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Geomechanics and Engineering
  Volume 11, Number 3, September 2016 , pages 421-438
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12989/gae.2016.11.3.421
 


Failure of circular tunnel in saturated soil subjected to internal blast loading
Yuzhen Han and Huabei Liu

 
Abstract
    Explosions inside transportation tunnels might result in failure of tunnel structures. This study investigated the failure mechanisms of circular cast-iron tunnels in saturated soil subjected to medium internal blast loading. This issue is crucial to tunnel safety as many transportation tunnels run through saturated soils. At the same time blast loading on saturated soils may induce residual excess pore pressure, which may result in soil liquefaction. A series of numerical simulations were carried out using Finite Element program LS-DYNA. The effect of soil liquefaction was simulated by the Federal Highway soil model. It was found that the failure modes of tunnel lining were differed with different levels of blast loading. The damage and failure of the tunnel lining was progressive in nature and they occurred mainly during lining vibration when the main event of blast loading was over. Soil liquefaction may lead to more severe failure of tunnel lining. Soil deformation and soil liquefaction were determined by the coupling effects of lining damage, lining vibration, and blast loading. The damage of tunnel lining was a result of internal blast loading as well as dynamic interaction between tunnel lining and saturated soil, and stress concentration induced by a ventilation shaft connected to the tunnel might result in more severe lining damage.
 
Key Words
    blast loading; cast-iron lining; failure modes; soil-lining interaction; soil liquefaction
 
Address
(1) Yuzhen Han:
Beijing Urban Construction Design & Development Group Co., Limited, No. 5, Fuchengmen Beidajie, Xicheng District, Beijing 100037, China;
(2) Huabei Liu:
School of Civil Engineering and Mechanics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1037 Luoyu Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China.
 

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