Tunnel construction and ground

reinforcement: general aspects

Documents pédagogiques internes au Mastère TOS

Daniele Peila
POLITECNICO DI TORINO

The excavation of the tunnel causes a redistribution of the natural stresses inside the
rock mass around the hole

2
 The instability conditions that can occur in and around a tunnel depend on the type of
soil or rock in which the excavation is being done and on the natural (preexisting) state
of stress in the rock mass.

LOCAL
SAFETY
STABILITY
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GLOBAL
DISPLACEM STABILITY
ENT

Examples of collapse

4
 The boundary displacements and the stability of a tunnel is always
a tri-dimensional problem
and as such it should always be studied and analyzed.
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Hoek, 2002
5

The place inside of the tunnel, where it is necessary to act to obtain the stability of the
void, is always the last section of the tunnel that has just been excavated and where
neither the walls nor the face have still been supported.

Bieniawski, 1987
6
 The just excavated section of the tunnel must remain stable for the time necessary to
carry out all the operations subsequent to blasting, which means mucking (removal
of blasted rock), scaling and support installation works.

This stretch of the tunnel is usually known as “unsupported span” and the
corresponding stability time is known as “characteristic time” or “self-bearing
time”.

The self-bearing time is a necessity of the excavation of a tunnel: the natural

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stability of the unsupported span is requested in order to have enough time for
mucking, scaling and support excavation.

The stability conditions of a tunnel are controlled by

 Ground geotechnical properties

 Natural (pre-existing) state of stress
 Shape of the tunnel section
 Size of the tunnel section
 Construction methods
 Underground water

8
 Ground geotechnical properties

The stability conditions are defined both by the strength of the rock in comparison
with the natural and induced stresses around the void and by the material
deformability, that can show an elastic, brittle, plastic, soft strengthening, etc.
behavior.

Natural state of stress

The in-situ stresses locked in the rock mass can depend from the geostatic and
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gravity forces (nature of the material and depth of the excavation, i.e. overburden);
tectonic; geostructural-morphological conditions.
The opposition to the rock mass tension undertaken by the supports determines the
stability conditions for the tunnel.

Shape of the tunnel section

This influences the rock mass tension concentration around the void (edges are
points where the tension concentration is maximum). The excavation section shape
can vary from rectangular (best use of the free section in road and railway tunnels) to
circular (more homogeneous induced tensions), up to polycentric (in order to get the
best advantages from both the approaches).

Size of the tunnel section

This influences the ask for resistance by the supports, both short-term and long-term
ones.

10
 Construction method

This influences the scheduling for the support installation or reinforcement

execution (that can be prior or in concomitance of the excavation), that hence
influence the convergence (that has to be mastered) and therefore the ask for
resistance by the supports (short-term or long-term ones).

Underground water

It is a fundamental parameter for the tunnel construction, that has to be studied in a

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deep detail. The interference of the excavations with the underground water shows
many aspects: natural and induced tension field modification, soil alteration, nasty
interferences on the working operations and environmental impact.

11

Ground geotechnical quality

(Hoek and Brown,1980)

Overburden soil or heavily Blooky jointed rock partially

weathered rock weathered
squeezing and flowing ground, gravity falls of blocks from roof
short stand-up time. and sidewalls.

Massive rock at great depth

Massive rock with few
unweathered joints stress induced failures, spalling
and popping with possible
no serious stability problems.
rockbursts. 12
 Overburden soil or
heavily weathered
rock
Squeezing and
flowing ground,
short stand-up time.

The tunnel must be stabilized using

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supports generally stiff and

continuous.

Often presupports and/or ground

improvements techniques are
necessary.

13

Blooky jointed rock

partially weathered
gravity falls of
blocks from roof and
sidewalls.

Fractured rock mass with rock blocks

not stable.

Systematic supports are necessary.

Sometimes presupports and/or

ground improvements techniques are
necessary

14
 Massive rock with
few unweathered
joints
no serious stability
problems.
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The tunnel is stable.

Local supports may be

necessary.
15

16
 Massive rock at great
depth
stress induced failures,
spalling and popping
with possible rockbursts.
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Continuous supports to control

the displacements of the tunnel
are necessary.
17

Apart from surface tunnels in loose soils whose behavior is determined by cohesion and
internal friction of the ground, the most frequent and complex case that presents a great
variety of aspects is that of tunnels in materials which undergo a plastic conditions due
to the stress re-distribution around the tunnel after the opening of the void.

