Tunnel Depth Research Articles

Depth of mucosal tunnel in peri-implant health during 12-month follow-up in patients with controlled periodontitis.

The association between thickness of peri-implant mucosa, known as mucosal tunnel (MT) and related clinical parameters in bone-level implants has not been investigated. Posterior implants, in patients with controlled periodontitis, were evaluated at different time intervals: during uncovering surgery (T0 ), 2-month after uncovering surgery (T2M ) and 12-month after placement (T12M ). Clinical parameters including vertical soft tissue height (VSTH), MT, tooth-implant discrepancy of bone level (DBL), pocket depth (PD), peri-implant marginal bone loss (MBL), emergence profile and emergence angle (EA) were collected, and the correlation were assessed at different time points. Forty-two patients with 60 implants were recruited, and 81.7% of the patients were Stage III-IV, Grade B-C generalized periodontitis. MT presented no significant difference in PD, VSTH, and MBL. Periodontitis Grade C and absence of bone regeneration were significant predictors for deep MT (>3mm), and 5.850 less EA at mesial side of implants (p=0.02).The regression of analysis implied the increase of DBL 1mm would cause 0.26mm deeper MT, 1.7 times higher risk of having deep MT (p=0.041; OR=1.731; 95% CI:1.02-2.93) and 2.1 times higher risk of having circumferential PD>4mm (p=0.019; OR=2.1; 95% CI:1.13-3.92). In bone-level implants, a correlation between MT and clinical parameters at 12-month follow-up was not found. However, history of periodontitis Grade C, absence of bone regeneration and tooth-implant discrepancy of bone level might define the depth of MT. Additionally, the depth of MT played a critical role in determining restorative design.

Numerical Analysis for Prediction of Optimum Deformation of Long Tunnel Crown Stability with Respect to Excavation Depth

Optimum stability of tunnel structures and ground movements are influenced by excavation, and these are issues of greater concern as far as the stability of any underground structure is concerned. The critical area of concern is the stability of the tunnel crown which requires special attention to ensure the stability of the tunnel structures and the safety of both man powers and the equipment used. Before the advent of powerful design aids tools such as numerical analysis software, the tunnel’s design was primarily based on experience. The use of numerical analysis software has made it possible to model and predict the actual site conditions to achieve safer and more economical designs. This study aims to understand and predict the stability of the tunnel crown with respect to excavation depth by using Plaxis 2D v8 finite element analysis software and East Coast Railway, Malaysia tunnel project as a case study. The site condition was modeled and excavated at various tunnel depths of 0.5D,1.0D,1.5D,2.0D,2.5D to 3.0D which are around 7 m to 42 m depths, where D is the tunnel diameter. Based on the output results, both vertical and horizontal displacements show appreciable increases as the tunnel depths get deeper due to overburden. The result confirmed that there is a clear relationship between the tunnel excavation depth and the stability of the tunnel crown.

Double-O-Tube Shield Tunneling-Induced Soil Displacement Considering Burial Depth and Convergence Mode: Transparent Soil Experiment and DEM Simulation

Double-O-tube shield tunneling technology has gained extensive attention due to saving space and the high cost-effectiveness of the underground construction method. Estimating and predicting DOT shield tunneling-induced soil displacements is essential to prevent damage to nearby aboveground and underground structures in densely populated urban areas. This study develops a device for modeling DOT shield tunneling based on transparent soil technology and image processing technique and investigates soil displacement during the construction process of the DOT shield tunnel, which is considered in the uniform convergence mode (UCM) of soil loss. Meanwhile, the soil displacement under the non-uniform convergence mode (NCM) is analyzed contrastively using a two-dimension particle flow code (PFC2D). The results show that horizontal displacements increase gradually when the shield tail passes the monitoring face, while settlements increase rapidly. The maximum horizontal displacement of the surface and the maximum surface settlement under NCM are slightly larger than those under UCM. A trapezoid-shaped failure pattern of soil is experienced at three tunnel depths. The maximum soil displacement under NCM is 1.93, 2.10, and 2.05 times, respectively, as much as that under UCM, corresponding to H/D (the ratio of the tunnel depth to the tunnel diameter) = 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0. The soil arch effect above DOT tunnels arises as the DOT tunnel depth increases. Moreover, the experimental and numerical results are adopted to assess the validity of the proposed model, which indicates that the proposed model is close to the test results of the disturbance zone on DOT tunnels.

