Numerical study of the mechanical process of long-distance replacement of the definitive lining in severely damaged highway tunnels

Abstract

Mountain road tunnels are prone to water leakage and lining corrosion under the complex geological conditions and corrosive environments, which will reduce the strength of the lining structure until it loses its load-bearing capacity; eventually, the definitive lining will need to be replaced. In this paper, a highway tunnel in a mountainous area in Southwest China is taken as an example. Field investigation found that the tunnel was seriously corroded by sulfate, the strength of the definitive lining decreased, and large-scale cracks and spalling appeared on the surface, so the operator decided to replace the definitive lining by the method of interval replacement. Based on the data obtained from drilling and coring, a numerical model of long-distance replacement of the definitive lining of the damaged tunnel is established. First, the back analysis of the calculation parameters is carried out, and the modified calculation results are compared with the field monitoring results for verification. Then, the deformation trend of the tunnel and the development of the plastic zone during the process of long-distance replacement of the definitive lining are studied. Finally, the construction scheme is optimized. Numerical analysis results show that the replacement of the definitive lining of the tunnel mainly leads to the settlement of the arch crown and the uplift of the inverted arch. The deformation of the tunnel shows two rapid growth stages and two stable stages during the replacement process; after replacement, the deformation of the arch crown and the inverted arch is divided into two buffer zones and one stable zone. In the progress of the replacement of the definitive lining, the plastic zone does not change. Regarding the reinforcement measures, with the increase in the grouting range, the grouting efficiency decreases, and the effect of the temporary steel arch on controlling the overall deformation is not obvious. The length of the replacement of the single section should be determined according to the geological conditions of the replacement section and the monitoring data during construction. The research results can provide a reference for similar projects for the replacement of the definitive lining.