The opening of the tunnel determines the movement of the rock mass towards the void
and the excavation and stabilization methods are to be designed in such a way as to put
the deformations under control.

18
 Excavation methods can be divided in four main groups
- Conventional cyclic method using Drill and Blast. The excavation can be carried
out full face or parzialized face sub-dividing the face in smaller separate attacs, with or
without preventive reinforcement of the ground;
- Conventional cyclic method using punctual excavating machines (roadheader,
high energy impact hammer, mechanical excavator, etc.). The excavation can be carried
out full face or parzialized excavation sub-dividing the face in smaller separate attacs,
with or without preventive reinforcement of the ground;
- Full face mechanised continuous excavation method using Rock TBM for the
excavation of tunnels in rock. The main problem is to break the rock;
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- Full face mechanised continuous excavation method, using mechanised shields

and with counter-pressure against the face for the excavation of tunnels in soil above
and below the water table. The main problem is the stability of the tunnel as well as the
the control of the groundwater.

19

When the unsupported length is too short it can be changed through the following four
methods:

1) to reduce of the excavation section into smaller portions for parzialised

face;
2) to apply a counter pressure against the face;
3) to improve or reinforce the ground properties;
4) to use preventive supports of the rock mass installed ahead of the face.

20
 1) To reduce of the excavation section into smaller portions for parzialized face.
In smaller face the control of the stability is easier, the characteristic time is shorter,
smaller amount of waste rock is to be removed and fewer supports have to be installed.
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21

1) To reduce of the excavation section into smaller portions for parzialized face.

Excavation head and bench with steel pipe umbrella

22
 1) To reduce of the excavation section into smaller portions for parzialized face.
Documents pédagogiques internes au Mastère TOS

23

Classification between the various possible multiple headings excavation and the
rock mass quality

Hoek, 2000
24
 2) To apply a counter pressure at the face.
- mechanized tunnelling

Ground and water Counter-pressure inside

pressure acting on the bulk chamber
the face
=
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Pressure transducers
inside the bulk chamber

Keeping out groundwater and supporting the ground at

the tunnel face (176)

Maidl et a2l5.,1994

2) To apply a counter pressure at the face.

- conventional tunnelling

BO-FI High speed railway line (Italy) - CAVET

Brossure

Full face excavation and face reinforcement

26
 3) and 4) Improving the ground properties and pre-supporting the tunnel free span.

The main problem, when tunneling through difficult geotechnical conditions with
conventional methods, is the control of deformations.
Without support or reinforcement the ground plasticizes and tends to move towards the
opening:

- fall of ground from the upper part of the tunnel face;

- displacement of tunnel boundary;

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- tunnel face extrusion and failure.

To prevent this phenomena of the ground around the tunnel, it is necessary to use “pre-
confinement technique” (defined as any action that favours the formation of an arch
effect in the ground ahead the tunnel face) or to improve the ground properties.

27

DESIGN APPROACH

Grasso, 2010
28
 Tunnel construction and ground
reinforcement: various technologies
Documents pédagogiques internes au Mastère TOS

Daniele Peila
POLITECNICO DI TORINO

The following main types of reinforcement can be identified with reference to

the carrying out techniques:

IMPROVEMENTS

REINFORCEMENTS

PRE-SUPPORTS

DRAINAGE SYSTEMS
 IMPROVEMENT
Methods which improve (from the engineering point of view) the mechanical or
hydraulic properties of the rock mass: injecting fluids or freezing the fluids
already present in the ground
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- injection (at low pressure)

- jet grouting
- freezing
 The most applied grouting methods are:

- in rock - ascending and descending stage methods;

- multipacker method;
- in soil
- sleeved pipe sustem (tubes à manchette).
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Documents pédagogiques internes au Mastère TOS

Naples metro – Fractured tuff

REINFORCEMENT
Methods which use the insertion, inside the rock mass, of structural elements
with one dimention prevalent

