Modified complex variable method for displacement induced by surcharge loads and shallow tunnel excavation

Abstract

In geo-engineering, mechanical problems of surcharge loads acting on ground surface and shallow tunnel excavation are often encountered. When the complex variable method is applied, such problems turn to non-zero resultant issues and generally result in infinite displacement singularity in geomaterial at infinity, which violates the fact that displacement components at infinity should be zero in field observations. The displacement singularity at infinity caused by non-zero resultants corresponds non-zero coefficients of logarithmic items in complex potentials. To eliminate the singularity at infinity, the symmetrical method is adopted so that the far-field displacement obtained from the modified displacement solution conducted by the complex variable method would be logically identical to the reality. Two fundamental cases of single surcharge load acting on ground surface and single tunnel excavation are presented to verify the modified displacement solution, and good agreements are observed. The main advantage that the proposed solution eliminates displacement singularity at infinity and makes far-field displacement logically accord with field observation is presented by comparing to the original solution. The drawback that the proposed solution is dependent on modified depth is discussed as well.