Numerical study on high-frequency effect of rail corrugation on subway-induced environmental vibrations.

Rail corrugation is a common phenomenon in railway engineering, but its high-frequency effects on environmental vibrations are neglected in most previous research. Therefore, a hybrid numerical method was proposed in this paper to analyze subway-induced ground vibrations, especially in the high-frequency range caused by rail corrugation. The analysis model composed of a three-dimensional (3D) load generation subsystem and a two-dimensional (2D) wave propagation subsystem was established based on the vehicle-track coupling method and finite element method, and validated by the measured data. Then the high-frequency effects under different tunnel depths and rail fasteners were further studied. The results show that high-frequency vibrations propagate radially from the tunnel wall to the surrounding soil and transmit to the ground by the dominant path under different tunnel depths. The increase of tunnel depths could result in more serious high-frequency effects in the vibration amplification region. When the depth changes from 17 to 29 m, the 250 Hz ground vibration at around 30 m away from the track increases by 5.6 dB. Besides, it was found that in the commonly used range, the reduction of fastener stiffness can effectively eliminate high-frequency ground vibrations, while there is a significant nonlinear relationship between fastener damping and high-frequency vibration. The findings of this paper could provide references for parameter design in subway construction and rail corrugation remediation, and help create better living environments.

Study on the Surrounding Rock Pressure Characteristics of Loess Tunnel Based on Statistical Analysis in China

A method of load calculation in a tunnel was adopted in consideration of the state of covering depth. Due to the macropore characteristics of loess soil, the existing demarcation regulations of deep and shallow tunnels are inappropriate for large-section and shallow loess in highway tunnels. To determine the load of large-section loess tunnel and provide a proper reference for structural design, the theoretical basis for distinguishing depth of deep and shallow tunnels, as well as the characteristics of common calculation methods for surrounding rock load on depth, were analyzed. Through statistical analysis and significance analysis, the significance of the variation of surrounding rock pressure with cover depth was studied. Correlation analysis was carried out on significant results to fit the relationship between cover depth and surrounding rock pressure. The results showed that the surrounding rock pressure varied linearly with the cover depth, and the surrounding rock pressure was about 0.3 times the initial pressure in deep tunnels. The surrounding rock pressure of shallow tunnels did not change significantly with the cover depth, and the surrounding rock pressure was loose pressure. A method based on statistics was proposed to distinguish the cover depth threshold (CDT) of deep and shallow tunnels.

Double-Cell Prefabricated Utility Tunnel Composed of Groove-Shaped Elements: An Extended Study of Stiffness Reduction Method

Based on the semi-rigid characteristics of a double-cell prefabricated utility tunnel composed of groove-shaped elements (PUTCGE), this paper proposes an extended study of a stiffness reduction method for PUTCGEs by introducing the stiffness reduction and bending moment adjustment coefficients of the sidewalls. The effects of the joint stiffness ratio, the aspect ratio of width to height, the coefficient of subgrade reaction, and the embedment depth of the utility tunnel on the stiffness reduction and bending moment adjustment coefficients were investigated, and calculation formulas were established. The results showed that the stiffness reduction coefficient increased with the increase in the joint stiffness ratio, while the bending moment adjustment coefficient decreased with the increase in the joint stiffness ratio. The stiffness reduction coefficient increased with the decrease in the aspect ratio of width to height, while the effect of the aspect ratio of width to height on the bending moment adjustment coefficient was found to be very small. It was also found that neither the coefficient of subgrade reaction nor the embedment depth had a significant effect on the stiffness reduction and bending moment adjustment coefficients. The stiffness reduction method for the PUTCGE was validated through comparison with a full-scale physical model test. The proposed method can provide a reference for designing PUTCGEs for underground construction.