- Bolts
- Micropiles
- Cable bolting

Serena Tunnel, Italy

 Ground reinforcement with bolts and tendons
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Borzoli Cavern (Italy) (Grasso and Pelizza, 1998)

Ground reinforcement with micropiles from the surface

 PRE-SUPPORT
Methods which use the insertion, in the rock mass, of structural elements
ahead the tunnel face with the purpose to create a pre-support before the
excavation is carried out.
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- mechanical precut
- pretunnel
- steel pipe umbrella
- arch of microtunnels

Courtesy Geodata S.p.A., Torino

PRE-SUPPORT
If the improvement techniques are used to create a reinforced zone around the
tunnel and ahead the tunnel face

The global action must be considered as the most important for tunnelling.
Therefore this intervention can be classified as a pre-support.

- jet-grouting arch with or without reinforcement

- consolidation of the tunnel profile: reinforced with VTR elements
- low pressure injection of the ground around the tunnel
Documents pédagogiques internes au Mastère TOS

STEEL PIPE UMBRELLA

MECHANICAL PRECUT
 ARCH OF MICROTUNNELS
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Sottopasso della Highway 285 (Atlanta)

Stazione ferroviaria Almaeda

(Lisbona)

JET – GROUTING ARCH WITH OR WITHOUT REINFORCEMENT OF THE

COLUMNS
 LOW PRESSURE INJECTION OF THE GROUND AROUND THE TUNNEL
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Seikan Tunnel grouting scheme to cross fault zones (Hashimoto and Tanabe, 1986)

DRAINAGE
Technologies which take away water from the rock mass or the ground in a
controlled way.
Documents pédagogiques internes au Mastère TOS

Key: ● Applicable. ◉ Applicable with special intervention: 1 – chemical grout; 2 - two or three-fluid
jet grouting; 3 - steel rebar or pipe reinforced jet grouting; 4 – active dewatering (vacuum pump
required); 5 – additional grouting; 6 – high resistance element; 7 – additional grouting.

The interventions listed in this table can be combined in order to guarantee safe tunnelling conditions in
almost all geotechnical conditions. Grouting, jet-grouting, freezing and dewatering can be normally be
applicable also when tunnelling under water table. The other interventions when the tunnel is under the
water table must be combined with impermeabilization techniques.

Action

Methods which modify the convergence-confinement curve

Methods which modify the radial displacement at the face

Methods which guarantee the stability of the free span

Methods which guarantee the local stability of the face

Methods which guarantee the stability of local volumes

Methods which control water inflow

 METHODS WHICH MODIFY THE CONVERGENCE – CONFINEMENT
CURVE
Internal pressure

IMPROVEMENT OF THE CONVERGENCE-

CONFINEMENT CURVE
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Radial displacement

METHODS WHICH MODIFY THE RADIAL DISPLACEMENT AT THE FACE

Internal pressure

u0

REACTION LINE OF THE

SUPPORTS

REDUCTION OF THE DISPLACEMENT AT THE TUNNEL

u*
0 u0 FACE
Radial displacement
 METHODS WHICH GUARANTEE THE STABILITY OF THE FREE SPAN AND
OF THE FACE

Face stabilization

free span
Lining
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Free span stabilization

Tunnel construction and ground

reinforcement: steel pipe umbrella

Daniele Peila
POLITECNICO DI TORINO
 STEEL PIPE UMBRELLA OR FOREPOLING

Steel pipe umbrella or forepoling is a pre-reinforcement

technique which is obtained by installing steel pipes ahead
of the tunnel face.

The steel pipes usually have a dip of 5°-10° (with

reference to the horizontal) in a way as to form an
umbrella with a truncated cone shape and which allows
the overlapping of two adjacent fields.
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3D view of steel pipes

STEEL PIPE UMBRELLA OR FOREPOLING

 STEEL PIPE UMBRELLA
steel pipe umbrella face reinforcement

temporary invert

Steel arch
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Steel arch underpinning

It is possible to cover advance lengths of 12-15 metres, of which 9-12 metres

are of excavation, account being taken of the necessary overlap between two
sets of pipe umbrella to guarantee the stability of the face.
 Steel pipe umbrella

DO NOT MODIFY

the convergence-confinement curve

the position of the reaction line of the supports
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Guarantee the stability of the tunnel free span

