Study on the Extension of Critical Zones Along Tunnel Alignments and Its Impact on Structural Damage to Nearby Buildings

Abstract

When tunnelling in urban environment, tunnels are unavoidably excavated in close proximity of neighbouring buildings. It is inevitable that tunnels will interact with building foundations and other existing infrastructures. Consequently, ground movements produced by tunnel works and namely settlement, can cause serious damage to existing buildings. The objective of this study is to investigate the critical area in terms of ground movements produced by tunnelling by using the gaussian distribution function which is the most famous approach used in practice engineering for studying settlements induced by tunnel excavation, combined with conventional damage risk assessment approach based on limit value of highest settlement.