Abstract
The presence of an aquifer in the soil causes a change in a relevant way of the stability conditions of a tunnel. The flow of water in the pores, in fact, modifies the stress and strain state of the soil and causes an increase in the thickness of the plastic zone. As a result the loads transmitted on the lining increase. In this study a calculation procedure by finite differences method, able to determine the stress and strain state of the soil in the presence of the water flow in the pores, is presented. More particularly, using the proposed procedure, it is possible to determine the convergence-confinement curve of the tunnel and the trend of the plastic radius varying the internal pressure. A calculation example is used to detect the great influence that the presence of the aquifer has on the stress and strain state of the soil and on the pressure-displacement relationship of the tunnel wall.
Highlights
The groundwater presence in the soil has an important effect on the stability of a tunnel
The static conditions are exacerbated by the presence of a groundwater flow towards the tunnel, which may lead to the soil breakage for a portion more or less extended ahead of the face (Oreste, 2013)
The presence of a flow of water in the soil pores towards the tunnel involves a worsening of the stability conditions that cannot be neglected
Summary
The groundwater presence in the soil has an important effect on the stability of a tunnel. The static conditions are exacerbated by the presence of a groundwater flow towards the tunnel, which may lead to the soil breakage for a portion more or less extended ahead of the face (Oreste, 2013) It is, fundamental to detect critical conditions for the tunnel stability, when an aquifer is present (Carranza-Torres and Zhao, 2009; Nam and Bobet, 2006; Li et al, 2014; Wang et al, 2008). Fundamental to detect critical conditions for the tunnel stability, when an aquifer is present (Carranza-Torres and Zhao, 2009; Nam and Bobet, 2006; Li et al, 2014; Wang et al, 2008) The numerical methods, both two-dimensional and three-dimensional ones (Do et al, 2014; 2015; Oreste, 2007), are able to study in detail the stress and strain state around a tunnel and in the support structure. The numerical methods, especially the three-dimensional ones, appear to be very slow when they have to analyze the behavior of a tunnel in a porous medium with groundwater
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