Visualization and digitization of model tunnel deformation via transparent soil testing technique

Abstract

With the increasing demand for transportation infrastructure, the construction of urban tunnel systems linking different areas is indispensable. The deformation and the failure process during a tunnel excavation are essential concerns for geotechnical engineers. However, few studies have systematically investigated the effect of the ground loss ratio on tunnel deformation and the inequality between the ground loss ratio and the volume of the settlement trough. An experimental study using the transparent soil testing technique is performed herein for better visualization and digitization purposes. The three dimensional vertical and horizontal deformation patterns of a single tunnel are investigated for both the surface and the stratum right below considering different ground loss ratios. The relationship among the empirical constant of the settlement trough width, buried depth, depth–diameter ratio, and ground loss ratio is presented.