An Improved Stress and Strain Increment Approaches for Circular Tunnel in Strain-Softening Surrounding Rock Considering Seepage Force

Abstract

Considering the effect of seepage force, a dimensionless approach was introduced to improve the stress and strain increment approach on the stresses and radial displacement around a circular tunnel excavated in a strain-softening generalized Hoek–Brown or Mohr–Coulomb rock mass. The circular tunnel can be simplified as axisymmetric problem, and the plastic zone was divided into a finite number of concentric rings which satisfy the equilibrium and compatibility equations. Increments of stresses and strains for each ring were obtained by solving the equilibrium and compatibility equations. Then, the stresses and displacements in softening zone can be calculated. The correctness and reliability of the proposed approach were performed by the existing solutions.