Laboratory tests on soil conditioning of clayey soil

Tunnelling in difficult and challenging conditions such as soft soils in urban areas is increasing. In this condition, it is important to minimise the possible negative effect of the tunnel excavation, such as settlement or, in the worst case, collapses. To achieve this result, earth pressure balance machines are commonly used. One of the key parameters that must be considered for an optimal management of the EPB-TBM excavation is soil conditioning since the excavated muck must properly transmit the pressure to the tunnel face. Soil conditioning is also necessary to reduce the effect of the problems, such as clogging in clay layers, that can occur during the excavation and that can affect the performance of the tools and of the entire tunnelling process. For this reason, in the last decade, much research has been carried out to understand how to deal with and reduce the effects of clogging and stickiness, using different conditioning additives. These studies have proposed several different test procedures to evaluate the effect of the conditioning on the adhesion of the soil on the metallic parts of the machines. The present research has been carried out with the aim of proposing a new approach and new devices to study clay conditioning with laboratory tests, and the results of many tests carried out with the proposed device are presented and discussed.     

Hazards of mechanized tunnel excavation in H<Subscript>2</Subscript>S bearing ground in Aspar tunnel,Iran

Occurrence of hydrogen sulfide gas (H₂S) is one of the most important engineering geological hazards during tunneling. Its hazards and consequent challenges are very difficult and costly to solve. During site investigation, one of the tasks for engineering geologists is prediction and evaluation of the risk of H₂S gas in the underground spaces. In this study, water conveyance tunnel of Aspar, which was excavated in H₂S-bearing environments, is discussed. The tunnel is excavated in the hydrocarbon formations. Applied experiments suggest that geological formations pertaining to hydrocarbon resources are crucial in formation and reservation of H₂S gas. This paper briefly discusses hazards and geological sources of H₂S, as well as remedial measures for decreasing the risks and problems in excavation of the tunnel. To predict the risk of H₂S gas in the underground spaces, it is possible to use some precursors such as: sulfur springs, organic traces, organic argillaceous rocks, exposure of H₂S odor from fresh surface of rock and smell of H₂S during boreholes drilling. Controlling the inflow of groundwater into the excavation, diluting the concentration of H₂S, training the personnel and utilization of some proper safety equipment have been used to mitigate risks and problems in tunnel excavation.     

海底隧道最小岩石覆盖厚度的位移收敛法

关于岩体稳定评判准则至今尚未达到成熟的阶段,从稳定的定义、量化的判断到分析的理论、准则和方法等一系列基本问题尚未形成明确的系统。目前比较常用的方法就是利用塑性区来判断围岩的稳定范围。但塑性区主要用来确定围岩的破坏范围,对于确定海底隧道的最小覆盖层厚度有些过于危险,因为一般海底隧道主要修建于硬岩中,其开挖引起的塑性区很小。因此,有必要建立确定海底隧道最小岩石覆盖厚的方法。应用适合模拟岩土大变形的数值分析方法FLAC3D,运用围岩变形量或变形率判据,建立确定海底隧道最小岩石覆盖厚度的位移收敛判据,并将该判据用于确定某海底隧道的最小岩石覆盖厚度,以说明该方法用于确定海底隧道最小岩石覆盖厚度的正确性和有效性。     

Mechanical response of surrounding rock of tunnels constructed with the TBM and drill-blasting method

There are two kinds of excavation methods in underground engineering: the tunnel boring machine (TBM) and the drill-blasting method. A large number of studies have shown that the deformation and failure, the degree of disturbance, the stability and the reinforcement measures of surrounding rock using the TBM and drill-blasting method vary from each other. To accurately master these macroscopic damages, it is necessary to focus on the investigation of the micro-mechanical responses of the surrounding rock. Scanning electron microscopy tests, acoustic emission tests and tunnel acoustic detection tests were carried out to analyze the mechanical response of surrounding rock of tunnels, which were excavated in marble by, respectively, the TBM and the drill-blasting method. The tests results showed that most of the rock fractures cut by TBM is wipe along the crystal, and the failure mechanism is mainly cutting, while most of the rock fractures induced by the TBM coincide with crystal planes, its mechanism is mainly tensile. The stress–strain curves of rocks cut by the TBM method are rather flat around the peak strength, which means a strong resistance to deformation around the peak load. The response of AE for the rock cut by the TBM method appears after larger strains than the response of the rock constructed by the drill-blasting method. This suggests that the resistance to damage is higher under TBM excavation conditions. The relaxation depths of the tunnel excavated by the drill-blasting method are larger than the tunnel excavated by the TBM method. The research can provide more insight into tunnel failure mechanisms and provide a framework for reinforcement measures.     

