Abstract
Road and railway tunnels in cold regions are often affected by water leakages and freezing temperatures, which increase the risk of severe damage in shotcrete linings. Within this context, two environmental conditions are investigated in this paper with reference to a low-alkali-based shotcrete; i.e., the coupling of seepage and temperature (named the “open system”) and the temperature uncoupled with seepage (named the “closed system”). Based on the physical and mechanical tests performed on two shotcrete slabs, the previously mentioned environmental conditions are analyzed with reference to concrete mechanical properties, strain characteristics and pore structure. The results are summarized as follows: (1) The stiffness and compression strength of shotcrete are weakened due to water continuously seeping through the shotcrete during the freezing and thawing process. (2) The residual tensile strain of the open system is significantly higher than that of the closed system. (3) The seepage and temperature coupling favors the deterioration of micro-pore structure, which has adverse effects on the mechanical performance of shotcrete matrix.
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