Steel pipe umbrella: Example of application

Cross-section of Lonato tunnel (Italy) where steel pipe umbrella has been used
in a morain. The excavation has been carried out heading and bench.
Key: A: steel pipes; B: twin steel arches; C: shotcrete; D: electro-weldes
mesh; E: micropile; F: jet grouting column; G: drainage pipe, H: concrete
lining
 Some Italian examples
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Example of Steel pipe umbrella in a morenic debris

Torino –Freius Tunnel Highway (Italy)
 Example of Steel pipe umbrella in a morenic debris
Aosta-Mont Blanc highway (Italy)
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Example of steel pipe umbrella to cross a fault in rock at great depth

Water conveiance tunnel - Pont Ventoux Hydroelectric power plant (Italy)
 Example of steel pipe umbrella in a very fractured rock mass at low depth
Cossato road tunnel (South entrance) - Italy
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Example of steel pipe umbrella in a strong clay (argillite) with rock blocks
Drainage tunnel below San Lorenzo Tunnel (Italy)

Rock block

Fiber glass pipes

 Example of steel pipe umbrella in a sand and gravel
Torino Metro (Italy)
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Example of steel pipe umbrella and jet grouting face reinforcement in sand
Cossato Tunnel (north entrance), Italy

Steel pipe umbrella

Jet grouting columns on the face
 Example of steel pipe umbrella and face reinforcement
with VTR in clay at low depth Milieu-Gaurain Tunnel (Belgio)
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Portal of Doria Tunnel (Genova, Italy) (Courtesy Geodata S.p.A.)

 Example of steel pipe umbrella with Rock TBM tunnelling
Abdalajis Tunnel (Grandori e Romualdi, 2004)
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Example of steel pipe umbrella with Rock TBM tunnelling

Stariano water conveiance tunnel (Italy)
 FOREPOLING
In many application the pre-support is made using bolts or steel bars.
Many application have been carried out using self drilling bolts
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FOREPOLING
(Germany)
 FOREPOLING
(Germany)
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DESIGN OF STEEL PIPE UMBRELLA

Simplified design approaches

To determine the required steel pipe section, the pipe is considered to be a

continuous beam on two or on multiple supports (steel arches) embedded in
the ground ahead of the excavation face.

The concrete which fills and surrounds the pipe is not normally considered
in the calculation.

The computation is carried out for the most critical phase, which is just
before the installation of the steel rib as the free span is the longest.
 Steel pipe

Tunnel face

Steel arch dsg

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q
a)
L=(d+s+g)

q
b)
L=(d+s+g)

The acting load on the pipe [q] can be evaluated, starting from the value of the maximum
vertical stress
q = pvi
where "i" is the spacing between the pipes.

One of the problems is the evaluation of the vertical stress that is acting near the face. In
many cases, it is empirically assumed that p v = 0.50-0.75 of the total vertical load before
excavation and the the load is evaluated by the well known formulation of Terzaghi.
 The length ahead of the tunnel face which is not acting as support of the pipes
(g) is usually empirically chosen and very often the value of 0.5 m is assumed.
This value is, obviously, directly linked to the geomechanical properties of the
ground and to the presence of tunnel face reinforcements.
More detailed research must be developed for a complete and final definition of
this length.
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Considering that the support action of the of the pipes must be developed for a
short period of time before the tunnel support are installed (steel arches and
shotcrete), the admissible working stress of the steel of the pipes can be close
to its field stress (1.5>Fs>1.1).
Knowing the acting stresses it is possible to chose the type of pipe.

The length of the steel pipe is linked to practical reasons, that is, drillability and the
maximum bore hole deviation which limit the length of 15-18 m;

The length of the overlap between two subsequent umbrella is controlled by the
behaviour of the ground ahead the tunnel face.
In recent years there have been numerous studies on tunnel face reinforcement with
longitudinal pipes based on small scale laboratory tests, field tests and numerical
modelling. The results of these researches suggest that the length of the overlap must
not be less that 0.3-0.4 times the equivalent diameter of the tunnel.

