property values; (iii) the limit support pressure starts to increase with ω only when ω > ωcr; (iv) the peak support pressure occurs at lower C/D with a lower ω; (v) ω can only affect stability coefficients Nc and Nγ when ω and the friction angle are relatively small, while Ns is substantially influenced by RSI angle ω.