New 2d simulation of TBM tunneling and application on El-Azhar road tunnels

A. Abu-Krisha
National Authority for Tunnels (NAT)

ABSTRACT: The excavation of TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine) tunneling process is a three-dimensional (3D) problem. With the help of the 3D analysis, the shortcomings that are usually found in the two dimensional (2D) analysis can be eliminated. As a consequence of the TBM procedure, 3D analyses is the most realistic, especially in studying the influence of slurry pressure or compressed air at the face of the shield and grouting pressure at the tail void gap . As 3D simulation costs are usually expensive, the new powerful proposed 2D simulation of TBM tunneling will decrease the usage of 3D TBM modeling. This simulation is based on the ability and the efficiency of the software program. The proposed simulation technique is tested by an application on El-Azhar north road tunnel in Cairo, Egypt. An elastoplastic soil model has been developed for 2D and 3D TBM tunneling problems based on a Mohr-Coulomb criterion . The different types of finite elements in the program library are used to represent the components of the numerical simulation in 2D. This study presents a good correlation between the results of the new 2D finite element simulation analyses and the actual in-situ measurements . 1. INTRODUCTION: The conventional TBM tunnelling method has increasingly been employed for the construction of underground structures in urban areas in the light of its economical and flexible performance. TBM is a 3D problem and as a consequence of the TBM procedure, 3D analyses is the most realistic, especially in the modelling of slurry and grouting pressures. The 3D analysis usually takes a long time on a CPU computer and requires a large storage space. As a result the cost of the 3D analysis is usually very high. Finite element models were developed to simulate the tunneling process and to investigate the result of stresses and strains of path dependent. In most instances, the simulation of the tunneling process can be modeled using a cross-sectional, twodimensional (2D) approach. The ConvergenceConfinement method is commonly used in conjunction with New Austrian tunneling Method rather than TBM tunnelling (Swobada 1990, Clough and Leca 1989). Th erefore, in the present work, the new 2D analysis of TBM modeling is studied. El-Azhar road tunnels have been driven using the bentonite slurry pressurized closed face Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) with an external diameter of 9.40 m. prefabricated reinforced concrete segments of 1.5m widths. The thickness of the concrete lining is 0.40 m with elastic modulus E= 28.5 *103 Mpa and Poissons ratio = 0.20, P. Ramond and S. Guillien, 1999. 2. GEOTECHNICAL CONDITIONS: In El-Azhar road tunnels, the geology formations along the bored tunnel are typical Cairo Nile Alluvial Deposits, NAT documents 1999. Geotechnical parameters are based on the geotechnical investigation report, NAT documents 1999. The values were similar to the corresponding ground formations encountered on the project of Cairo Metro Line 2. The soil parameters are given in table 1. The water table was at 15.4 m below the ground surface.
Soil Layer Fill Sand KN/m3 18 20 Ko 1 0.37 Eu (MPa) 10 40 Cu (KPa) 26 0 26 39 0.4 0.37

Table 1.

Geotechnical Soil Parameters.

3. NUMERICAL MODELS: The three models that were considered for TBM tunneling simulation are conventional 2D, new 2D and 3D TBM tunneling analyses. An elastoplastic soil model has been developed for the three TBM tunneling problems based on a Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion. The finite element 2D model consists of Anisotropic Linear Strain Triangular (LSTA) elements which simulate the soil mass. The concrete lining was simulated by the beam (BEAM6) elements. Also, both the shield and grouting were simulated by the beam (BEAM6) elements. Both of the 2D models tunnel excavation; grouting and lining are simulated in plane strain model. The finite element 3D model consists of Isoparametric Quadratic solid (IPQS) elements to model the soil mass and thin (IPQS) elements to simulate the grouting. SHELL element is used to

model the shield and the concrete lining. The boundary of base is restrained in x, z and y directions and the outer vertical boundary is restrained in x or z directions and is free to move in y direction. The proposed TBM models were used for the application on El-Azhar north road tunnel and lying at 15.4 m below the ground level. 4. CONVENTIONAL 2D SIMULATION: Conventional simulation of TBM tunneling process stages in 2D numerical analysis are illustrated as follows: 1- Initial state of vertical and horizontal effective stress in the ground before tunnel excavation is applied to the soil elements. 2- Excavation of soil elements that exist in the tunnel region and activation system of face support. Pressure of the slurry at the face of TBM is considered as a load on the excavation periphery. Elimination of excavation elements is achieved by applying the technique of stress elimination and reducing their stiffness

3D simulation is explicitly accurate for the TBM tunnelling model. The incremental stage -by-stage analysis is employed to simulate the advancing of TBM and its shield and the tunnel construction process. All the stages of 3D simulation can be illustrated as follows : 1- Initial state of effective stress in the soil mass before tunneling construction. Excavation of the first ring is simulated by 2elimination of the stresses from the excavated elements . The slurry pressure is applied to the tunnel face. Simulation of the excavation for the second 3ring. The advancing machine is modeled by activating both the shield elements in the second ring and TBM elements in the first ring . The slurry pressure is applied to the new face. Simulation of the excavation for the third ring. 4The process of the machine is again modeled by activating the shield elements in the third ring, TBM in the second ring, and the shield tail in the first ring. The TBM elements in the first ring are eliminated. The grouting elements with the lining elements are activated in the second ring.