The interax between the pipes is chosen taking into account the fact that the ground
must not flow between the pipes. Therefore, the natural cohesion of the ground should
be able to control and prevent the occurrence of this phenomenon. Simple calculations
can be carried out, considering the stability of the slice of ground onto two nearby
pipes.
 Design flow chart

Change the
1) Choice of a tentative interax
2) Choice of a tentative diametre and thickness of the pipes geometrical
3) Choice of a tentative interax between the steel arches parameters

4) Evaluation of the design length

5) Choice of the structural schema

6) Computation of the bending moments

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7) Computation of the acting stresses inside the pipe not adeguate

8) Comparison between the acting stress and steel yield stress

9) Definition of the steel pipe length (on the basis of available machines)
10) Definition of the excavation length
11) Design of the supports and of steel arch foundations

The described empirical approaches are very simple and their application has been
consolidated in time but they neglect some parameters which are very important for the
design:
does not consider the real stiffness of the supports (steel arches and ground);
- the effect of the ground ahead of the face;
- the own bending stiffness of the steel pipe.

To take into account these aspects it is possible to use more complex design schemes:
- a model based on the approach of a beam on multiple supports.

- numerical models (tri-dimensional) which must be used in very complex problems

(where for example it is necessary to know the induced settlements exactly)
 Beam on multiple supports
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Analysis of the influence of the stiffness of the ground

on the bending moments of the steel pipes
Bending moments [kg*m]

The less rigid it is the stiffness of

the ground the higher the moment
near the face is
i=1m ; E =2500 kg/cm2

Position along the pipe [m]

 Analysis of the influence of the stiffness of the ground on the displacement
of the steel pipes
From the previous presented results it can be put in evidence that is
important the good contact between the steel arches and the pipes:
Few centimeters of displacement of the pipes can cause the collapse of the
structure or induce critical displacements of the surface
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The steel arches must not move need of a good foundation.

In special cases it is suggested to use the bullflex pillow to guarantee the

contact beween the pipes and the steel arches

Steel arch foundation: design concepts

The stability of the steel arch foot must be designed
to guarantee that there are no displacements
Enlarged foot; Foundation with micropiles or jet grouting columns

The design of
foundation procedures
are usually used
 BULLFLEX SYSTEM

Problem of contact between the steel arch and the pipes: Bullflex pillow
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 Documents pédagogiques internes au Mastère TOS

Filled with shotcrete mix

 DESIGN ASPECTS: Numerical modelling

3D numerical modelling where the pipes are singularly modelled

- problem
- complexity of the numerical model and time of computation
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Eclaircy-Caudron et al, 2005

2D numerical modelling
some authors proposed to use a ground reinforced arch around the tunnel
to model the action of the pipes

Problems

- it is difficult (or impossible ?) to correctly define the improved parameters

- it is difficult (or impossible ?) to correctly define the correct stress release

- does the pipes act as an arch ?

 Numerical modelling
Documents pédagogiques internes au Mastère TOS

Hoek, 2001

Tunnel construction and ground

reinforcement: jet grouting arch

Daniele Peila
POLITECNICO DI TORINO
Documents pédagogiques internes au Mastère TOS
Documents pédagogiques internes au Mastère TOS
Documents pédagogiques internes au Mastère TOS

Turin railway junction

Soil improvement for a tunnel. Most

critical section. (Manassero, 1993)

In this case were used jet grouting

umbrella for the excavation of the
drift, a permeation grouting to
reinforce the ground around the
tunnel, a steel pipe umbrella and jet-
grouting colums to reinforce the
tunnel wall.
 Design of a jet grouting intervention

- the static design of the structure as a whole with the analysis of

tunnel stability. This step should lead to the design of the geometry
of the treated ground

- design of the injection parameters, of the type of grout and of

the operational parameters;

- design of an experimental test site and the definition of the

control parameters.
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Design of operational parameters

Preliminary site investigation and testing

The preliminary study of any geotechnical problem demands a thorough site investigation to
enable the most convenient solution to be reached. If a stabilizing treatment is necessary, an
accurate design may require supplementary testing that is specifically related to the solution
proposed.
In comparison with conventional grouting requirements, the factors that affect the feasibility and
the selection of jet grouting parameters can be assessed by a less engaging experimental program,
which may be summarized as follows:

detailed soil profiles and general hydro geological information

simple in-situ tests such as cone penetration or SPT, to estimate soil consistency or relative
density

simple laboratory tests on representative soil samples, to evaluate grain size distribution of
cohesionless materials and water content, bulk density, properties of cohesive formations
laboratory tests on trial grout and soil- grout mixtures, to be defined according to the importance
and specific requirements of the work

in-situ jet grouting tests to check the operational parameters and to a larger extent, if necessary, to
provide more detailed information for the final design.
 Design of operational parameters