Behaviour of Horseshoe-Shaped Tunnel Subjected to Different In Situ Stress Fields

At great depths, tunnel openings experience a tectonic stress field rather than overburden stress. This paper aims to examine the impact of different in situ stress ratios and multiple tunnel depths below the surface on the excavation induced-stresses and displacements around tunnel openings. Thus, a series of models has been built, using a two-dimensional elasto-plastic finite-elements code, RS2D, to conduct parametric stability analysis. The performance of tunnel opening is examined by evaluating the induced stress-deformation around the opening. The results indicate that ratio of wall convergence, roof sag and floor heave increase as in situ stress ratio and tunnel depth below surface increase. Additionally, the induced-stresses increase as depth and state of in situ stress increase. In addition, the extent of yielding zones into rock mass around tunnel roof and floor deteriorates as tunnel depth and in situ stress ratio increase. Moreover, the normal stress along rock joints is sharply dropped when joints pass in the vicinity of tunnel opening (e.g., centre of opening). As well, the direction of shear stress along joints is reversed. Consequently, inward shear displacement of rock, on the underside of the weakness plane, is produced as a result of slip occurrence.

Failure analysis and control measures for tunnel faces in water-rich sandy dolomite formations

Revealing the mechanism of sand gushing triggered by failure of tunnel face in water-rich sandy dolomite strata contributes to the safe construction of tunnels. In this paper, we find that sandy dolomite and the water environment are the key factors causing sand gushing through geophysical prospecting at the tunnel face where 12,000 m3 sand surge occurred. Through the flow-solid coupling model, the extrusion deformation at the tunnel face is the main deformation form in the tunnel of water-rich sandy dolomite strata. The influence of different factors on the deformation value of the tunnel face is from strong to weak: sandification degree, head height, and tunnel depth. Combined with the study of pressure arch characteristics of the model, the limit equilibrium theory considering seepage effects and pressure arch characteristics is proposed. We get that sand gushing will occur in the tunnel in the intensively sandy dolomite strata where the head exceeds 80 m. For the intensively sandy dolomite strata with head below 80 m, the stability of the tunnel face is controlled by the degree of seepage damage. According to the reason of sand gushing, the comprehensive control measures consisting of risk identification by over-detection, double-layer close-packed pipe shed, grouting sealing technology and dewatering technology, and Milling and blasting combined construction method are proposed, and the effective control of tunnel working face is realized in practical application.

Classification of the loosening zones and estimation of the loosening pressures of tunnels in layered jointed rock strata.

Due to the complexity of tunnels, accurate prediction of their loosening pressures in layered jointed rock strata is a very difficult engineering task. To recognize loosening patterns and estimate loosening pressures, numerical tests were employed in areas where tunnels were excavated in layered jointed rock strata. A total of 12 influential factors, including joints, tunnel depth, and strata, were considered in each of the numerical models. Three loosening patterns were found in the numerical testing: a ringent trumpet-shaped boundary, an arch-shaped boundary, and a closing-trend trumpet-shaped loosening zone. Empirical expressions for the loosening zone boundaries were further established and, in the form of the 12 influential factors, considered in the simulation. Given the boundary function, the loosening pressures were further deduced, which were categorized according to loosening pattern, i.e., ringent trumpet shape or arch shape, and the excavation condition of whether or not the embedded depth was deeper than the soft layer. Two case studies were used to test this method. The newly-proposed method was found to perform better than existing methods, with loosening pressure values that were slightly larger than, but very close to, actual measured field data.

Force-Chain-Based Analysis of Factors Influencing Pressure Arch Around Tunnel Under Earthquake

The force chain method is a powerful tool to analyze the pressure arch of a tunnel, which has important influence on the seismic stability of tunnel structures. The force distribution around the tunnel before and after an earthquake was observed with numerical simulation and shaking table test, and then some parameters related to the pressure arch around the tunnel were analyzed. The discrete element method software PFC was used to numerically simulate the variation of shape and height of pressure arch with tunnel depth before and after an earthquake. The effect of tunnel depth, span, section shape, lining stiffness, seismic spectrum, and seismic amplitude on the shape and height of pressure arch was numerically simulated. The numerical results show that the tunnel depth, span, section shape, and seismic amplitude have great effect on the pressure arch shape, while the lining stiffness and seismic spectrum has little effect on the pressure arch shape. In addition, the shaking table tests were conducted to observe the pressure arch shape before and after an earthquake, and the experimental results were applied to verify the numerical simulation results.