厦门海底隧道围岩稳定动态反演分析

位移反分析法作为联系理论与实际的桥梁,为工程决策、设计与施工提供了切实可行和有效的方法。为解决海底隧道勘察、设计与施工技术难题,减小设计与施工风险,通过对先行服务隧道建立动态反演预测模型,及时对主隧道前方地质情况进行超前预报,并对围岩稳定性进行准确判断,根据反馈信息,对主洞前方设计与施工方案进行科学合理地组织,必要情况下须对原设计的隧道支护参数与施工方法作调整和修正,做到动态信息化设计与施工,确保海底隧道顺利穿越。     

Differential Hydrogeological Effects of Draining Tunnels Through the Northern Apennines,Italy

Water inflows are a major challenge in tunnelling and particularly difficult to predict in geological settings consisting of heterogeneous sedimentary rock formations with complex tectonic structure. For a high-speed railway line between Bologna and Florence (Italy), a series of seven railway tunnels was drilled through turbiditic formations, ranging from pelitic rocks with thin arenitic layers over sequences including thick-bedded sandstone to calcareous rocks showing chemical dissolution phenomena (karstification). The tunnels were built as draining tunnels and caused significant impacts, such as drying of springs and base-flow losses at mountain streams. A comprehensive hydrological monitoring programme and four multi-tracer test were done, focusing on four sections of the tunnel system. The tracer tests delivered unprecedented data on groundwater flow and transport in turbiditic aquifers and made it possible to better characterize the differential impacts of tunnel drainage along a geological gradient. The impact radius is 200 m in the thin-bedded sequences but reaches 2.3–4.0 km in calcareous and thick-bedded arenitic turbidites. Linear flow velocities, as determined from the peaks of the tracer breakthrough curves, range from 3.6 m/day in the thin-bedded turbidites to 39 m/day in the calcareous rocks (average values from the four test sites). At several places, discrete fault zones were identified as main hydraulic pathways between impacted streams and draining tunnels. This case shows that ignoring the hydrogeological conditions in construction projects can cause terrible damage, and the study presents an approach to better predict hydraulic impacts of draining tunnels in complex sedimentary rock settings.     

并设小净距隧道爆破振动响应分析及控爆措施研究

通过大量二维、三维数值模拟计算,分析了围岩、净距、埋深等条件对小净距隧道爆破振动特性的影响,研究了先行隧道不同支护体系、不同中岩墙加固措施及后行隧道不同施工方案等情况下,小净距隧道中后行隧道爆破开挖对先行隧道的影响。根据研究结果,提出了中岩墙加固宜采用注浆加固、先行隧道初期支护宜及时跟进并封闭、掏槽眼宜远离中岩墙以及开挖进尺不宜大于净距的1/3等小净距隧道爆破施工的控爆措施,以供小净距隧道爆破开挖设计、施工借鉴。     

Evaluating asbestos fibre concentration in metaophiolites: a case study from the Voltri Massif and Sestri–Voltaggio Zone (Liguria, NW Italy)

