Finite Element Analysis of the Tunnel-Beneath Piled Building Interaction

Abstract

The growth of cities induced an increased demand for infrastructure including tunnel constructions. Because the urban ground usually is soft soil therefore tunnel constructions may cause ground settlement and damage the structures around. So, it is very important to carefully consider the tunnel construction effect on the design, construction, operation, and risk assessment of structures around the tunnel. In this paper, the finite element method was used to study the influence of the tunnel excavation on beneath piled buildings at the Hanoi metro line 03. These results indicate that the internal forces and displacements of the pile are greatest for the front pile closest to the tunnel in the group, which is the first pile to be loaded in the group. Two parameters: the tunnel burial depth and the distance from the tunnel centreline to the beneath-piled building have been investigated. These results found that the distance from the tunnel axis to the beneath piled building increases, while both the internal forces and displacements of the pile decrease. These internal forces and displacements increase with greater tunnel burial depth. The magnitude of normal forces and bending moments in the tunnel lining increase as the tunnel burial depth increases, while normal forces increase and bending moments in the tunnel lining decrease when the distance from the tunnel axis to the beneath-piled building decreases.

Keywords

• finite element method
• piled building
• tunnel
• underground construction