Stochastic Dynamic Response and Long-Term Settlement Performance of Superstructure–Underground Tunnel–Soil Systems Subjected to Subway-Traffic Excitation

Abstract

The vibration impact force from the long-term operation of a subway affects the comfort of the residents living above the superstructure and the long-term settlement deformation of the tunnel foundation. A method for evaluating the dynamic responses of superstructure–tunnel systems is important, especially because of the randomness of vibration impact force. The coupling effect of the randomness of train-vibration excitation and the nonlinearity of the geotechnical properties that are subjected to dynamic action leads to challenges in the evaluation of the performance of superstructure–underground tunnel–soil systems under train vibration. In this study, a stochastic dynamic model of subway vibration-load excitation was established; then, the time histories of samples with rich probability characteristics in the same set system were generated. According to the nonlinear dynamic finite element analysis, several nonlinear dynamic responses of the deterministic superstructure–tunnel soil-foundation system were obtained. Finally, the probabilistic performance evolution of the superstructure–tunnel soil-foundation system was obtained by integrating the first-passage and probability density evolution theories, and the long-term deformation performance of the tunnel foundation was evaluated using time-varying reliability. This study presents a novel probabilistic method and a more objective performance index for the dynamic performance assessment of superstructure–underground tunnel–soil systems that are subjected to subway-traffic excitation.