Study on Crack Development of Concrete Lining with Insufficient Lining Thickness Based on CZM Method

The most common structural defect of a tunnel in the operation period is the cracking of concrete lining. The insufficient thickness of tunnel lining is one of the main reasons for its cracking. This study studied the cracking behavior of standard concrete specimens and the failure behavior of tunnel structures caused by insufficient lining thickness using Cohesive Zone Model (CZM). Firstly, zero-thickness cohesive elements were globally inserted between solid elements of the standard concrete specimen model, and the crack development process of different concrete grades was compared. On this basis, a three-dimensional numerical model of the tunnel in the operation period was established. The mechanism and characteristics of crack propagation under different lining thicknesses were discussed. In addition, the statistics of cracks were made to discuss the development rules of lining cracks quantitatively. The results show that the CZM can reasonably simulate the fracture behavior of concrete. With the increase in concrete strength grade, the number of cohesive damaged elements and crack area increases. The insufficient lining thickness changes the lining stress distribution characteristics, reduces the lining structure’s overall safety, and leads to the cracking of the diseased area more easily. When surrounding rock does not contact the insufficient lining thickness, its influence on the structure is more evident than when surrounding rock fills the entire lining thickness. The number of cohesive damaged elements and the size of the crack area increases significantly.

Modeling of Tunnel Concrete Lining under Fire and Explosion Damage

This paper presents studies that focus on fire and explosion-induced damage of tunnel structures by employing the Discrete Element Method (DEM). By assuming a two-dimensional aggregate distribution and reconstructing the digital representation of the experimental concrete blocks, a numerical model of the tunnel lining concrete was established in the PFC2D program. The temperature distribution and the shock wave pressure at the surface of the tunnel lining were obtained by using Fluent and LS-Dyna separately; the final damage simulation of concrete section under different conditions was carried out in PFC2D. The results showed that PFC2D cooperatively provided more accurate and effective modeling and visualization of impact damage of concrete blocks. The visualizations of damage indicated the degree of damage more clearly and more intuitively. These findings also provide a potential method for further study of the damage assessment for entire tunnel lining structures.

Numerical Canal Seepage Loss Evaluation for Different Lining and Crack Techniques in Arid and Semi-Arid Regions: A Case Study of the River Nile, Egypt

Owing to the potential negative impacts of climatic changes and the grand Ethiopian renaissance dam, water scarcity has become an urgent issue. Therefore, the Egyptian Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation has started a national project of the lining and rehabilitation of canals, to reduce seepage losses and for efficient water resource management. This study presents a new approach for assessing three different lining and crack techniques for the Ismailia canal, the largest end of the river Nile, Egypt. A 2-D steady state seep/w numerical model was developed for the Ismailia canal section, in the stretch at 28.00–49.00 km. The amount of seepage was significantly dependent on the hydraulic characteristics of the liner material. The extraction from aquifers via wells also had a considerable impact on the seepage rate from the unlined canals; however, a lesser effect was present in the case of lined canals. The concrete liner revealed the highest efficiency, followed by the geomembrane liner, and then the bentonite liner; with almost 99%, 96%, and 54%, respectively, without extraction, and decreasing by 4% for bentonite and geomembrane liners during extraction; however, the concrete lining efficiency did not change considerably. Nevertheless, the efficiency dramatically decreased to 25%, regardless of the lining technique, in the case of deterioration of the liner material. The double effect of both deterioration of the liner material and extraction from the aquifer showed a 16% efficiency, irrespective of the utilized lining technique.

Chloride Transport Behaviour and Service Performance of Cracked Concrete Linings in Coastal Subway Tunnels

The concrete lining in subway tunnels often undergoes cracking damage in coastal cities. The combination of cracked tunnel lining structures and high concentrations of corrosive ions in the groundwater (e.g., chlorine) can accelerate concrete erosion, reduce the mechanical performance of the lining structures and shorten the tunnel service life. This paper investigates the chloride ion concentration in the groundwater of several subway tunnels in the coastal city of Qingdao, China. Indoor experiments and numerical simulations are conducted to investigate the chloride ion transport behaviour and service performance of cracked concrete linings. The results are applied to predict the service life of lining structures. The crack depth in concrete linings is found to have the most significant effect on the transport rate of chloride ions, followed by the crack width. The numerical simulations are carried out using COMSOL software to study the chloride transport behaviour in cracked specimens and predict the service lifetimes of lining structures of different thicknesses, and the results correspond well with the experimental data. The durability of a concrete lining can be enhanced by increasing the thickness of the protective concrete layer. Additional measures are proposed for treating cracked concrete linings to resist chloride ion attack in subway tunnels.

