Stress-Release Law and Deformation Characteristics of Large-Span Tunnel Excavated with Semi Central Diaphragm Method

Abstract

The proportion of large-span tunnels in newly-built highway tunnels is getting higher and higher, revealing the stress release law and deformation characteristics of the tunnel at different excavation steps has important guiding significance for the rational design of the supporting structure parameters. In this paper, a typical section of the Laohushan Tunnel was selected to analyze the stress and deformation response of the large-span tunnel excavated with the semi central diaphragm method (SCDM), with the numerical simulation and field monitoring method. The study found that during the excavation of the large-span tunnel with the SCDM, the stress and deformation response characteristics are different from those ordinary tunnels. Influenced by the settlement of the vault, there was a significant outward expansion tendency, and a high degree of stress concentration in the sidewall. In particular, the supporting structure at the sidewall has a deformation characteristic of expanding outward and then converging inward. In this paper, the in-depth analysis of the stress release law and deformation characteristics of the excavation process of large-span tunnels can provide reference for the excavation and support parameter design of similar projects.