Numerical Evaluation of Symmetric Prism Method to Analyze the Splitting Forces Due to TBM Jack Loads

Hamid Saberi, Vahid Saberi, Ali Kheyroddin, Ashkan Firouzi

Civil Engineering Department, Eyvanekey Institute of Higher Education, Semnan, Iran.
Civil Engineering Department, Islamic Azad University, Fars Science and Research Branch, Shiraz, Iran.
Civil Engineering Department, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran.

DOI: 10.4236/ojsst.2013.33006                

Abstract

Final lining in mechanized excavation includes the precast concrete segments. These segments are designed for applied loads during construction, moving, depot, assembling in the tunnel and service loads that are affected by earth conditions. One of these loads that are applied to the segments after assembling in the ring, are TBM jack loads especially when the TBM should excavate squeeze zones with single mode. As the jack pad section is smaller than the segment section, it causes splitting loads in the segment. Symmetric prism method is an approximate solution to evaluate these forces. In this paper, calculated results by this method are compared to that of numerical solution by ANSYS software. It shows 10 - 20 percent difference between numerical and analytical results.

Keywords

Tunnel; Concrete Segment; TBM Jack Loads; Symmetric Prism Method; Numerical Solutions

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	V. Guglielmetti, A. Mahtab and S. Xu, “Mechanized Tunneling in Urban Areas,” Taylor & Francis, Balkema, 2008.
[2]	P. W. Abeles and B. K. Bardhan-Roy, “Prestressed Concrete Designer’s Handbook,” 1981.
[3]	ANSYS User Manual 2005 ANSYS, Inc.