This work is part of the project study for a road tunnel bypassing the town of Genova and was aimed at evaluating the amount of asbestos fibres in the metaophiolites belonging to the Voltri Group and the Sestri–Voltaggio Zone (Liguria, Northern Italy). The 85 studied rock samples (mainly mafic and ultramafic rocks) derive from exposed outcrops and prospecting boreholes. The study of field relations and petrographic/microtextural investigations under the optical microscope allowed for the identification and characterisation of asbestos-bearing settings and lithotypes. Mineralogy and concentration of asbestos fibres in powdered specimens were determined by means of a scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy device. These investigations were combined with petrography on thin-section, X-ray diffraction analysis and phase contrast optical microscopy on rock powders. Mafic and ultramafic rocks commonly contain asbestos in concentrations below 1,000 mg/kg (considered as the contamination threshold under Italian law). However, the fibre concentration rises abruptly within localised zones, where the metaophiolite sequences were involved into late ductile to brittle tectono-metamorphic events. Two groups of asbestos-bearing settings have been so far identified in the area: (a) fracture networks within serpentinites (dominated by fibrous chrysotile), and (b) boudins of chlorite-tremolite schists, likely deriving from dynamic recrystallisation of mafic rocks under greenschist facies conditions (dominated by fibrous amphibole). Even considering the low volumetric incidence of these settings (metres to few tens of metres), their high asbestos content locally controls the total fibre amount in the excavation products, thus requiring special prevention measures during excavation, management and final storage of the contaminated debris.     

Analytical stress and displacement due to twin tunneling in an elastic semi‐infinite ground subjected to surcharge loads

The construction of twin tunnels at shallow depth has become increasingly common in urban areas. In general, twin tunnels are usually near each other, in which the interaction between tunnels is too significant to be ignored on their stability. The equivalent arbitrarily distributed loads imposed on ground surface were considered in this study, and a new analytical approach was provided to efficiently predict the elastic stresses and displacements around the twin tunnels. The interaction between 2 tunnels of different radii with various arrangements was taken into account in the analysis. We used the Schwartz alternating method in this study to reduce the twin‐tunnel problem to a series of problems where only 1 tunnel was contained in half‐plane. The convergent and highly accurate analytical solutions were achieved by superposing the solutions of the reduced single‐tunnel problems. The analytical solutions were then verified by the good agreement between analytical and numerical results. Furthermore, by the comparison on initial plastic zone and surface settlement between analytical solution and numerical/measured results of elastoplastic cases, it was proven that the analytical solution can accurately predict the initial plastic zone and its propagation direction and can qualitatively provide the reliable ground settlements. A parametric study was finally performed to investigate the influence of locations of surcharge load and the tunnel arrangement on the ground stresses and displacements. The new solution proposed in this study provides an insight into the interaction of shallow twin tunnels under surcharge loads, and it can be used as an alternative approach for the preliminary design of future shallow tunnels excavated in rock or medium/stiff clay.     

Construction of underground caverns for petroleum storage in orogenic areas: Geological stability

Japan is located at the boundary between three continental and oceanic plates, and there is a great variety and complexity of geological features as a result of tectonic activities. The possibility of excavating large underground tunnels in the seemingly “fragile” rocks in orogenic areas was considered as a national project for the underground storage of petroleum. One hundred and seventy sites in 57 areas were selected based on a comprehensive survey over the whole country. After a successful experiment with a test tunnel, 112 m long and 250 m² in cross-section area, excavated in Cretaceous granite, three sites in granites and pyroclastic rocks were selected for construction. The largest of these storage tunnels is 550 m in length and20 × 30 m in cross-section.

Before construction, a detailed survey of the subsurface geology was carried out, taking into consideration the structural geology, the mechanical properties of the rocks and the hydrogeology. It was concluded that even in active orogenic areas, there are many suitable sites for large underground excavations and that these can be detected by detailed, planned surveys.     

