Spatiotemporal Deformation of Existing Pipeline Due to New Shield Tunnelling Parallel Beneath Considering Construction Process

In this paper, we study the effects of the shield tunnel construction on the deformation of an existing pipeline parallel to and above the new shield tunnel. We propose an analytical solution to predict the spatiotemporal deformation of the existing pipeline and consider different force patterns of the shield tunnelling, i.e., ground volume loss, support pressure, frictional force, and torsional force. The proposed method is validated by the monitoring data of Subway Line 3 of Nanchang and provides a reasonable estimation of the pipeline’s deformation. The parametric analyses are performed to study the influences on the pipeline’s deformation. The main advantage of our paper is that the spatiotemporal characteristics of the existing pipeline’s deformation are analysed, providing longitudinal deformation curve (LDC), deformation development curve (DDC), and grouting reinforcement curve (GRC). Compared with the perpendicular undercrossing project, both LDC and DDC have the same profiles and maximum values and move forward as a whole with the shield tunnel advance. Thus, the spatiotemporal deformation of the overall pipeline can be extrapolated from the deformation of two known points on the pipeline. The spatiotemporal characteristic curves combined with LDC, DDC, and GRC can suggest feasible, effective, and economical construction and grouting schemes to control the pipeline’s deformation after the deformation control standards have been determined.

Slurry Shield Tunnelling in Clayey Soils: Typical Problems and Countermeasures

The distinguishing characteristics of clay are high cohesion and low permeability. For slurry shield tunnelling in clayey soils, favorable aspects are that slurry cake with low permeability can be established more easily and effectively at the excavation face thanks to clay’s high cohesion, which is advantageous for stability of excavation face, and long stand-up time of clay offers enough time for backfilling of the tail void before collapse of surrounding soils, thus lessening ground volume loss. However, some typical problems are encountered due to clay’s high cohesion and low permeability. One primary problem is the clogging of slurry pipeline, once in case of which, slurry pressure will fluctuate severely, thus inducing unstable condition at the excavation face. In extreme cases, the pipeline bursts and soils at the excavation face collapse towards the cutterhead for immediate drop of slurry pressure. Another common problem is clay’s adhesion to the cutterhead, which weakens the excavation efficiency of cutterhead and limits advance rate of the shield machine. Tunnelling will inevitably disturb surrounding soils and excess pore water pressure occurs. In clayey soils, due to clay’s low permeability, it usually takes quite a long time for the excess pore water pressure to disperse completely. The consolidation settlements associated with pore water dispersing account for a large percentage of the total settlements. Accumulated ground settlements threaten structures and pipelines nearby. For these problems encountered during slurry shield tunnelling in clayey soils, both preventive and counter measures are put forward in detail in this study. The proposed measures can be used as a reference to avoid, mitigate and deal with problems encountered during slurry shield tunnelling in clayey soils.

Analysis on the Embankment Settlements Induced by Slurry Shield Under-Tunnelling

Based on field settlement monitoring data in construction of Hangzhou Qiantang River tunnel, the settlements of the embankment induced by two shields respectively were compared. The study shows that: 1.The settlements of the embankment induced by the west shield are larger, which are accounted for sustained rainfall, severe fluctuation of the chamber pressure, lack of construction experience and worse control of shield driving parameters. 2. Peck equation is applicable to settlement fitting in this case history. Trough back-analysis, the traverse tough-width parameter and ground volume loss range from 0.33 to 0.47, 0.99% to 1.57% respectively for the embankment settlements above the west tunnel, and from 0.24 to 0.34, 0.25% to 0.52% for the east tunnel. 3. Good control of shield driving parameters contributes to small disturbance to surrounding soils, thereby decreasing the induced settlements of the embankment.