Engineering quality assurance for construction ground freezing

Controlled ground freezing for mining and construction applications has been in use for over a century. Despite the great technological evolution which has occurred during this period, it still remains more of an art than a science. Both the ground freezing system and related frozen earth structure are, as a practical matter, indeterminate from the standpoint of accurate engineering computations. Because of this, the successful execution of a ground freezing project depends to a large extent on the personal experience of the individuals involved in its design and execution. The purpose of this paper is to present information on proven methods for accomplishing and verifying some of the most important construction operations used during installation and maintenance of a ground freezing system and related frozen earth structure. The data on which this paper is based are derived from records of numerous completed projects for which ground freezing was employed to provide temporary ground suppport groundwater control, and/or structural underpinning. Applications included shafts, tunnels, deep open excavations, underpinning, and emergency or remedial repair of other types of construction used in the same applications.

Based on the data studied, the paper concludes with some fundamental recommendations for applied research topics.     

浅覆土下矩形冻结加固的模型试验研究

为获得浅覆土下矩形冻结加固体的温度场分布及冻胀变形规律,以广州地铁6号线穿越3号线的冻结工程为原型,根据相似理论,设计进行了水平冻结的模型试验。结果表明,在地表散热的影响下浅埋冻结工程中紧邻地表的冻结区域降温速度较慢,形成的冻结壁是整个加固体的薄弱环节;冻结过程中冻结壁向内发展较快,其平均发展速度是向外发展速度的1.5倍左右;形成封闭的冻结壁前,采用较高的盐水温度进行冻结,可有效地控制土体的冻胀变形,冻结壁封闭后,降低盐水温度,冻胀变形会明显增加;冻胀过程中产生的冻胀力对上部土层有压密作用,使土层的冻胀变形随着埋深的变浅而减小;对于浅埋矩形地下冻结工程,上部覆土和冻结加固体之间相互影响作用明显,上部土层的散热会影响冻结加固体内温度场的分布规律,而下部冻土的冻胀作用也会压密上部土层。     

隧道水平冻结施工期地表融沉的历时预测模型

隧道冻结工程中所形成的人工冻结壁为临时支护结构,隧道衬砌结构施工后,冻结壁要进入解冻期,由于冻结壁解冻过程中的地层融沉现象对隧道周边环境影响较大,因此,应建立合理的方法对地表融沉量进行预测,以便于实际施工中采取相应的融沉控制措施。为此,考虑冻结壁的自然解冻过程,基于随机介质理论,建立了隧道水平冻结施工期地表融沉的历时预测模型。并提出冻结壁自然解冻条件下瞬态温度场由平板解冻理论近似求解,基于平板解冻理论和一维情况下已融土层的稳定融沉量计算公式,确定了预测模型中解冻锋面半径和融缩区域内半径这2个关键参数的取值方法。将所建立的预测模型应用于隧道全断面水平冻结工程中,得到了地表融沉随解冻时间的变化规律。研究结果表明,地表融沉在解冻初期增长速度较快,而在解冻后期增长速度减缓,地表历时融沉量与崔托维奇通过试验得出的天然冻土历时融沉量变化规律相一致。     

Studies on Construction Pre-control of a Connection Aisle Between Two Neighbouring Tunnels in Shanghai by Means of 3D FEM,Neural Networks and Fuzzy Logic

The ground freezing construction technique is one of the most effective and widely applied site construction methods in soft soil areas, like Shanghai. Some elevation-inclined refrigeration pipes are arranged for the artificial freezing excavation of the Pudong-side first-storey connection aisle, which is designed to connect two adjacent tunnel lanes of Shanghai East-Fuxing-Road tunnel project. No advanced research results could be found for computing the temperature field of tunnels and aisles frozen with inclined refrigeration pipes. Anyhow the computation of the relevant temperature field is of high importance for the safe and economical excavation of the above-mentioned aisle. In this paper, a method for computing the aisle temperature field using 3D FEM is given, and the computation accuracy is verified by contrasting the computed and site measured results. The back propagation neural networks are also applied to the temperature prediction using self-developed Neural Network-Expert System software, the predicted results are also very satisfactory. The mechanism during freezing and aisle excavation will be discussed on the basis of 3D FEM simulation. The authors believe that studying the parameter-sensitivity of temperature field is very important for the optimum selection of parameter values. So, in this paper, the parameter-sensitivity of temperature field is also discussed. In order to obtain the optimum frozen wall thickness, the relation between the frozen wall thickness and the initial freezing brine temperature is studied. At the end, an excavation pre-control plan is proposed by means of fuzzy logic theory for improving the excavation safety. The research result of the current paper is very helpful for projects that will be excavated by freezing construction technique.     