偏压状态下非对称连拱隧道有限元分析

非对称连拱隧道是一种特殊隧道,具有几何不对称、结构不对称等复杂的力学特征。而非对衬连拱隧道的修筑不可避免要穿越偏压地形,偏压地形又会对隧道的受力状态产生较大的影响。采用有限元单元法对偏压地形条件下非对称连拱隧道进行数值模拟分析,根据大洞径隧洞和小洞径隧洞的左右位置不同的情况下围岩及衬砌结构受力变形特点,得出在偏压状态下非对称连拱隧道中的小隧道应设计在埋深大一侧的结论,为隧道的设计提供了一定的理论依据。 关键词：非对称隧道;偏压状态;连拱隧道;数值模拟     

Developing new equations for TBM performance prediction in carbonate-argillaceous rocks: a case history of Nowsood water conveyance tunnel

Nowsood water conveyance tunnel is 49 km long and has been designed for transferring 70 m³/s water from Sirvan river southward to Dashte Zahab plain in the west of Iran. This long tunnel has been divided into three sections, namely 1A, 1B and 2. By April 2008, about 5.3 km of the lot 2 of this project, with a total length of 26 km, were excavated by a double-shield TBM. The bored section of tunnel passed through different geological units of three main formations of the Zagross mountain ranges which mainly consist of weak to moderately strong argillaceous-carbonate rocks. This paper will offer an overview of the project, concentrating on the TBM operation, and review the results of the field performance of the machine. Also results of statistical analyses to evaluate correlation of TBM performance parameters with rock mass characteristics will be discussed. The results of machine performance analysis indicated that there are strong relationships between geomechanical parameters and TBM performance parameters in this particular project. In this research some empirical equations and a chart have been developed to estimate TBM performance parameters in similar cases based on common rock mass properties.     

天然石棉矿床地质学及其在公共卫生政策中的应用(英文)

20世纪,越来越多的证据使人们意识到,吸入含石棉的灰尘会使从事与石棉有关的几种职业(如石棉采矿、造船和石棉产品组装)的工人患上几种严重的呼吸道疾病(石棉沉着病,肺癌和mesotheliuma)。为此已经制定了若干规定,以控制工人们在特殊的制造、采矿和其他工作地点与石棉尘埃的接触。比较间接的是控制和管理"天然产生的石棉"(NOA),这一问题近年来也引起了管理机构、健康机构和居民团体的注意。NOA包括在自然状态下原地找到的被描述为石棉的矿物,例如在基岩或土壤中的这种矿物。NOA之所以引起关注,是因为如果含石棉的岩石受到自然侵蚀或人类活动(例如修路、城市开挖、农业、采矿、压碎和碾磨)的影响,就有可能暴露并变成空中尘埃的微小纤维。天然石棉矿床的规模差异很大,从薄的四散的细脉一直到大的矿体。它们的地理分布与地质条件直接有关。石棉产出的地质背景是含镁丰富的主岩,这些岩石受到低压低温的变质作用蚀变而成。已知的容矿主岩包括变质的和已被交代的超基性岩(尤其是蛇纹岩)、一些基性火成岩、变质白云岩和变质的铁建造。石棉形状的角闪石在几种热液蚀变型的碱性火成侵入体中也能作为副矿物存在。石棉形成于可预见和可鉴别的地质环境。这种认识是一种信息,而这种信息使公众健康机构可以执行有情报根据的屏蔽和管理规划。第一步是在区域的或国家规模的尺度上确定和描述已知的(报道过的)石棉矿床。第二步是对容纳已知石棉矿的单位进行填图,以划定可能的其他石棉矿化的范围。这种地质研究使有关机构对遇到石棉的可能性做出规划,而尽量节省在不太可能遇到石棉矿的地区的管理费用。对石棉地质条件的认识可以事先应用于岩石和土壤的挖掘项目,而不管挖掘的规模有多大。这种对石棉管理的科学探索能有助于缓解对挖掘所发现的自然石棉矿床的连续不断地做出反应。因此,通过对很可能含有石棉矿床的地区做填图,规划者可开发出一些控制尘埃的程序,这些程序适用于工人和附近居民最容易暴露于空气携带的石棉的地区。     