Determination of Safety Factor for Rock Mass Surrounding Tunnel by Sudden Change of Equivalent Plastic Strain in Strength Reduction Method

The safety factor of rock mass surrounding tunnel can be determined using the strength reduction method (SRM), furthermore, it is very important to solve the criterion of critical state. For the stability estimation of rock mass surrounding tunnel, there is need to discuss that it is preferable to use the same criteria for the slope stability, such as non-convergence of finite element calculation, penetration of plastic strain and sudden change of horizontal displacement. The safety factor can be determined by sudden change of equivalent plastic strain in relationship between a reduction coefficient of strength parameter and equivalent plastic strain. This method is based on the elasto-plastic finite element method (FEM) and the SRM by ABAQUS and Mohr–Coulomb yield criterion. Simulation results using this method show how a safety factor varies with geometries, friction angles and cohesions for circle and square tunnels. Simulation results also show the safety factor varying with quality change of rock mass, pore water pressure and tunnel depth.

Artificial biofilm removal in a peri-implant mucositis model: Efficacy of air polishing technology as adjunct to ultrasonic debridement alone and impact of the site and the depth of mucosal tunnel-An in vitro study.

The current in vitro model aims to evaluate the adjunctive effect on artificial biofilm removal determined by the use of a glycine-powder air-polishing procedure (GPAP) over the ultrasonic debridement (USD) alone when the removal of artificial biofilm on abutment surface is performed. The procedures were carried out also evaluating the impact of the site (mesial, distal, vestibular, and oral) and three different mucosal tunnel depths (2 mm, 4 mm, and 6 mm). Single tooth implant replacement was simulated. Three different abutment heights together with a prosthetic contour were investigated (2 mm, 4 mm, and 6 mm); custom-made gingival masks were created to mimic peri-implant soft tissue. Biofilm was simulated with an indelible ink. The protocol consisted in two intervention stages for each abutment: (a) USD with PEEK tip plus (b) GPAP. At the end of each intervention, abutments were unscrewed, and standardized photographs were taken. Statistical analysis was carried out to compare residual stain percentage between the two intervention stages and among different sites and mucosal tunnels. A total of 30 abutments were instrumented. A significant reduction of the percentage of residual staining (PRS) after the combination of GPAP + USD over USD alone was demonstrated (16% vs. 32%; p < 0.05). Moreover, the better performance of the GPAP + USD protocol was observed regardless of the different mucosal tunnel heights and the sites analyzed. Intragroup analysis unveils that the smaller PRS was observed for shallow mucosal tunnels (2 mm) and vestibular sites for both protocols. GPAP + USD provided adjunctive effect on artificial biofilm removal in comparison to the USD alone. Furthermore, proximal surfaces and deeper mucosal tunnels (4 and 6 mm) showed a reduced instrumentation efficacy for both protocols.

Active failure characteristics and earth pressure distribution around deep buried shield tunnel in dry sand stratum

The stability of the tunnel face is a key issue in shield tunnel engineering. In this paper, a series of 1 g model tests were conducted in dry sand for various buried depth ratios H/D = 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 to study the failure characteristics, earth pressure distribution and the soil arching effect. Each test provided a measurement of the earth pressure with the face withdrawal displacement. And the soil deformation and the failure characteristics were investigated by Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) system. The development of the failure characteristics was discussed for the buried depth ratios H/D = 3. The relationships between the failure characteristic and buried depth ratios were investigated. The variation of limit support pressure, soil stress distribution at different depths and earth pressure around the tunnel are analyzed. The soil arching effect around the tunnel at deep burial conditions is revealed. With the withdrawal displacement increasing, the tunnel face is in close contact with the support panel at first, and then gradually separated from the support panel. The larger the H/D is, the smaller the increment of horizontal soil stress is. It could be concluded that the increase of tunnel depth directly leads to the soil arching effect.

