TY - JOUR

T1 - The effect of weak interlayer on the failure pattern of rock mass around tunnel

T2 - Scaled model tests and numerical analysis

AU - Huang, Feng

AU - Zhu, Hehua

AU - Xu, Qianwei

AU - Cai, Yongchang

AU - Zhuang, Xiaoying

N1 - Funding information: This research work was financially supported by Natural Science Foundation of P.R. China (No. 41130751 ), Program for Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in University (PCSIRT, IRT1029) and Opening Funds of Key Laboratory of Geotechnical and Underground Engineering (Tongji University) of Ministry of Education (KLE-TJGE-B1108) Research Programme for Western China Communication(2011ZB04).

PY - 2012/8/23

Y1 - 2012/8/23

N2 - Weak interlayer is one of unfavorable geological discontinuities often encountered in underground engineering. Many failures of underground openings were reported to be closely related to the existence of weak interlayer nearby. For the purpose of exploring the effect of weak interlayer on failure pattern of rock mass around tunnel, both physical model tests and numerical analysis were carried out to simulate tunnel excavation near an interlayer. In the model tests, by comparison of the failure patterns between homogenous ground and ground with a weak interlayer, it was found that the weak interlayer affected the stability of tunnel by increasing the failure zones and causing asymmetrical stress distribution. The results of model tests were then verified by numerical analysis. Furthermore, based on the numerical analysis results, the location, dip and thickness of the interlayer as well as the distance from the interlayer to the tunnel were proved to be important factors influencing tunnel stability, and the relationships of the induced damage zones with these parameters of the weak interlayer were established. These results can provide a useful guidance for support design and safe excavation of tunnel near or crossing through a weak interlayer.

AB - Weak interlayer is one of unfavorable geological discontinuities often encountered in underground engineering. Many failures of underground openings were reported to be closely related to the existence of weak interlayer nearby. For the purpose of exploring the effect of weak interlayer on failure pattern of rock mass around tunnel, both physical model tests and numerical analysis were carried out to simulate tunnel excavation near an interlayer. In the model tests, by comparison of the failure patterns between homogenous ground and ground with a weak interlayer, it was found that the weak interlayer affected the stability of tunnel by increasing the failure zones and causing asymmetrical stress distribution. The results of model tests were then verified by numerical analysis. Furthermore, based on the numerical analysis results, the location, dip and thickness of the interlayer as well as the distance from the interlayer to the tunnel were proved to be important factors influencing tunnel stability, and the relationships of the induced damage zones with these parameters of the weak interlayer were established. These results can provide a useful guidance for support design and safe excavation of tunnel near or crossing through a weak interlayer.

KW - Model tests

KW - Numerical analysis

KW - Tunnel stability

KW - Weak interlayer of rock mass

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84875808367&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.tust.2012.06.014

DO - 10.1016/j.tust.2012.06.014

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84875808367

VL - 35

SP - 207

EP - 218

JO - Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology

JF - Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology

SN - 0886-7798

ER -