Geometry of treatment

The great flexibility of the jet grouting procedures allows various problems to be solved by
suitable geometrical patterns such as:

continuous strip treatment by one or more rows of vertical overlapping elements to form cut-off
walls for ground water control or earth-retaininq strucures. Such barriers may have a circular or
elliptic form, for instance when required to protect deep shaft excavation
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block treatment by vertically staggered columns to increase bearing capacity of foundations or to

improve mechanical properties bf soils in tunnelling problems; if conditions permit the treatment
is done from the surface around the periphery of a planned tunnel or extended to the entire area to
be excavated

sub-horizontal treatment ahead of the excavation face in deep tunnelling, when operations from
the surface are impossible or not convenient.

Design of operational parameters

Selection of the grout

The grout mix constituents and composition can be varied to meet the specific requirements for
strength and permeability with quite different and less restrictive criteria in comparison with
conventional injection. As regards the initial rheological properties, viscosity and rigidity should
be fairly low in any case to allow a uniform treatment to the greatest extent.
Where strength is the main design criterion a simple cement slurry is employed, with a
cement/water ratio C/W mostly ranging between 0,5 and 1,0 to be selected according to various
factors besides the required strength, such as:

the type of soil as regards grain size and permeability in general and water content in cohesive
formations

the estimated amount of grout per unit volume of treated soil.

In permeable granular formations a considerable amount of water may be drained out both from
the soil and the grout, while in a cohesive soil of low permeability the final water content may
nearly equal the sum of the two original contents.
 Design of operational parameters
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Influence of water contents of grout and soil on the required quantities of grout and
cement (Perelli Cippo e Tornaghi, 1984).

Design of operational parameters

Selection of jet-grouting parameters

The influence of nozzle diameter, pressure, type and quantity of grout, monitor rotation
and withdrawal speed have been widely investigated in various soils and hydrological
conditions.

According to previous experience on job-sites and in field trials, the orders of

magnitude of the main parameters for the monofluid are:
pressure: 30 to 50 MPa
nozzle diameter: 1,8 to 3 mm
rod rotation speed: 10 to 20 rpm
rod drawing up speed: 20 to 70 cm/min.

A suitable selection of these parameters requires practical experience and may demand
site trials.
 Design of operational parameters
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Design of operational parameters

Properties of treated soil

The results of any treatment, in terms of uniformity and mechanical properties, depends on a
number of interconnected factors concerning the soil and the jet-grouting parameters.

Uniaxial compressive strength [MPa]

 Design of operational parameters

Column diameter for the

monofluid (T1)
bifluid (T2)

jet grouting procedure data (Botto, 1985).

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Tunnel construction and ground

reinforcement: face reinforcement

Daniele Peila
POLITECNICO DI TORINO
 Tunnel face ground reinforcement is obtained by installing on the
tunnel face fibre glass elements (such as pipes or plaquettes) fully
grouted and therefore connected with the soil/rock mass
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TUNNEL FACE REINFORCEMENT

 Tunnel face reinforcement elements

packer

VTR element Manchette pipe for grouting

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Tunnel face reinforcement elements

 Ground reinforcement used for the construction of the
the Bo-Fi highspeed railway (Italy)
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Ground reinforcement used for the construction of the the Bo-Fi highspeed
railway (Italy)
 Example of some scheme of ground reinforcement using longitudinal fiber
glass reinforcement in Tartaiguille tunnel (France) (Lunardi, 2000)
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Example of Tartaiguille tunnel - (France) (Lunardi, 2000)

 Example of Tartaiguille tunnel - (France) (Lunardi, 2000)
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Example of reinforcement scheme that was adopted to cross the Daj Khad
shear zone in the Headrace tunnel of Nathpa Jhakri Hydroelectric Project
- India (courtesy Geodata S.p.A.)
 Example of Reinforcement scheme that was adopted to cross the Daj Khad shear zone in
the Headrace tunnel of Nathpa Jhakri Hydroelectric Project - India (courtesy Geodata
S.p.A.)
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Tunnel near the surface - collapse mechanism: sliding of the ground