广州地铁超长水平冻结多参量监测分析

广州地铁3号线天河客运站折返线工程是目前国内最长、开挖断面最大的水平冻结隧道工程。文中根据不同施工阶段中对盐水温度、土层温度、地表变形、冻土压力、隧道衬砌变形等多个参量的现场监测数据,从时间和空间上分析了冻结帷幕演化过程、冻结帷幕发展速度等;探讨了土层温度变化规律以及冻土压力与土体温度间的相互关系,得出了在积极冻结期,沿测温孔深度方向土体温度的变化梯度随冻结时间增加不断减小,土体温度变化速率随时间增加而降低的特征;对比研究了冻结阶段、隧道开挖阶段和融沉阶段地表变形特征,并提出了缩短积极冻结期的建议和方法。     

Numerical simulation of frost heave with coupled water freezing,temperature and stress fields in tunnel excavation

Artificial ground freezing is an effective ground improvement technique to deal with diverse geotechnical construction problems as it serves to cut off the water and also improves the ground soil strength. However, ground freezing may produce frost heave and thaw settlement at the ground surface. Predicting and controlling the frost heave is a challenge to engineering construction in a heavily populated city. This paper proposes an analysis model that couples the water freezing, temperature and stress fields. This model is first applied to an underground excavation problem of a corridor where ground freezing is used. The numerical predictions are compared with field measurements. It is then applied for a model tunnel problem to study the effect of the overlying soil thickness, frozen soil wall thickness, excavation radius and brine temperature on the frost heave. It is found that the vertical component of the frost heave follows a normal distribution with a maximum at the tunnel axis, while the horizontal component reaches a maximum at a distance from the tunnel axis. This distance is directly proportional to the thickness of the overlying soil. A critical brine temperature is also found at which the frost heave at the ground surface reaches a maximum.     

白垩系地层深井冻结壁温度场分布规律

西部地区主要为白垩系软岩地层, 煤炭资源储量大, 成为我国重要产煤区. 白垩系软岩地层冻结壁温度场分布规律尚不清楚, 给白垩系地层冻结法凿井设计与施工带了一定的困难. 通过现场实测、室内试验和数值模拟等手段, 获得了白垩系地层冻结软岩热物理参数分布规律、力学特性及深井冻结壁冻融规律. 测点冻结温度场反演白垩系冻结软岩导热系数值一般介于3.328~3.465 W·m^-1·K^-1之间, 现场实测表明: 白垩系地层融冻时间比一般为1.0~1.2之间. 研究白垩系地层冻融规律, 对指导我国西部地区白垩系地层冻结法凿井设计与施工具有重要的理论参考价值.     

松软突出煤层地面U型井钻完井施工工艺研究——以西山煤田东于煤矿MJDH01-H井为例

U型井作为煤层气地面抽采水平井的一种,能够较大面积的揭露储层,增加产气量。以西山煤田东于煤矿地面煤层气抽采U型井MJDH01-H试验为例,研究了松软突出煤层U型井的井身结构设计、钻进工艺参数、钻孔轨迹控制、钻井液、煤层生产套管的加工及下入等施工的关键技术,为松软突出煤层地面U型井套管完井施工提供了技术借鉴。      

直线形单排管冻土帷幕平均温度计算方法

冻土帷幕平均温度是人工地层冻结工程设计、施工和安全管理的重要参数.为了确定单排管冻土帷幕的平均温度,进而确定冻土的力学参数和冻土帷幕的承载能力,为冻土帷幕的安全状态作出评价.以单排管冻土帷幕温度场的巴霍尔金解析解为基础,建立了直线形单排管冻土帷幕的平均温度的两种计算模型——等效梯形法和等效三角形法模型,该模型以冻土帷幕某一横截面厚度上的等效梯形法或等效三角形法计算的平均温度来等效整体冻土帷幕的平均温度.在实际工程中可能出现的冻结管平面布置参数变化范围中,全面考察了冻土帷幕平均温度等效梯形法和等效三角形法计算结果与依据巴霍尔金解析解数值积分计算结果的误差.结果表明,等效梯形法和等效三角形法计算的冻土帷幕平均温度误差很小,优于流行的计算方法.     