水底隧道涌水量预测方法的应用分析

讨论了水底隧道涌水的预测计算问题,利用经验法和有限元法对某拟建海底隧道工程方案的涌水量进行了预测计算和对比分析,探讨了竖向和水平走向裂隙发育情况对隧道涌水的影响。结果表明:①与有限元相比,用经验公式计算得到的水底隧道涌水量偏小;②当水底岩层张性裂隙(尤其是竖向裂隙)较发育时,隧道涌水量增长较大;③当隧道临近或穿越断层破碎带时,隧道周边的渗流场具有显著的三维特征;④如果水底隧道上覆地层中没有显著的隔水层,则由于水源无限充足,隧道的涌水量将主要受到水位相对高度和隧道围岩渗透系数的影响,与隧道上覆地层的厚度关系不大。     

Banded iron formations of the calciphyre-metabasite-gneiss association in the East European Craton

The paper presents characteristics of the least studied iron formations of the East European Craton (Archean banded iron formations of the calciphyre-metabasite-gneiss association), a typical member of granulite complexes of the Ukrainian Shield, Belarussian-Baltic region, and Voronezh crystalline massif. They are mainly composed of diverse metasedimentary rocks: aluminous gneisses; silicate-magnetite, magnetite, and barren quartzites; eulysites; calciphyres; and marbles associated with metavolcanic rocks. Data on chemical compositions of the metasedimentary rocks are summarized for the first time and their possible primary mineral composition has been reconstructed using the MINLITH software. It is shown that they could be formed from a lithogenetic series of sediments linked by gradual transitions and geochemical commonness of sediments: from fine-grained terrigenous insufficiently mature sediments to chemogenic sediments depleted in terrigenous material (ferruginous-siliceous, ferruginous-siliceous-carbonate, siliceous-carbonate, and carbonate sediments). The inferred primary mineral assemblage indicates sedimentation in the central parts of large paleobasins in a reducing environment characterized by deficit of oxygen and excess of carbon dioxide. Lithological specifics of the banded iron formations in different regions presumably reflect different distances of sedimentation zones from submarine hydrothermal discharge sites and sources of terrigenous material. The banded iron formations at the present-day erosion section of basement represent metamorphosed fragments of the lateral-facies zoning of rocks of the Archean sedimentary basins (or a single basin) of the East European Craton. Unlike other Early Precambrian banded iron formations of the East European Craton, rocks of the calciphyre-metabasite-gneiss association are marked by a high Mn content.     

某铁路隧道底鼓段粉砂质泥岩微宏观物理力学特性研究

西南地区YD隧道在运营期间隧道底部多段发生隆起变形,造成无砟轨道板开裂,导致轨道结构受损不稳定,影响行车安全。为了探明其底鼓原因,现对底鼓段紫红色缓倾层状粉砂质泥岩进行微宏观工程特性研究,分析其对隧道底鼓的影响。采用室内试验的方法,对该处粉砂质泥岩的物质组成成分、微观结构、膨胀性、抗剪抗压强度、压缩变形等围岩性质开展全面试验,并对围岩地应力、水文地质条件进行现场调查。试验和调查结果表明:研究区围岩根据岩石质量评价标准可以判定为Ⅳ级围岩;其岩石成分主要为伊利石、石英、绿泥石等,不含蒙脱石这种膨胀性黏土矿物,自由膨胀率最大为1.96%,不具备膨胀性;岩石的层理面上分布有2~8 μm大小的孔隙,岩石内部存在长度为3~8 μm的原生裂纹;岩石的单轴饱和抗压强度为11.3~21.8 MPa,属于较软岩;岩石的物理力学参数受含水量的影响较大,随着含水量的增加,内聚力缩减50%,抗压强度缩减了45%~55%,弹性模量缩减了50%。研究结果显示研究区岩体在水理作用下岩石强度会大幅度降低,但不含膨胀性矿物,不具备膨胀性。且根据现场监测,地下水位无变化,因此地下水和膨胀性不是隧道底鼓的直接诱因。     

半硬半软岩层小净距隧道洞口段监测分析

针对雷公浦小净距隧道后行左洞洞口段具有半硬岩层半软岩层的特点,在开挖过程中,按照新奥法对隧道地表沉降、拱顶下沉、水平收敛、中间岩柱的位移、锚杆轴力、围岩压力和钢拱架应力等项目进行监测。监测结果表明,采用预留核心土法可以较好地控制围岩变形和应力;后行洞的拱顶沉降大于先行洞,且软岩一侧的下沉量更大;中间岩柱较薄弱,开挖初期往先行洞方向移动;降雨对围岩变形和压力影响较大,施工中应引起重视。研究结论可为类似条件下工程的设计、施工和监测提供借鉴。     