Seismic Stability of Dual Tunnels in Cohesive–Frictional Soil Subjected to Surcharge Loading

In this study, a self-developed adaptive finite element limit analysis (AFELA) code was adopted to explore the stability of dual tunnels in cohesive–frictional soil subjected to surcharge loading and seismic action. Parametric studies of different influential factors, including the depth of tunnels, horizontal distance between tunnels, seismic acceleration coefficient, unit weight, cohesion and internal friction angle of soils, were conducted using the AFELA code. An adaptive meshing technique was adopted for optimal accuracy and efficiency, and a pseudostatic method was used to simulate the seismic action. Strict upper bound (UB) and lower bound (LB) results with relative errors of less than 7% were acquired. Detailed design tables were presented to facilitate the engineering design, and three typical failure patterns, including single side-wall failure, half-cross-shaped failure and cross-shaped failure, corresponding to different stable levels, were summarized for a deeper insight into how the failure mechanism evolved under different conditions. The results indicated that the variations in soil unit weight and void depth affected the seismic bearing capacity almost linearly. Furthermore, the dual tunnel system is vulnerable to seismic actions, and the stability of tunnels was further undermined by the adverse effects of additional seismic-caused interactions between two adjacent tunnels.

Hydro-mechanical behaviour of soils during water-soil gushing in shield tunnels using MPM

Water-soil gushing has become the main risk affecting the safety of shield tunnels in water-rich sandy layers. In this paper, a two-phase single-point material point method (MPM) is used to simulate the evolution of gushing in shield tunnels and the hydro-mechanical responses of the surrounding soils. The method is validated by well-documented experiments. The influence of gushing on the surrounding soil can be divided into three zones: flow zone, disturbed zone, and stationary zone. Based on the development laws of the flow zone, the gushing process can be divided into three stages: the initial developing stage, the expansive developing stage, and the stable developing stage. Parametric analysis is carried out to investigate the effect of the gushing location, the buried depth of the tunnel, and the soil parameters. The lower the gushing location, the smaller the development rate of the gushing, but the greater the variation in soil stress. The shallower the tunnel depth for the gushing, the smaller the impact on deep layers, but the greater the influence on ground settlement. Increasing the friction angle can effectively reduce the area and the development rate of the flow zone.

A numerical approach to evaluating the asymmetric ground settlement response to twin-tunnel asynchronous excavation

Due to the importance of surface and subsurface settlements to prevent damages to building foundations and sensitive structures in the urban cities, in this study, the ABAQUS finite element software has used to conduct a series of numerical modeling analysis on ground surface settlement caused from the asynchronous excavation of twin-tunnel. The effects of tunnel diameter, center-to-center tunnel spacing, and tunnel depth are discussed in detail and the shape of the surface settlement curves is also plotted. The numerical modeling has been verified by the results of three sequential twin-tunneling centrifuge tests conducted by the City University of London with 94.22%, 98.71% and 99.56% accuracy, respectively. Based on the results of this study, reducing the tunnel diameter decreases the amount of the maximum ground surface settlements and reducing the depth of tunnels and the distance between twin-tunnel to less than 2D (D is the diameter of the tunnels) increase the maximum surface settlements. Installation of 30 cm of tunnel lining can decrease the maximum ground surface settlement up to almost 79%.

Damage caused by mechanized tunnel boring in high-stress hard rock

Mechanized excavations cause minimal disturbance in the rock mass around the tunnel; however, in hard rock under high stress, changes in the stress level could cause damage and cracking to the rock mass around the tunnel. This is known as spalling and could cause problems when using a tunnel boring machine (TBM), especially of the gripper type. A gripper type TBM must be jacked into the tunnel wall in order to advance; thus, spalling will make a TBM unstable and prevent it from advancing. Additionally, the permeability of rock mass, segment structural design, and specifications of instrumentation around the tunnel will change. This study examined damage in mechanized excavations of different diameters under different stress condition. Prediction of the thickness of the damage zone around an excavation boundary in hard rock was done according to the damage initiation and spalling limit method (DISL). Rock spalling in deep and shallow tunnels under active tectonics (high horizontal-to-vertical stress ratio, K) was studied using 3D numerical modeling. The results indicated that the thickness of the excavation damage zone directly corresponded to an increase in K and the tunnel diameter. Also, the thickness of the highly damage zone directly corresponded to an increase of tunnel depth and the tunnel diameter. The thickness of the highly damaged zone increased for an overburden of over 1000 m at diameters of 3 to 11 m, which would increase the difficulty of operation of a TBM, especially of the gripper type.

