LECTURE 18 - OUTLINE

Tunnelling in Urban Environment

Applications of Numerical Methods
(a) Case Studies:

ROCK MECHANICS 2

(a1) Valaverta Tunnel

(a2) Metro Torino Tunnel

Giovanni Barla
Politecnico di Torino
STRUCTURAL AND GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

TUNNELLING IN URBAN ENVIRONMENT

VALAVERTA TUNNEL (Fiemme
(Fiemme Valley)
Valley)
The Valaverta tunnel is located in the Trentino Region, in the Fiemme Valley.
With a total length of 1949 m, starting from the South Portal, the tunnel has
been excavated in non-cohesive soil (alluvional deposits formed of gravel and
sand, with very limited silt and clay content). The tunnel is a typical urban
tunnel excavated with a low overburden and near to a number of buildings
(the town of Ziano) as shown in the photographs below. The mean ground
strength properties (short term conditions) can be estimated to be as follows:
c=10-30kPa, =35-38. The water level is significantly below the invert

EXCAVATION AND CONSTRUCTION METHOD

With the main purpose to contain any surface movement (subsidence
problems), with appropriate consideration given to the low overburden (the
cover is in the range C= 4-24 m), two different stabilization methods have
been adopted as illustrated in the figures below

ZIANO

GENERAL VIEW - South Portal

PORTAL DETAIL

METHOD : Conventional grouting

around the tunnel with cement and
silicate mixtures

METHOD : Umbrella of jetjet-grouted

columns for face stability and jetjetgrouted columns at the sidewalls,
sidewalls, for
settlement control during the lower
section excavation

MONITORING PROGRAMME

The Monitoring Programme was

intended to monitor the following:

Section
Section

ground movements at various depths by

using both borehole inclinometers and
mulptiple position borehole extensometers
surface settlements by topographic surveys
convergence measurements during face
advance
strains in the steel sets by means of strain
gauges

Risults of monitoring in cross section 1

South Portal: Buildings on the surface

and instrumented cross sections

Vertical displacement (mm)

1.2 mm

6
7 mm

Distance from face (m)

Section 1
Risults of monitoring in cross section 2

Ground settlements above the tunnel in cross section 1

NUMERICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED

Vertical displacement (mm)

10

9 mm

SCOPE

Describe the stress-strain

conditions around the tunnel in
the cross section of interest with
the main purpose to back
analyse the monitored
behaviour during face advance

z
20

22 mm

u=0
30

33 mm

40
Distance from face (m)

Section 2
Ground settlements above the tunnel in cross section 2

NUMERICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED

Excavation and Construction Simulation Procedure

STEP 1: apply stresses

on the tunnel contour
which reproduce the
conditions around the
tunnel when only the
stabilization system
is present

STEP 2: apply stresses

on the tunnel contour
which reproduce the
conditions around the
tunnel when only the
stabilization system
and the primary lining
(cls+steel sets) are
present

[]f =(1-)[]0

[]f =(1-)[]0

STEP 3: apply stresses

on the tunnel contour
(lower cross section only)
which reproduce the
conditions around the
tunnel when the lower
cross section is excavated

[]f =(1-)[]0

The numerical analyses were

performed during the top
heading excavation, with the
30
10
38
35
Natural soil
u=0 main purpose to be able to
Treated soil
100
100
38
35
develop a numerical model
Ed =12.5 + 5z (MPa) from GS level to 20 m below
which could guide in
Ed =25.0 + 10z (MPa) from 20 m to 16 m
PREDICTING THE GROUND
z
RESPONSE DURING THE
Ed =100 + 40z (MPa) for the ground around the tunnel
LOWER CROSS SECTION
EXCAVATION
z
z
z
Parameters

cp(kPa)

cr(kPa)

p()

r()

v=0
FEM model, boundary conditions
and geotechnical parameters

NUMERICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED

STEP 4: apply stresses

on the tunnel contour
which reproduce the
conditions around the
tunnel when the primary
lining is installed in the
lower cross section

[]f =(1-)[]0

The value of is chosen with the objective

The value of is chosen with the objective

to obtain a settlement on the surface which

is equal to that measured in situ during face
advance

to predict the the state of stress in the

primary lining

EXCAVATION OF THE UPPER CROSS SECTION (CALOTTA) - STEP 1

(a) Mobilised strength in the ground around the tunnel
(b) Deformed mesh

NUMERICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED

PRIMARY LINING PLACED IN THE UPPER CROSS SECTION (CALOTTA) - STEP 2

(a) Mobilised strength in the ground around the tunnel
(b) Deformed mesh

NUMERICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED

NUMERICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED

EXCAVATION OF THE LOWER CROSS SECTION (BENCHING DOWN STAGE) - STEP3

(a) Mobilised strength in the ground around the tunnel
(b) Deformed mesh

NUMERICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED

VERTICAL DISPACEMENTS - MEASURED vs COMPUTED VALUES

Depth (m)