基于旋挖和水平定向钻进的辐射井成井实验研究

辐射井作为城市地下水供水构筑物和盐碱地改良的集水设施,凭借单井出水量大、水质稳定及控制面积大等特点被广泛应用。本文对传统辐射井施工方案进行了调研,并分析总结出传统集水井和辐射孔施工过程中存在施工安全性低、钻进效率慢且钻孔质量差等问题,提出了以旋挖钻进的方式施工辐射井中的集水井,以水平定向钻进的方式施工辐射孔的方案。通过现场实验,发现此方案能有效解决传统方案中存在的问题,进一步研究之后值得推广。     

莫116井区水平井钻井设计优化与应用

莫116井区在水平井钻井施工过程中,面临着“缩、卡、塌、漏、喷、硬”等难题,为避免井下复杂事故、缩减钻井周期、降低作业风险,在该区开展了水平井优化设计与轨迹优化控制技术研究工作。通过井区已钻井资料论证分析,针对性地对井身结构和井眼轨迹控制提出了优化方案;根据前期实钻情况和钻柱力学分析,优化了水平井钻井钻具组合和钻井参数;通过优化泥浆体系,解决定向作业井段了井壁稳定性差、定向施工摩阻大、粘附卡钻几率高等问题。通过对上述研究成果的现场应用,实现了水平井优快钻井目标,二开定向段和三开井段平均机械钻速相比优化前水平分别提高27%、30%,其中M614等井实现了“一趟钻”完成了水平段钻进目标。     

环形单圈管冻结稳态温度场解析解

人工地层冻结技术被广泛应用于地下工程施工中。冻结温度场的计算是人工冻结法理论研究的基础,也是冻结施工设计的重要依据。人工地层冻结施工常使用环形单圈冻结管冻结,而至今尚无关于其温度场的解析解。基于水-热异类相似原理,根据传热过程与地下水流动相似的特点,利用保角映射、汇源反映和势函数叠加原理,类比推导了环形单圈冻结管稳态温度场解析解,并用热学数值模拟方法加以验证,同时提出了简化的解析公式。结果表明,解析解计算结果与数值模拟结果较吻合,其简化公式得到的结果与原解析公式基本一致。在解析公式的基础上,经过简化,反推得到外部冻结壁厚度公式。解析解、简化公式以及厚度公式可为环形单圈冻结施工与设计提供理论的依据与指导。     

A model tank test using artificial ground freezing — with an in-ground lng storage tank in view

As a clean form of energy able to replace oil, the demand for LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) has been increasing. LNG must be stored in a cryogenic temperature of —162°C. The storage tanks now existing throughout the world can be divided into above-ground and inground types. In the Tokyo area, there are now 22 in-ground LNG storage tanks, either in operation or under construction, which are constructed with primary consideration given to safety and earthquake-proof design because of the circumstances around the LNG terminals.

In the feasibility study of a very large-scale, in-ground LNG storage tank, comparative preliminary studies were made of various construction methods. Among them, the method using artificial ground freezing was proposed, in which it was planned to utilize the frozen soil as the means of ground water control and the temporary retaining wall. To confirm the feasibility of the design, a model tank test was conducted by freezing the actual tank yard. The yard ground, composed of sand and silt layers, was artificially frozen 10 m in diameter and 50 m in depth; in the frozen soil a shaft of 4 m in diameter was sunk to a depth 26 m below the ground level for various tests and measurements. The purpose of the test was mainly to confirm the construction method and to examine the agreement between theory and practice.

Although this construction method has not been adopted in the actual tank work, the feasibility of the method itself has been confirmed as a result of the test. In this paper, the outline and major results of the test and analysis are described.     

Ground freezing for support of open excavations

A practical discussion of critical factors for designing and constructing temporary frozen earth ground support and groundwater control systems for large open excavations is reported. Many construction projects require extensive subsurface work which can best be completed in a large open excavation, shaped to accommodate the subsurface structure. Frequently, lateral ground support of adjoining property and groundwater control within the excavation are major problems for completion of subsurface work. Construction ground freezing has now become an economically competitive solution for many such applications, particularly in bad ground.

The general experience gained from completing ground freezing for numerous open excavation projects over the past ten years is reported to assist in the evaluation, design and construction of future projects. The principal emphasis of this report is the practical construction and field instrumentation procedures necessary successfully to complete ground freezing for a project. Examples from past projects ranging from large nuclear power plants to small sewerage pumping stations are employed to emphasize important points.     

