Analysis on the influence of water pressure on the safety of karst tunnel lining structure

Tunnelling in a water bearing soil often produces a long-term interaction between the tunnel lining and the surrounding soil. With respect to lining design, infiltration and external pore-water pressures are often one of the most important factors to be considered. Development of pore-water pressure may accelerate leakage and cause deterioration of the lining. This can be particularly troublesome to structural and functional components of the tunnel and can often lead to structural failure. However, as a result of the complicated hydraulic boundary conditions and the long times often required for pore pressure equilibration, research on this subject is scarce. Consequently, most design approaches deal with the effects of pore-water pressure on the tunnel lining in a qualitative manner. In this paper, the development of pore-water pressure and its potential effects on the tunnel lining are investigated using the finite element method. In particular, the deterioration of a drainage system caused by clogging is considered. It is shown that the development of pore-water pressure on the lining is dependent on the lining permeability and the deterioration of the drainage system, particularly for a tunnel with both a primary and a secondary lining. The magnitude of pore-water pressure on a new Austrian tunnelling method (NATM) tunnel constructed in decomposed granite soil and the effect of tunnel shape are investigated. Design curves for estimating pore-water pressure loads on a secondary lining are proposed.Key words: numerical analysis, tunnel lining, decomposed granite.

Download Full-text

Analytical Solution of Seepage Field in Karst Tunnel

Advances in Civil Engineering ◽

10.1155/2018/9215472 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 2018 ◽

pp. 1-9 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Chong Jiang ◽

Han-song Xie ◽

Jia-li He ◽

Wen-yan Wu ◽

Zhi-chao Zhang

Keyword(s):

Analytical Solution ◽

Permeability Coefficient ◽

Complex Function ◽

Great Influence ◽

Pressure Head ◽

Seepage Flow ◽

Seepage Field ◽

Karst Tunnel ◽

Lining Structure ◽

Initial Support

An analytical solution for the seepage field in water-filled karst tunnel is derived based on the inversion of complex function and groundwater hydraulics theory. The solution considers the distance between the tunnel and the cavern, the size of the cavern, and the properties of the lining structure, such as the permeability coefficient as well as the radius of the grouting ring. This paper also performed numerical simulations for two cases: the application of gravity and the absence of gravity. The numerical solution was obtained to verify the analytical solution, and a good agreement was found. Then, the effect of parameters is discussed in detail, including the distance between the tunnel and the cavern, the radius of the cavern, the grouting ring, and the initial support. The results show that when the radius of the cavern is constant, the pressure head and seepage flow decrease as the distance between the tunnel and the cavern increases. When the distance is constant, the pressure head and seepage flow increase with the increase of the radius of the cavern. In addition, the pressure head and the seepage flow decrease with the increase of the thickness of the grouting ring and decrease with the decrease of the permeability coefficient. As the thickness of the initial support increases, the pressure head gradually increases and the percolation decreases. Furthermore, due to the great influence of the grouting ring and initial support on the pressure head and seepage flow, the thickness and permeability coefficient of the grouting ring and initial support should be taken into account carefully during construction.

Download Full-text