Study on the Seismic Response Characteristics of Shield Tunnels with Different General Segment Assembly Methods and Widths

Abstract

Shield tunnels assembled with general ring segments are widely used in urban areas. Segment assembly methods and widths cause changes in the mechanical properties of the structure and influence the seismic response of shield tunnels. To investigate the influence of the assembly method and width of the general ring segment on the seismic performance of a shield tunnel, a three-dimensional refined soil–structure dynamic interaction finite element model of the shield tunnel was established based on ABAQUS, and the mechanical response and joint deformation of the general ring lining under seismic loads were studied. The simulation results show the following: (i) The overall deformation of the tunnel lining is not significantly affected by the assembly method, and the difference is only 5.24% under a 0.4 g earthquake. (ii) The seismic responses of general ring tunnels with different assembly methods are quite different, and the mechanical properties of the shield tunnel assembled with the straight assembly method are better than those of the shield tunnel assembled with staggered joints, but the deformation of the structure is larger. Under the action of a 0.1 g earthquake, the radial force, circumferential force, and bending moment of the staggered 90° assembly tunnel are respectively reduced by 13.6%, 11.1%, and 17.8% compared with the staggered 45° assembly structure, but the maximum intra-opening deformation increases by 0.19, 0.58, and 2.4 mm, respectively. (iii) The internal force distribution of the bolts is controlled by the deformation of the joint; compared with the CF90 and TF assembled tunnels, the mechanical properties and deformation characteristics of the CF45 and CF90 assembled tunnels are more reasonable. (iv) The extrados and intrados joint opening deformation and shear dislocation of the 1.2 m wide general ring segment under the staggered assembly increase by 1.2 mm and 1.03 mm, respectively, compared with the 1.5 m wide segment, while the radial force, circumferential force, and bending moment are reduced by 24.4%, 36.5%, and 41.7%, respectively, indicating that the seismic performance of the shield tunnel with a segment width of 1.5 m is better than that of the shield tunnel with a width of 1.2 m.