PRIMARY LINING PLACED IN THE LOWER CROSS SECTION - STEP4

Vertical Displacements (mm)

Monitored values

Computed values

(a)

(b)

(a)

(b)

0.0
(ground surface)

14.0

25.0

15.1

24.6

23.0
(crown)

34.0

45.0

29.4

40.5

(a) upper cross excavation completed

(b) lower cross section excavation completed

(a) Mobilised strength in the ground around the tunnel

(b) Deformed mesh

DORA RIVER

PO RIVER

N,W

1
2
3
4
5
6

METRO
METROTORINO
TORINO--LINE
LINE11

S, E

Alluvional deposits (present)

Alluvional deposits (recent)
Alluvional deposits (old)
Clays (Villafranchiano)
Sand and Conglomerate (Piacenziano)
Marl and Sandstone (Miocene)

SCHEMATIC
SCHEMATICGEOLOGICAL
GEOLOGICALCROSS
CROSSSECTION
SECTION(Bottino
(BottinoeeCivita)
Civita)

PASSANTE
FERROVIARIO

CONTOUR
CONTOURLINES
LINESOF
OFTHE
THEUPPER
UPPERWATER
WATERTABLE
TABLE-- Updated
Updated1995
1995
PASSANTE
FERROVIARIO
(G.Barla
and
Vai)
PASSANTE FERROVIARIO (G.Barla and Vai)

Stratigraphic Cross
Section between the
diaphragm walls

Segmental Lining

EPB Shield

Lining installation

METRO TORINO - PERFORMANCE MONITORING

METRO
METROTORINO
TORINO --LINE
LINE11

Misure Pozzo Strada-Racconigi - Curva interpolante asimmetrica

Sezione:
Sezione:3SP-B1
3SP-B1(prog.
(prog.4516.92),
4516.92),Curva
Curvaint.
int.dxsx- -i i==10,83
m
Monitored
Surface
Settlements
- Pozzo
Strada -6,08
Racconigi
0.5
0,0
-25

-20

-15
-15

-10

-5

55

10
10

y (m)
15

20
20

25
25

-0,2
0.0
-15

-10

-5

10

15

20

-0,4

S, settlement (mm)

-20

Cedimenti [mm]
Cedimenti
[mm]

-0.5

-0,6
-1.0

-0,8

-1,0
-1.5
-1,2
-2.0

i=6m

-1,4
-2.5

-1,6
-1,8

-3.0

Distanza
dall'asse
tunnel
[m]
Distanza
dall'asse
tunnel
Distanza
dall'asse
[m] [m]

i=

4/11/03 - 14; d = -11,3 m

4/11/03 - 14; d = -11,3 m
6/11/03 - 9; d = 18,6 m
6/11/03 - 9; d = 18,6 m
6/11/03 - 14; d = 26,1 m
6/11/03 - 14; d = 26,1 m
9/11/03 - 12; d = 78,6 m
9/11/03 - 12; d = 78,6 m
11/11/03 - 9; d = 108,6 m
11/11/03 - 9; d = 108,6 m
15/12/03 - 9;
15/12/03 - 9;
4/11/03 - 14; d = -11 m
4/11/03 - 14; d = -11 m
7.5 6/11/03
m
- 9; d = 19 m
6/11/03 - 9; d = 19 m
6/11/03 - 14; d = 26 m
6/11/03 - 14; d = 26 m
9/11/03 - 12; d = 79 m
9/11/03 - 12; d = 79 m
11/11/03
11/11/03--9;
9; dd== 109
109m
m
15/12/03
15/12/03--9;
9;

Sezione: 3SP-B1
(prog. 3SP-B1
4516.92),
Curvam)
int. sx - i = 6,08 m
Section:
(4516.92
0,5
0,5

y (m)

0,0
0,0

[mm]
Cedimenti
S, Cedimenti
settlement (mm)

-25
-20

-20-15

-15 -10 -10

-5 -5

00

55

10 10

15

15 20

25
20

-0,5
-0,5

-1,0
-1,0
4/11/03 - 14; d = -11 m

4/11/03
m
6/11/03- -14;
9; dd == -11
19 m

-1,5
-1,5

-2,0
-2,0

-2,5
-2,5

Distanza dall'asse tunnel [m]

6/11/03
d =d 19
mm
6/11/03- -9;14;
= 26
6/11/03
9/11/03- -14;
12;dd==26
79m
m
9/11/03 - 12; d = 79 m
11/11/03 - 9; d = 109 m
11/11/03 - 9; d = 109 m
15/12/03 - 9;
15/12/03 - 9;
Numerical Nodel d = -10 m
Risultato el. numerica d = -10 m
Numerical Nodel d = 0 m
Risultato el. numerica d = 0 m
Numerical Nodel d = 17,5 m
Risultato el. numerica d = 17,5 m
Numerical Nodel d = 25 m
Risultato el. numerica d = 25 m