Asbestos and other fibrous minerals contained in the serpentinites of the Gimigliano-Mount Reventino Unit (Calabria,S-Italy)

Serpentinites are metamorphic rocks with good technological properties and valuable ornamental characteristics, which have been exploited since ancient times. Actually, their use is limited and monitored in several countries worldwide because they can contain fibrous asbestos minerals that may be carcinogenic. Furthermore, certain types of fibrous minerals can be confused with asbestos, and must therefore be carefully investigated. We have investigated the possible presence of the asbestos and non-asbestos fibrous phases contained in serpentinitic rocks in a meta-ophiolitic sequence from the Gimigliano-Mount Reventino Unit (Southern Italy), which had not been previously assessed. The detection and quantification of asbestos and the correct distinction of the fibrous non-asbestos minerals are very important not only from a scientific point of view, but also from a legislative one. This is especially the case for the administrative agencies that have to take decisions with regards to the implementation of public and occupational health protection measures (e.g., in road yards and quarry excavations). As a consequence of this, serpentinitic rock samples have been characterized in detail through X-ray powder diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy combined with energy-dispersive spectrometry, analytical electron microscopy (SEM–EDS and TEM–AEM), differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetry and micro-Raman spectroscopy. Two kinds of asbestos and four kinds of non-asbestos fibrous silicates have been detected in the examined samples. In order of decreasing abundance these are polygonal serpentine, chrysotile, fibrous antigorite, tremolite, gedrite and magnesiohornblende. The size, morphology, crystallinity and chemical composition of the fibres were also discussed, in the light of the possible role these properties could play in the carcinogenic effect on human health.     

水布垭特大断面导流洞围岩稳定性分析

湖北清江水布垭导流洞采用矿山法施工,为确保施工安全,以三维有限元对该隧洞处于断层破碎带的进口渐变段的施工过程进行了计算模拟,并根据计算结果确定了合理的施工方案.根据地下结构设计理论中的地层结构法,选用连续体计算模型,对围岩材料和混凝土材料的本构关系分别作理想弹塑性应力-应变关系和线弹性本构关系的简化,并采用摩尔-库仑屈服准则,分析了初期支护结构的受力特点、围岩塑性区的深度和范围以及洞周围岩位移的发展规律.结果显示,围岩塑性区深度较大,而且初期支护结构承受的最大拉、压应力均略大于混凝土的强度极限,指出该区段初期支护结构在采用钢筋格栅喷混凝土的基础上,应加强长、短系统锚杆进行围岩加固.     

Stability analysis of tunnels driven in jointed rocks by means of a homogenized limit analysis approach

Conceived as a potential alternative to the classical design methods employed for analyzing the stability of underground structures driven in jointed rocks, the homogenization approach stems from the heuristic idea that, from a macroscopic point of view, a rock mass cut by a network of joints may be perceived as a homogenized continuum. The strength properties of the latter can be theoretically obtained from the failure conditions of its individual constituents: rock matrix and joint interfaces. At the material level, the limit analysis reasoning is used in the context of homogenization to formulate the homogenized strength criterion of a jointed rock mass in the particular situation of a single set of parallel joints. As it could be expected, the obtained closed‐form expressions show the strength anisotropy induced by joint preferential orientation. The support functions (π functions) associated with the homogenized strength criterion are also determined in both plane strain and three‐dimensional cases. This criterion is then applied to the investigation of stability analysis of a tunnel excavated in a jointed rock mass. Upper bounds estimated of the stability factor are derived from the implementation of the kinematic approach directly on the homogenized underground structure. Finally, the approach is applied to analyze and discuss the collapse of the Pinheiros subway station (São Paulo, Brazil). Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.