Analytical models for adiabatic compressed air energy storage (A-CAES) systems in lined tunnels

Adiabatic compressed air energy storage (A-CAES) systems consist of an underground reservoir where compressed air is stored at high pressures. The ambient air is compressed by compressors located at the surface and the thermal energy is stored using thermal energy storage (TES) systems. The compressed air is stored in the subsurface reservoir (charge). Then, when the electricity is needed, the compressed air is released and expanded in gas turbines to produce electricity (discharge). In this paper, an analytical model has been developed to investigate the thermodynamic behaviour during air charge and discharge processes. Operating pressures from 4.5 to 7.5 MPa has been employed in lined tunnels in the compression and decompression stages. The model considers a 20 mm thick sealing layer, a 0.4 m thick concrete lining and a 1 m thick rock mass around the air. Air mass flow rates of 0.19 and 0.27 kg s−1 have been used in the charge processes for polymer material and steel, respectively. Finally, in the discharge processes the mass flow rate increases up to -0.38 and -0.45 kg s−1 for polymer and steel. The air temperature and pressure and the temperature and heat transfer in the sealing layer, concrete lining and rock mass have been analyzed for 100 cycles considering polymer material and steel as sealing layers. The heat transfer through the sealing layer reaches -150 and -95 W m-2 for steel and polymer, respectively. The results obtained show that the storage capacity increases when the heat transfer through the sealing layer increases.

NEW ASPECT AT THE USE OF FIBERGLASS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF INDUSTRIAL CHIMNEYS

The change in the operational characteristics of reinforced concrete chimneys with a monolithic lining when changing the traditional construction technology is considered. The difference between the traditional and proposed technology is the replacement of the separating element of the concrete lining and the supporting concrete of the chimney trunk. Traditionally, when installing industrial pipes with a monolithic lining, both with the use of sliding formwork and lifting-adjustable, with almost simultaneous laying of two types of concrete, a steel mesh is used as a separating layer. It is proposed to replace the steel mesh with fiberglass with a heat-insulating coating. Thermal insulation of the "Bronya" type is considered as a multilayer thermal insulation coating. The work presents a comparative analysis of changes in the distribution of temperature fields along the chimney wall during the introduction of this technology on the example of the chimney of the Krasnoyarsk CHPP-1 h=275 m. It is proved that the replacement of steel mesh with fiberglass with a heat-insulating coating improves the physical and chemical characteristics of the structure and provides a more efficient thermal operation of the chimney. The use of this technology will also improve the organization of construction production, reduce construction time and costs, reduce the material consumption of chimney structures and the complication of work on its construction, reduce the possibility of defects and destruction. Therefore, the introduction of the proposed technology will increase the reliability and lifespan of the structures of industrial reinforced concrete chimneys with a monolithic lining

Safety inspection system and comprehensive evaluation method for concrete structure of gas pipeline tunnel based on fuzzy mathematics

Regular safety inspections are an important guarantee to ensure the high-quality operation of concrete structures of tunnels. The Chinese West-east Gas Pipeline Project is large in scale and complex in construction environment. These tunnels are equipped with gas pipelines, and the concrete structural defects of the tunnels are continuously exacerbated during the long-term operation. There are few studies on the safety evaluation methods of concrete structures of gas tunnels. Based on the characteristics of the operation of the gas tunnels, this paper proposes the establishment of a structural safety comprehensive inspection system from the following seven aspects, that is, the void between the concrete lining and surrounding rock, the strength of the concrete lining, the thickness of the protective layer of the reinforced concrete lining, the carbonization depth of the concrete lining, the deformation of the tunnel section, the cracks in the concrete lining, and the auxiliary concrete structure of the tunnel. In addition, a corresponding quantitative determination method and safety level classification standard are established. Based on the fuzzy mathematics theory and a structural safety comprehensive inspection system, a five-level safety evaluation method for tunnel concrete structures is proposed. Finally, a comprehensive inspection and evaluation were carried out for a tunnel running across the mountain.