C/D=0.5 C/D=1 C/D=2

Failure bulbs for different ratio diameter/depth (Chambon and Corté, 1990)
 Tunnel near the surface - collapse mechanism: sliding of the ground
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Influence of tunnel unlined length on exent of failure mechanism for C/D=4

(Chambon and Corté, 1990)

Deep tunnel - collapse mechanism: estrusion


P


Pc Pf P0 P
 Deep tunnel - collapse mechanism: estrusion
Documents pédagogiques internes au Mastère TOS

Lunardi, 2000

Tunnel face below the prereinforcement - collapse mechanism:

sliding of the ground

face support
 DESIGN PROCEDURES

- Modeling of all the reinforcement element in a 3D numerical Surface and deep

model tunnels

- Modeling the action of the face reinforcement as an applied

pressure
Surface and deep
- Numerical model (3D, Axi-symmetric) tunnels
- Analytical model (sliding body)

- Modeling the action of the face reinforcement as an

Documents pédagogiques internes au Mastère TOS

improvement of the geotechnical properties of the ground of Surface and deep

the core tunnels
- numerical model (3D, Axi-symmetric)

- Modeling the action of the face reinforcement as am element Surface tunnels

intercepting a sliding surface and acting thanks to its shear
properties face stability below the
-Analytical model (sliding body) pre-support

Evaluation of face reinforcement action

Temporary support pressure on the face

 4N A 4N b sl a 
t  min  b 2 b ;
D 2 
Peila, 1994
 D
where:
Nb = number of VTR pipe; A = cross section of the VTR pipe; Sl lateral surface
of the pipes, a = shear stress on the lateral surface of the pipe; b= yielding stress
of the pipe material
 Evaluation of face reinforcement action

Improvement of choesion of the ground

1  sen 
 

c *  c   

2  cos   

n  T max
 3  c
Documents pédagogiques internes au Mastère TOS

c 1
S  3
c 

Tmax= max force of sliding between the reinforcement and the ground

Evaluation of face reinforcement action

u (mm)

analisi a)
analisi b)
analisi c)
dati sperimentali

Experimental data
San Vitale tunnel (Italy)

FLAC 3D numero di bulloni al fronte

Peila, 2002

Cohesion increment Rock reinforcement (a)

Applied pressure (b)
Modelling of the single pipes (c)
 Stability analysis below the pre-support
Documents pédagogiques internes au Mastère TOS

Horn model (1961) which was assumed by Anagnostou and Kovari (1994,1996) as the
base for the stabilty analysis of the face ahead of Slurry Shield and EPB machines bat
can be used for surface tunnel design

Stability analysis below the pre-support

presupport

Face reinforcement
Evaluation of the forces in the nails based on
Sliding body Soil nailing approach
(Raccomendation Cluterre, 1991)
 Example of 3D numerical computation with modeling of the elements
Documents pédagogiques internes au Mastère TOS

Contour lines of total displacement for overburden of H/D=0.5 for different

length of reinforcement (Schweiger and Mayer, 2004)

Tunnel construction and ground

reinforcement: example of a
reinforcement ahead the face with self-
drilling bolts in a complex urban
environment
Sebastiano Pelizza - Daniele Peila
POLITECNICO DI TORINO
 Grouting from the tunnel in urban area
(Turin metro – lot 1 – Conventional exacavation)
Documents pédagogiques internes au Mastère TOS

Sewer

Self-drilling bolts
(=38mm) to inject
silicate resins (2
components)

Steel arches
IPN 160
double
+ bullflex

1m
 Drilling and installation of self drilling bolts
Documents pédagogiques internes au Mastère TOS

Excavation with HEIH

 Tunnel construction and ground
reinforcement: innovative soil
reinforcement method in unstable silty
sand and clay
Documents pédagogiques internes au Mastère TOS

