Abstract
Abstract
Settlement control is pivotal in the construction of large span tunnels, particularly when situated under shallow overburden. The importance of settlement control in the context of the Arash-Esfandiar-Niayesh tunnel project, a multi section tunnel designed to facilitate two-way traffic in Municipality of Tehran District 3, is studied. The tunnel, which possesses an overburden of 4–15 m, faces unique challenges such as low overburden, urban location, and proximity to tall structures. By integrating the New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM), this paper examines the effects of various support systems on construction of the tunnel project. Two critical sections are analyzed, and the settlement control strategies are examined according to a combination of various support elements. Analysis and numerical modeling based on PLAXIS 2D finite element code revealed the impact of these support systems on ground settlements on the structural and geotechnical stability. They had a substantial impact of tunnel geometric shape on sustainability and stress distribution. The inadequacy of common support systems, especially in tunnels with a horseshoe section, is highlighted. The impact of removing temporary lattice girderson surface settlements emphasizes the importance of settlement monitoring. Field data, including a maximum vertical displacement of 2.6 cm on the ground and in the tunnel, validate the numerical analysis results. Despite the challenges, the consistency between numerical and instrument data underscores the effectiveness of settlement control strategies.