Influence of foundation pit excavation on the internal force of adjacent shield segment structure

Abstract

As subway line density increases, excavation of foundation pits around tunnels unavoidably triggers soil disturbance. This consequently alters the on-site strain and distortion fields of the soil, resulting in internal force modifications in the tunnel shield segment and joint failure. To maintain tunnelling structure safety through numerous foundation pit diggings, this study uses a real-world project as its model. Leveraging the tunnel convergent deformation results derived from prior analyses with PLAXIS 3D software, the Midas GTS software is utilized to explore the alterations in internal forces and joint failure patterns of the tunnel subjected to convergent deformations of 4cm and 5cm. The findings are as follows: (i) Under the effect of a vertical load, the segment deformation takes on a transverse elliptical shape. (ii) The majority of joint failure is primarily focused around the foundation pit excavation area, where the base of the arch opens inwardly, and the midsection of the arch expands outwardly. (iii) The stress on the structure escalates as the extent of foundation pit excavation increases.