Fig.1 Finite element mesh adopted in the traditional and new analysis parameters (E, G) to zero. The fourth ring is excavated . Continuous 53- Activation of concrete lining element is achieved advance of the TBM machine is simulated as the by increasing their stiffness from zero to the above-mentioned steps . The effect of tail void assumed value. gap closure is simulated by incrementally applying a uniform injection pressure around the These stages as were employed in FINAL code, tunnel periphery . Moreover, the grouting 1998 were applied on El-Azhar road tunnel. Fig. 1 injection pressure is applied to the surrounding shows the 2D finite element mesh employed in the soil and lining. analysis. All the following stages are typically similar to 6the above-mentioned stages. 5. 3D SIMULATION: The TBM modeling tunnel process is simulated in all stages to coincide as closely as possible with the

Fig. 2: 3D mesh employed in the analysis. actual process in FINAL code, 1998. Fig. 2 shows the 3D finite element mesh used in the analysis. 6. NEW 2D SIMULATION: New simulation of TBM tunneling process stages in 2D numerical analysis are illustrated as follows: 1- Initial state of vertical and horizontal effective stress in the ground before tunnel excavation is applied to the soil elements. 2- Excavation of soil elements that exist in tunnel region and activation system of face support.

Fig.3: Plan of the monitoring instruments. Pressure of the slurry at the face of TBM is considered as a load on the excavation periphery. Elimination of excavation elements is achieved by applying the technique of stress elimination and reducing their stiffness parameters (E, G) to zero. The advancing machine is modeled by activating 3the shield elements that simulated by BEAM 6 elements . The grouting elements with the lining elements 4are activated. The grouting material is considered to have a low stiffness . The TBM elements are released. The grouting injection

Fig. 4: Vertical displacements at the location of the three monitoring surface points for 2D.

Fig. 5: Vertical displacements at the location of the three monitoring surface points for new 2D. pressure is applied on soil. The material parameters of the groutng elements 5are changed from the previous case to present the actual time-strength. The new 2D modeling tunnel process is simulated in all stages to coincide as closely as possible with 3D modeling and the actual process in FINAL code, 1998. The finite element mesh adopted in the analysis is shown in Fig. 1. This mesh is the same for 2D typical analysis with the addition of elements simulating the shield and the grout. 7. MONITORING SYSTEM: The monitoring scheme for EL-Azher road tunnels project involved much instrumentation. Fig. 3 shows the measurement surface points 1N05 at centerline, 1N06 at 4.75 m offset of centerline and 1N07 at 12.0

Fig. 6: Vertical deformations for 3D model.

Fig. 7: Surface settlements for 2D typical analysis .

Fig. 8: Surface settlements for new 2D analysis . m offset of centerline, that at the section adopted in the analyses. 8. RESULTS OF ANALYSES : Fig. 4 shows the vertical deformation at the three sections of the surface points for the traditional 2D analysis and Fig. 5 shows it for the new 2D analysis, while Fig. 6 shows the vertical deformation in the 3D analysis model. The surface settlement for the 2D models is illustrated in Figs 7 and 8. The contours of surface settlement in the 3D model for the surface elements are shown in Fig. 9. Figs 10, 11 and 12 show the comparison between the three models of analysis and field measurements at the three surface points 1N05, 1N06 and 1N07. From the figures, it is clear that an encouraging agreement was observed between the 3D analysis, new 2D analysis and measurements. The trend curve of surface settlement for new 2D simulation was compatible with the site measurement curve during the TBM process. 9. CONCLUSIONS: The new 2D simulation of TBM tunneling analysis on EL-Azhar road north tunnel has succeed ed to develop applicable 2D conventional simulation of

Fig. 9: Surface settlements for 3D analysis . TBM tunneling process. The predicted deformation Finally, the use of numerical method, especially the in the new 2D analysis is realistic and in reasonable FEM, in tunneling is mandatory. Moreover, the correlation with 3D analysis. The analysis of the FEM is highly suited for the numerical simulation of new 2D simulation of TBM tunneling corresponds the new analyses. well with the site measurements for the surface settlements. The results of measurements demonstrate the validity of the proposed new 2D
Load No .
0 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

0 T 2D

Settelement

3D -5 N2D Monitoring -10

-15

-20

Fig. 10: Comparison of surface settlements at point

( 1N05)

simulation as a powerful tool in studying TBM tunneling processes. Thus, this simulation is based on the ability, the facility and the efficiency of the software program that is in FINAL code. In spite of the reliable and dependable results of the new 2D simulation, we still need the 3D analysis in TBM tunneling crossing case.

10. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: The author wishes to express his appreciation to Prof. Dr. G.Swobada, Innsbruck University, for his valuable advice.

11. REFERENCES Clough G.W. & Leca, E. With focus on use finite element methods for soft ground , tunneling, In conference on Models and Design methods, 1989, pp. 531-575, Paris. - National Authority for tunnels (NAT), Soil report, Project Documents, 1999. Ramond & Guillien, S., El Azhar Road Tunnel, Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology, Volume 14, No. 3, 1999, pp. 291-318 Swoboda, G. Program System FINAL, Finite Element Analysis Program for Linear and Nonlinear Structures, University o f Innsbruck, Austria, Version 7.1, 1998 - Swobada, G. Numerical Methods and Constitutive Modelling in Geomechanics, International Centre for mechanical sciences
Load No .
0 2 0 -2 1 2 3 4

(courses and lectures), 1990 No. 311, pp. 277-3 1 8 , ( e d s . D e s a i a n d G i o d e , G ) , Italy.G.Swobada, 1990,

T2D -4

Settelement

3D N2D monitoring

-6 -8 -10 -12 -14 -16

Load No.
0 0.5 0 -0.5 -1 T2D 3D N2D monitoring 1

Fig . 11 : Comparison of surface settlements at point

( 1N06)

Settelement

-1.5 -2 -2.5 -3 -3.5 -4 -4.5

Fig. 12: Comparison of surface settlements at point (1N07)