Interaction between surface structures and tunnelling in sand: Centrifuge and computational modelling

AbstractTunnelling in urban areas requires a careful estimation of the consequence of soil settlements on existing buildings. In this paper the interaction between the excavation of a tunnel in sand and surface structures is investigated. A two dimensional finite element model is presented and validated through comparison with centrifuge test results, both with and without structures. The model is then used to perform a sensitivity study on the effect of building weight on soil movements and structural deformations. The results of the validation indicate that assuming a no-tension interface between the soil and the structure is essential to capture the soil–structure interaction that was experimentally observed. The parametric analyses show that the relation between the building stiffness and the tunnelling-induced deformations depends on the building weight