Abstract
The first order reliability method (FORM) is applied to analyse the face stability of a circular tunnel driven by a pressurized shield, in a highly fractured rock mass characterized by the Hoek-Brown non-linear failure criterion. The collapse failure mode is studied in this paper. The authors employ a limit analysis approach with an advanced rotational failure mechanism. Rock mass parameters σ sub ci, GSI and m sub i are regarded as independent random variables with normal distributions. The reliability problem is solved numerically using FORM with an implicit limit-state function (LSF). A sensitivity analysis is conducted, as well. The results show that: (1) the reliability index increases with an increasing support pressure; (2) all three random variables considered are resistance variables; (3) σ sub ci is found to be the most important variable with higher support pressures, whereas, GSI becomes the most influential variable with lower support pressures.
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