Propagation of settlement in soft soils induced by tunneling

Abstract

In practice, it is vital to know the propagation law of settlement in soil induced by tunneling. In this paper, a novel two-dimensional subsurface settlement propagation model is established based on the stochastic medium theory. The governing equation is solved with the assumed settlement profile at the tunnel crown using the Fourier transform method. Subsequently, the sensitivity of the subsurface settlement to the model parameters B and N is discussed. A database containing 12 case histories is used to establish the relationship between the elastic modulus of soil and the model parameters B and N by the linear fitting method. Results show that the model parameters B and N can reflect the vertical propagation ability and the compression (or swelling) performance of the overlying soil, respectively. Finally, the applicability of the proposed model is demonstrated with a case study of tunneling in clays. It is concluded that the model presented in this paper is highly effective and convenient for use in practice.