祁连山区黑河流域季节冻土时空变化研究

季节冻土的时空变化对地—气水热交换、地表能量平衡、地表水文过程、生态系统及碳循环等有着非常重要的影响.利用黑河流域11个气象站40多年的气温数据和5 cm深度处的土壤温度数据,建立了月平均气温与土壤冻结天数之间的关系.同时应用月平均气温与冻结天数的相关关系和5 km网格化月平均气温及30 m分辨率的DEM数据,编制了黑河流域逐月季节冻土分布图,并按其空间分布特征,将逐月地表冻融状态划分为:完全冻结、不完全冻结和不冻结3种.系统研究了黑河流域2000-2009年逐月季节冻土分布及冻结概率的时空变化特征.在季节分配上,黑河流域完全冻结面积最大值出现在1月;不完全冻结面积最大值在11月;而不冻结面积最大值在6月和7月.在年际变化上,完全冻结状态的离差值在冷季变化大,暖季变化小;不完全冻结状态在一年的回暖期和降温初期,年际变化较大;不冻结状态分别在4月和10月变化较大.冻结概率在1月达到最大值,6月和7月降低到最小值.在空间分布上,黑河流域季节冻土的逐月分布与变化和冻结概率主要受海拔高度控制,纬度的影响次之.     

城市盾构隧道水平冻结地层加固的数值分析

冻结地层加固法是一种环境影响小、加固效果好的地层加固方法,人工冻结壁的形成是一个复杂的热-力耦合问题。依托实际盾构隧道始发施工中冻结加固工程,采用有限差分软件Flac3D建立数值模型分析了地铁隧道水平冻结施工中温度场随时间的发展和分布特征,同时采用准热-力耦合的方法,分析了冻结施工中地表冻胀隆起变形规律。分析结果表明：冻结壁模拟交圈时间和设计交圈时间基本一致;冻结壁交圈前,地表冻胀隆起位移速率快,冻结壁交圈之后,地表冻胀变形逐渐趋近稳定。计算结论可供设计和施工参考,提供了一种简便的人工冻结加固施工的数值模拟方法。     

地铁超长水平冻结法冻结壁形成特性研究

根据带相变瞬态温度场的传热控制微分方程,应用数值方法分析了地铁超长水平冻结法温度场分布规律,模拟冻结壁形成过程.应用准三维方法将三维问题转化为二维问题,通过对冻结管沿程水平方向盐水温度分布的计算,分析水平方向冻结壁发展的差异性规律.结果表明:对于地铁超长水平冻结法施工,冻结管沿程冻结壁发展存在较大差异,包括冻结壁交圈时间、冻结速率,冻结壁厚度等.为以后水平冻结法施工冻结壁形成过程的预测与评价提供了方法,同时该方法也可以用于竖井冻结施工中冻结壁形成的分析和研究.     

HDD铺管引起地表工后变形的数值模拟分析

水平定向钻进（HDD）是一种重要的非开挖铺管技术,在非开挖领域应用非常广泛。由于其会扰动周围地层以及造成地层损失,进而造成一定程度的地表变形,如地表沉降、地表水平变形等。本文采用有限差分数值模拟方法,运用FLAC3D软件分析了HDD铺管的引起的地表工后变形问题;综合考虑了不同地层内聚力、地表荷载及扩孔级数情况下的地表工后变形。     

深基坑支护中冻土墙力学特性研究综述

人工土冻结技术在地下工程中的应用日益受到国内外重视。对冻结法设计中冻土墙厚度的各种确定方法进行了阐述与分析。另外，还阐述了冻土墙稳定性、可靠性设计的思路和具体内容，提出了今后研究的方向。     

伊朗Y油田水平井钻井技术

伊朗Y油田水平井面临着地质岩性多变、地质靶区不确定、裸眼井段长、井眼摩阻大、长水平段井眼轨迹控制困难等一系列钻井技术难点。结合Y油田一期水平井钻井实践,详细总结、形成了包括井身结构优化、螺杆钻具类型及其稳定器外径优选、钻头选型、侧钻钻具组合优选、水平井段优快钻井、KCl聚磺钻井液在内的6项水平井钻井技术。该技术在YS9井得到成功应用,定向段和水平段施工比设计提前12.4 d。Y油田水平井优快钻井技术的应用,能够提高钻井成功率,缩短水平井的建井周期,降低钻井成本,对Y油田后续的水平井施工起到一定的指导和借鉴作用。