• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.599-614
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• 2024

To evaluate the safety status of deteriorated segments in a submarine shield tunnel during its service life, a seepage model was established based on a cross-sea shield tunnel project. This model was used to study the migration patterns of erosive ions within the shield segments. Based on these laws, the degree of deterioration of the segments was determined. Using the derived analytical solution, the internal forces within the segments were calculated. Lastly, by applying the formula for calculating safety factors, the variation trends in the safety factors of segments with different degrees of deterioration were obtained. The findings demonstrate that corrosive seawater presents the evolution characteristics of continuous seepage from the outside to the inside of the tunnel. The nearby seepage field shows locally concentrated characteristics when there is leakage at the joint, which causes the seepage field's depth and scope to significantly increase. The chlorine ion content decreases gradually with the increase of the distance from the outer surface of the tunnel. The penetration of erosion ions in the segment is facilitated by the presence of water pressure. The ion content of the entire ring segment lining structure is related in the following order: vault < haunch < springing. The difference in the segment's rate of increase in chlorine ion content decreases as service time increases. Based on the analytical solution calculation, the segment's safety factor drops more when the joint leaks than when its intact, and the change rate between the two states exhibits a general downward trend. The safety factor shows a similar change rule at different water depths and continuously decreases at the same segment position as the water depth increases. The three phases of "sudden drop-rise-stability" are represented by a "spoon-shaped" change rule on the safety factor's change curve. The issue of the poor applicability of indicators in earlier studies is resolved by the analytical solution, which only requires determining the loss degree of the segment lining's effective bearing thickness to calculate the safety factor of any cross-section of the shield tunnel. The analytical solution's computation results, however, have some safety margins and are cautious. The process of establishing the evaluation model indicates that the secondary lining made of molded concrete can also have its safety status assessed using the analytical solution. It is very important for the safe operation of the tunnel and the safety of people's property and has a wide range of applications.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.352-359
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• 2010

Stability of twin tunnels depends on the pillar width and the ground condition. In this study, large scale model tests were conducted for investigating the influence of the pillar width of twin tunnels on their behavior in the regular horizontal jointed rock mass. Jointed rocks was composed of concrete blocks. Pillar width of twin tunnels varied in 0.29D, 0.59D, 0.88D and 1.18D, where D is the tunnel width. During the test, pillar stress, lining stress, tunnel distortion, and ground displacement were measured. Lateral earth pressure coefficient was kept in a constant value 1.0. As a result, it was found that the pillar stress and the displacement of the ground and tunnel were increased by decreasing pillar width. The maximum displacement rate was measured just after the upper excavation in each construction sequence. And the maximum influence position was the right shoulder of the preceeding tunnel at the pillar side. It was also found that for the stability assessment the inner displacement was more critical than the crown displacement. The influence zone was formed at the pillar width 0.59D~0.88D that was smaller than 0.8D~2.0D, which was proposed by experience for a good ground condition. And it would be concluded that horizontal joints could also influence on the stability of the twin tunnels.