Symmetry (Oct 2020)
Influence of Loose Contact between Tunnel Lining and Surrounding Rock on the Safety of the Tunnel Structure
Abstract
The improvement of the contact state between the surrounding rock and tunnel lining, such as the effect of back-fill grouting behind lining, was important for maintaining the stability of the lining structure. To explore the influence of loose contact states behind lining on the safety of tunnel lining, a case of field investigation in a railway tunnel with a symmetrical lining structure was presented in this paper. A model test was conducted to prove the accuracy of the numerical simulation in the condition of dense contact state between the lining and surrounding rocks. Based on this, the three-dimensional (3-D) impact of loose contact states on the mechanic behavior of the lining structure under different compactness and different loose contact areas behind lining was investigated and summarized. Furthermore, the influence of the percentage of the insufficient strength behind lining was explored. Finally, the grade of the influence of the loose contact state on the safety of the lining structure was classified. The results revealed that: (1) in order to maintain the stability of lining structure, the compactness of the back-fill grouting behind lining was recommended to be above 80%, and the range of the loose contact area should be no more than 60 degree; (2) the strength of the back-fill grouting behind lining should be above 50% strength of the surrounding rock, the loose contact state behind lining should be improved in time to avoid expansion of the loose contact area; and (3) the classification of the influence grade on the safety of the lining structure provides a basic reference for controlling the quality of the back-fill grouting. This research gives a new point of view for the evaluation of the contact state between lining and surrounding rock.
Keywords
