REFERENCE MANUAL

Since staged construction is performed using the Load advancement ultimate level
procedure (Section 7.6.2), it is controlled by a total multiplier (Mstage). This multiplier
starts at zero and is expected to reach the ultimate level of 1.0 at the end of the
calculation phase. Note that the maximum number of additional steps as defined by the
Max steps parameter will not be reached if Mstage criterion is met before.
In some special situations, however, it might be necessary to split the staged construction
process into more than one calculation phase and to specify an intermediate value of
Mstage. This can be done by assigning a value lower than 1.0 to the Mstage
parameter in the General subtree in the Phases window which is only available for a
Plastic calculation. However, care must be taken with an ultimate level smaller than 1.0,
since this is associated with a resulting out-of-balance force. Such calculations must
always be followed by another staged construction calculation.
Without specifying a value for Mstage, the program always assumes an ultimate level
of Mstage = 1.0. Before starting any other type of calculation the Mstage parameter
must first have reached the value 1.0. This can be verified in the Reached values subtree
in the Phases window (Section 7.20).

Staged construction with Mstage < 1

In general, the total multiplier associated with the staged construction process, Mstage,
goes from zero to unity in each calculation phase where staged construction has been
selected as the loading input. In some very special situations it may be useful to perform
only a part of a construction stage. This can be done by specifying to Mstage a value
lower than 1.0.

Tunnel construction with Mstage < 1

In PLAXIS it is possible to simulate the construction process of tunnels with a sprayed
concrete lining (NATM). The major point in such an analysis is to account for the
three-dimensional arching effect that occurs within the soil and the deformations that
occur around the unsupported tunnel face. A method that takes these effects into
account is described below.
There are various methods described in the literature for the analysis of tunnels
constructed according to the New Austrian Tunnelling Method. One of these is the
so-called Converge confinement method or -method (Schikora & Fink, 1982), but others
have presented similar methods under different names. The idea is that the initial
stresses pk acting around the location where the tunnel is to be constructed are divided
into a part (1 ) pk that is applied to the unsupported tunnel and a part pk that is
applied to the supported tunnel (Figure 7.7). The -value is an 'experience value', which,
among other things, depends on the ratio of the unsupported tunnel length and the
equivalent tunnel diameter. Suggestions for this value can be found in literature (Schikora
& Fink, 1982).
Instead of entering a -value in PLAXIS, one can use the staged construction option with
a reduced ultimate level of Mstage. In fact, when deactivating the tunnel clusters an
initial out-of-balance force occurs that is comparable with pk . In the beginning of the
staged construction calculation, when Mstage is zero, this force is fully applied to the
active mesh and it will be stepwise decreased to zero with the simultaneous increase of
Mstage towards unity. Hence, the value of Mstage can be compared with 1 . In

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order to allow for the second step in the -method, the ultimate level of Mstage should
be limited to a value of 1 while deactivating the tunnel clusters. In general, care must
be taken with an ultimate level of Mstage smaller than 1.0, since this is associated with
a resulting out-of-balance force at the end of the calculation phase. In this case the next
calculation phase is a staged construction calculation in which the tunnel construction is
completed by activating the tunnel lining. By default, the ultimate level of Mstage is 1.0.
Hence, the remaining out-of-balance force will be applied to the geometry including the
tunnel lining.

Pk

(1 )Pk

Pk

Figure 7.7 Schematic representation of the -method for the analysis of NATM tunnels

The process is summarised below:

1.

Generate the initial stress field and apply eventual external loads that are present
before the tunnel is constructed.

2.

De-activate the tunnel clusters without activation of the tunnel lining and apply an
ultimate level of Mstage equal to 1 .

3.

Activate the tunnel lining.

Unfinished staged construction calculation

At the start of a staged construction calculation, the multiplier that controls the staged
construction process, Mstage, is zero and this multiplier is stepwise increased to the
ultimate level (generally 1.0). When Mstage has reached the ultimate level, the current
phase is finished. However, if a staged construction calculation has not properly finished,
i.e. the multiplier Mstage is less than the desired ultimate level at the end of a staged
construction analysis, then a warning appears in the Log info box. The reached value of
the Mstage multiplier may be viewed in the Reached values subtree in the Phases
window.
There are three possible reasons for an unfinished construction stage.

An ultimate value of Mstage less than 1.0 is specified by the user. Note that the
out-of-balance force is still partly unresolved. The remain out-of-balance forces
must be solved in the next calculation phase.

Failure of the soil body has occurred during the calculation. This means that it is not
possible to finish the construction stage. Note that the out-of-balance force is still
partly unsolved so that further calculations starting from the last calculation phase
are meaningless.

The maximum number of loading steps was insufficient. In this case the
construction stage should be continued by performing another staged construction
calculation that is directly started without changing the geometry configuration or

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water pressures. Alternatively, the phase may be recalculated using a larger number
of Max steps. Note that it is advised against applying any other type of loading as
long as the Mstage has not reached the value 1.0.
In the case of an unfinished staged construction calculation, the load that has actually
been applied differs from the defined load configuration. The reached value of the
Mstage multiplier may be used in the following way to estimate the load that has
actually been applied:

fapplied = f0 + Mstage(fdefined f0 )
where fapplied is the load that has actually been applied, f0 is the load at the beginning of
the calculation phase (i.e. the load that has been reached at the end of the previous
calculation phase) and fdefined is the defined load configuration.
A reduced ultimate level of Mstage may be reduced repetitively. In the case of multiple
subsequent phases with Mstage < 1, it should be realized that Mstage starts at 0 in
every phase. For example, if three phases are defined, where in phase 1
Mstage = 0.5; in phase 2 Mstage = 0.5 and phase 3 Mstage = 1.0 (without
additional changes), it means that:

At the end of phase 1 50% of the unbalance is solved

At the end of phase 2 50% of the remainig unbalance (= 75% of the initial
unbalance) is solved

At the end of phase 3 100% of the remaining unbalance (= 100%of the initial
unbalance) is solved

7.4.2

MINIMUM EXCESS PORE PRESSURE

The Minimum excess pore pressure option in the Loading input drop-down menu is
a criterion for terminating a consolidation analysis. The calculation stops when the
maximum absolute excess pore pressure is below the prescribed value of |P-stop|. Note
that the maximum number of steps as defined by the Max steps parameter will not be
reached if the |P-stop| criterion is met before. For example, when the maximum excess
pore pressure has reached a certain value during the application of load, the user can
make sure that the consolidation process is continued until all nodal values of excess
pore pressure are less than |P-stop|, provided the value of Max steps is sufficient.
Hint: The Minimum excess pore pressure loading type is available only for
Consolidation calculations.

7.4.3

DEGREE OF CONSOLIDATION

The option Degree of consolidation is an alternative criterion for terminating a

consolidation analysis. The calculation stops when the degree of consolidation, as
defines herein, is below the value of Degree of consolidation. The degree of
consolidation is an important indication of the consolidation state. Strictly, the degree of
consolidation, U , is defined in terms of the proportion of the final settlement although the

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