Sebastiano Pelizza – Claudia Mignelli - Daniele Peila

POLITECNICO DI TORINO

The Serra dell’Ospedale Tunnel

Double-tube motorway tunnel located in the South of Italy

on the motorway Salerno-Reggio Calabria

138
 The Serra dell’Ospedale Tunnel

North bound 1038 m

South bound 938 m
Documents pédagogiques internes au Mastère TOS

139

GEOLOGICAL MAP
PL1: Sandy silts
PL2: Silty sands and fine sands
PL3: Silty clays and clayey silts
 Longitudinal geotechnical profile, Serra dell’ Ospedale Tunnel
Documents pédagogiques internes au Mastère TOS

Debris
SAL Silty sands Typical geotechnical soil layout

SA-SAG-SAF
Fine sands

LIM Sandy silts

ARG Silty clays
and clayey silts 14 1

Sands Complex
SAF SAL (yellow)

SAL (yellow-gray) SAG (light yellow)

142
 - the sands show a rather different behaviour, even in presence of similar
granulometrical mixtures

- the sands, if present at the face inside the layers or lenses in the clayey-silt,
constitute a somewhat precarious support foundation for the clayey
formations, which often result instable because of lack of support

- sands with silty intercalations, have an unpredictable behavior

Documents pédagogiques internes au Mastère TOS

- the silt shows good holding characteristics

- the silty-clayey soil has a role that is connected to the deformability of the
excavation face

This situation is made worse by the particular and

unforeseeable behaviour of the water infiltrations at the face

SOUTH BOUND – SOUTH PORTAL (Reggio Calabria)

SALERNO REGGIO CALABRIA

Test site 1 Test site 9 Test site 11 Test site 12

144
Documents pédagogiques internes au Mastère TOS

Main technical soil characteristics

Soil reinforcement technical measures
- spallings of the face
- self drilling steel pipes on the back jet
- collapse of the inadequately supported pieces of
- cohesive layers - grouted with swelling cement mortar

- repeated collapse, because of the flow of sand

- between the umbrella-pipes, with the formation of- - self drilling steel pipes on the face jet
- chimneys some of which reached the ground surface - grouted with cement mortar
14 5

Consolidation of the excavation face

12 m
6
m

a transversal section and longitudinal profile of the “umbrella” at the back face and the consolidation of the excavation face

The novelty of this new method:

all the pipes on the back and at the face are self-drilling steel 146
pipes
Documents pédagogiques internes au Mastère TOS

self-drilling pipes with a simple drilling bit,

suitable for sand and clay, in which the
cement mortar injection nozzles were inserted

147

Type A: water and cement in a ratio of 0.6 was not used as it proved to be too
“scattered”

Type B: 60 litres of water, 70 kg of obtained good results in both the

cement and 30 kg of swelling mortar sand complex and in the basic clay
complex

Type C: 60 litres of water, 50 kg of was not used as it proved to be too

cement and 50 kg of swelling mortar “foamy”

type B mixture made up of 350 kg of CEM 111/A cement,

32.5 kg of “Basf Master flow” swelling mortar, 300 litres of
water with 1 % super-fluidifying additive
148
 450 mm
300 mm
Documents pédagogiques internes au Mastère TOS

a ground column jet grouted on the face at 200 bar

through the 60.3 mm diameter self-drilling pipe
149

Ground reinforcement and stabilisation system

“umbrella” at the back face:

the 110.6 mm self-drilling
pipes jet grouted
with swelling
cement mortar

the face reinforcement: 60.3 mm self-drilling pipes

jet grouted with cement mortar
Documents pédagogiques internes au Mastère TOS

The drilling pipes were first bent by the excavator and then cut off with a
robust scissor supported by a trucked carrier and then carried away
151

Execution
Quantity
Operation Dimensions time (*)
per cycle
hours
diameter
length m
mm
Pre-lining of the back face
110,6/8 12 78 48 (**)
(one self-drilling casting)
Reinforcement of the face
(self-drilling microcasting) 60,3/8 18 80 72 (**)

Excavation and support erection on excavation

soil (6 m, 1m step by step) 150 m3/m
steel ribs (1 m spaced) 2 IPN 180/1,0 m 54
shotcrete 25 cm (7,5 m3/m)

Excavation of the invert (to 6 m) 15 m3/m 12

and concrete casting 15 m3/m 12

TOTALTIMEPERCYCLE 198

152