A 3D finite element simulation model for TBM tunnelling in soft ground

TLDR

The study presents a 3D finite element simulation model for shield‑driven tunnel excavation. The model incorporates soil, groundwater, the TBM with frictional contact, hydraulic jacks, tunnel lining, and tail‑void grouting, using saturated porous media, Cam‑Clay plasticity, ageing elastic grout, and is fully automated for arbitrary driving paths. Simulation results for soft cohesive soil tunnelling below the water table agree with literature measurements. © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Abstract

Abstract A three‐dimensional finite element simulation model for shield‐driven tunnel excavation is presented. The model takes into account all relevant components of the construction process (the soil and the ground water, the tunnel boring machine with frictional contact to the soil, the hydraulic jacks, the tunnel lining and the tail void grouting). The paper gives a detailed description of the model components and the stepwise procedure to simulate the construction process. The soil and the grout material are modelled as saturated porous media using a two‐field finite element formulation. This allows to take into account the groundwater, the grouting pressure and the fluid interaction between the soil and slurry at the cutting face and between the soil and grout around the tail void. A Cam‐Clay plasticity model is used to describe the material behaviour of cohesive soils. The cementitious grouting material in the tail void is modelled as an ageing elastic material with time‐dependent stiffness and permeability. To allow for an automated computation of arbitrarily long and also curvilinear driving paths with suitable finite element meshes, the simulation procedure has been fully automated. The simulation of a tunnel advance in soft cohesive soil below the ground water table is presented and the results are compared with measurements taken from the literature. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.