Estimating Volume Loss for Shield-Driven Tunnels Based on the Principle of Minimum Total Potential Energy

Volume loss is an important method to estimate ground movement during tunnelling. However, volume loss is usually estimated by empirical methods, especially for volume loss at the tunnel face, which is a three-dimensional problem. Based on the principle of minimum total potential energy, we proposed a semi-analytical method to predict the volume loss at the tunnel face and ground surface. The proposed method provides a more direct way of estimating volume loss at the tunnel face from an energy point of view. Moreover, a new deformation mechanism was designed to describe the ground movement before the tunnel face. Based on the proposed method, we investigated the influence of the support pressure, tunnel diameter, and tunnel depth on the volume loss at the tunnel face, and other parameters related to surface subsidence. The volume loss at the tunnel face decreased with the increase in the support pressure ratio and the slurry weight. The volume loss at ground surface was generally smaller than the volume loss at the tunnel face due to the soil compression during ground movement. The bigger the tunnel diameter, the bigger the volume loss at the tunnel face. However, the volume loss at ground surface may not increase with the increase in tunnel depth, because of the soil arching effect. Moreover, the deeper the tunnel, the more obvious the influence of the support pressure ratio on volume loss. Similarly, the bigger the tunnel diameter, the more obvious the influence of the slurry weight on the volume loss.

A Simplified Method for Predicting Tunneling-Induced Ground Movement considering Nonuniform Deformation Boundary

Stochastic medium (SM) theory is a practical method in ground settlement prediction, while its nonintegrable double integral form makes the solution process complicated. A simplified analytical solution based on the SM theory is developed to predict the ground movement in tunneling excavation. With the simplified solution, the ground movement for single tunnel and twin tunnels could be predicted based on the gap parameter G and influence angle β. A feasible approach is developed to estimate these two parameters using the maximum ground settlement Smax and tunnel design parameters, including tunnel depth H and diameter R. The proposed approach can be used to predict the ground movement curve for both circular and noncircular cross section tunnels. To validate its accuracy, the results predicted by the simplified procedure are compared with those obtained by the SM theory and measured in situ. The comparisons show that the current results agree well with those obtained by the SM theory and measured in situ. The comparison of five tunnels in literature illustrates that the simplified method can provide a more reasonable prediction for the ground movement induced by tunneling.

Development of an Underground Tunnels Detection Algorithm for Electrical Resistivity Tomography Based on Deep Learning

Kinmen Island was in a state of combat readiness during the 1950s–1980s. It opened for tourism in 1992, when all troops withdrew from the island. Most military installations, such as bunkers, anti airborne piles, and underground tunnels, became deserted and disordered. The entries to numerous underground bunkers are closed or covered with weeds, creating dangerous spaces on the island. This study evaluates the feasibility of using Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) to detect and discuss the location, size, and depth of underground tunnels. In order to discuss the reliability of the 2D-ERT result, this study built a numerical model to validate the correctness of in situ measured data. In addition, this study employed the artificial intelligence deep learning technique for reprocessing and predicting the ERT image and discussed using an artificial intelligence deep learning algorithm to enhance the image resolution and interpretation. A total of three 2D-ERT survey lines were implemented in this study. The results indicate that the three survey lines clearly show the tunnel location and shape. The numerical simulation results also indicate that using 2D-ERT to survey underground tunnels is highly feasible. Moreover, according to a series of studies in Multilayer Perceptron of deep learning, using deep learning can clearly show the tunnel location and path and effectively enhance the interpretation ability and resolution for 2D-ERT measurement results.