Leaking behavior of shield tunnels under the Huangpu River of Shanghai with induced hazards

The Quaternary deposits in Shanghai primarily consists of a phreatic aquifer group (Aq0) and five artesian aquifers (AqI–AqV) that are separated by six aquitards (AdI–AdVI). In the basin of the Huangpu River, the first artesian aquifer (AqI) is connected to the second artesian aquifer (AqII), forming a 50-m-thick artesian aquifer with a very high groundwater level. The highway tunnels under the Huangpu River of Shanghai are constructed at a maximum depth up to 45 m, within the artesian aquifer. These tunnels are lined with precast reinforced concrete segments without a second lining. Under high water pressure, it is difficult for the single shell linings to achieve water tightness. Different degrees of groundwater leakage have been observed in road tunnels under the Huangpu River. The tunnels constructed before the 1990s have had very serious groundwater leakage (e.g., >1 L/m²/day), and the recently constructed tunnels have leaked less than 0.1 L/m²/day. The factors influencing groundwater leakage include depth below groundwater level, differential settlement of the tunnel, and applied waterproof technologies. The increase in depth leads to a significant increase in groundwater leakage. The differential settlement causes gaps to open and offset between segments, as well as cracking of segments, which can also induce groundwater leakage. According to the analysis of recorded data, the number of leaking points tends to increase with the curvature of the settlement curve. In addition, inappropriate waterproofing materials and poor waterproofing design will also lead to groundwater leakage. Groundwater leakage causes deterioration of the structure, aging of the installations in the tunnels (e.g., facilities and pavements), as well as discomfort for users of the tunnels and adverse environmental impacts. Furthermore, groundwater leakage also causes structural deformation of the tunnel itself, leading to further leakage and hazards.