In-site experiments on the swelling characteristics of a shield tunnel in expansive clay: A case study

Abstract

Expansive soil swells, softens, and disintegrates when absorbing water, whereas it shrinks when losing water. Understanding the swelling characteristics of a shield tunnel in expansive soil is important. However, most in-site experiences on the swelling characteristics of a tunnel are obtained from the NATM tunnels constructed in swelling rock using drill and blast method; most laboratory experiments or theoretical analyses on the swelling characteristics of a shield tunnel in expansive soil are under certain hypotheses which have not been verified in actual situation. To solve the problems, the Slender West Lake tunnel was selected as the background, laboratory and in-site experiments were performed to understand the swelling characteristics of a shield tunnel in expansive clay. Four experimental sections were constructed in the actual tunnel. The measuring gauges were pre-installed in the segments in factory and the segments were installed in-site to observe the actual earth pressure and temperature during construction. The influences of expansive soil to the distributions and variations of earth pressure, bending moment, and temperature were analyzed. The increasing earth pressure was divided into three stages. Large earth pressure was detected at the top, bottom, left, and right sides of the tunnel. The earth pressure at the left and right sides was larger than that at the top and bottom. Large negative bending moment was detected at the top and bottom of the tunnel, whereas large positive bending moment was detected at the left and right sides of the tunnel. The minimum bending moment appeared at 45° oblique. The largest negative bending moment was larger than the largest positive bending moment. Based on the observations, a load mode of swelling pressure for a beam-spring model was suggested. It can be referred by the similar tunnels.