The Effect of Intersection Angle on the Failure Mechanism of Utility Tunnel

Abstract

Planning utility tunnel network in the area with geological disasters poses serious concerns, especial for the utility tunnel built in the ground fissures developed cities. Many prevention and control measures have been taken when the utility tunnel crossed the ground fissures, such as finding the right intersection angle when planning the utility tunnel. In order to study the effect of intersection angle for utility tunnel when crossing ground fissures, this paper compares outcomes when the utility tunnel crosses ground fissures with different intersection angle through numerical simulation method. Because actually the intersection angle of utility tunnel and ground fissures is varied, in order to make stress-strain relationship of the model more realistic, a trilinear mode of reinforcing bar stress-strain relationship was established, and the material property of utility tunnel and soil were assigned to concrete damaged plasticity and Mohr-Coulomb plasticity, respectively. The simulation result shows that the axial tension stress and vertical shear stress of utility tunnel are increased with the increasing of intersection angle, but displacement and shear stress of utility tunnel in horizontal direction are increased with the decreasing of intersection angle. The variation of intersection angle of utility tunnel and ground fissures cannot significantly reduce the damage of utility tunnel. The vertical displacement of utility tunnel does not vary with intersection angle. Finally, this paper suggests that the strengthening length of utility tunnel should not be less than 50 meters (10 times the height of utility tunnel) on both sides of the ground fissures no matter the variation of intersection angle.