The problems experienced in tunnels excavated under high cover in graphitic schists generally vary according to the squeezing mechanism. During the tunnel excavation, slips occur on the slickenside ...surfaces in the tunnel face from time to time and collapse occurs. Most of the time, failures in the support systems are observed due to the squeezing mechanism in the long term in the sections whose tunnel excavations have been completed. In addition, if tunnel excavations are carried out from both entrance faces, it is possible to encounter excessive deformations at the junction points of the tunnels. Especially on weak ground, the importance of the distances between the stages increases in the case of opening the tunnels in the form of top heading, bench, and invert gradually. As a tunnel excavation method, excavation in stages directly affects the stability of the tunnel. Within the scope of this study, the collapsed mechanism in the junction area of the tunnels of the T6 tunnel is examined. For this purpose, 3-dimensional numerical analysis are performed with the Flac3d program. Analysis results are compared with site deformation measurements. As a result, an excavation methodology is proposed for the junction area of tunnels in weak ground.
Since the development of the new Austrian tunnelling method (NATM) in the 1960s, this technique has been applied successfully in many tunnels. However, opinions of NATM principles emerged till 2000, ...i.e. NATM is not a tunnelling method, but an approach covering all general principles of tunnelling. To investigate the general principles of the NATM, this study focused on tunnelling practises in the Bolu tunnel, and evaluated the conditions under which the NATM practises could be effective. The Bolu tunnel project was designed following the NATM principles. It is evident that practises adopted in this tunnel are important with respect to the NATM. In addition, it shows that the solutions to the problems encountered in this tunnel are consistent with the NATM principles. Finally, the study determines the ground types of the NATM principles and proposes associated updates.
The Bolu tunnel is located between the Istanbul-Ankara Highway and its construction took approximately 13 years. Since the beginning of the tunnel excavation, serious deformations and stability ...problems have been encountered. The basis of the problems encountered during the tunnel excavation is the fact that the geological units through which the tunnel passes are very weak and fault lines cut the tunnel location. The fault lines pass through secondary faults in the seismically active North Anatolian Fault. At these fault crossings, deformations occurred continuously so that revisions had to be made in the support systems. The 12 November 1999 Düzce earthquake occurred on the Düzce fault and a surface rupture 40 km long was caused. The rupture terminated 1.5 km west of the tunnel; it did not reach the tunnel. Throughout the earthquake, instances of collapse occurred at the areas excavated on the fault line at the entrance of Elmalık and where the deformations exceeded 1.0 m; this section of the tunnel had to be abandoned. After these problems, a new improved design for tunnel excavation was developed. These new support systems, which are Bernold lining and bench pilot tunnel systems, contain allowance for rigid lining that is the opposite of the new Austrian tunneling method (NATM) principles. Within the scope of this study, the causes of the collapse in the tunnel are investigated and the effect of the Düzce earthquake on the tunnel is discussed. Also, the applicability of the NATM in tunnels excavated on weak zones is also discussed.
Throughout construction process of a tunnel in an active tectonic region, it may be impossible to avoid active faults. Active faults create two adverse effects on the tunnels which are sudden fault ...displacement and weak ground conditions in fault zone. If a tunnel crossed by an active fault, the tunnel might be damaged by sudden movement of the fault. However, the main goal is to localize this damage without complete loss of tunnel. In this study, a special design developed for a wide span tunnel cut by an active fault is presented and the performance of the design is verified by numerical analyses. T9 tunnel was constructed within the scope of Ankara–Sivas High-Speed Train Project, Turkey, and the special design at the intersection of T9 tunnel with the Akdagmadeni active fault is the main subject of this study. T9 tunnel predominantly passes through agglomerate, basalt, marble and gneiss units and the tunnel route crosses the Akdagmadeni fault at around Km: 327 + 915. At this location, major deformations occurred in the tunnel and the tunnel excavation had to stop for a certain period. After the re-design phase, a special tunnel support system for this location were developed and proposed design was analyzed with numerical analyses. In addition, the possible displacement of the Akdagmadeni fault was estimated and the inner lining was re-designed considering the seismic parameters (i.e. peak ground acceleration and maximum displacement during a large earthquake). Consequently, in the present study, the effects of active fault crossing on the tunnel were explained and a special inner lining design was proposed to localize the possible damages, which are originated from the sudden displacement of the active fault.
Due to the increasing population and resulting transportation needs, the number of subway and high-speed railway projects has also increased. The geometric constraints of such projects have caused ...many tunnels to be built in weak ground. Thus, weak ground tunnelling has attracted the attention of tunnel engineers and researchers. The main purposes of this study are to analyse the T4 tunnel excavated in weak ground and to compare the results obtained from the analytical solutions and 3D numerical analyses. This study specifically considers the T4 tunnel support system used in the Ankara İzmir High Speed Railway Project (Afyonkarahisar-Banaz Section). The T4 tunnel route encounters weak ground composed of layers of extremely weak mudstone, clayey sand, weakly cemented sandstone, and silty–clay matrix with pebbles. The tunnel overburden ranges from 10 to 35 m, which is shallow. After the excavation work of the T4 tunnel, severe deformation and critical stability problems in the shallow part (where the overburden is approximately 10 m) were encountered inside the tunnel, leading to a halt in construction. This was followed by revisions to the tunnel support system, leading to successful completion of the tunnel excavation. Numerical simulations of the low overburden section are performed using the commercially available FLAC3D program that uses the finite difference method. The characteristics of insufficient/ineffective support systems and adequate support systems for shallow tunnels excavated through weak ground are discussed in this study. Additionally, problems that pertain to the tunnel itself and its support system are discussed. The results of the 3D numerical analyses and analytical solutions are compared, and the advantages of 3D numerical analyses are discussed. The importance and necessity of tunnel face stability and roof stability for tunnel stability in weak ground is illustrated. Consequently, solutions based on analytical and numerical analyses are presented, and the analysis methodology and solutions proposed in the study can help guide weak ground tunnelling design and evaluation.
The T3 railway tunnel—under construction within the scope of the Bursa-Yenişehir high-speed train project—is located in northwestern Turkey and has a length of 1250 m. The tunnel is being constructed ...entirely in silty clay/clayey silt, sand, and clay units, and it is designed in accordance with the principles of weak ground tunneling described by the new Austrian tunneling method (NATM). When the tunnel excavations began in 2013, during and after portal excavations, a failure occurred at the entrance of the tunnel; thus, a revision of the support systems became mandatory. While the excavation works proceeded after the revision phase, a collapse occurred again at the tunnel face where the overburden thickness was low. This study presents the mechanisms of the collapse that took place at the portal location and in the middle of the tunnel. The proposed tunnel support systems and their numerical analyses are also discussed, because the case is interesting for the tunnel community and will inform future tunnel construction work. For this reason, the relationship between portal excavation and tunnel excavation stability is described. Consequently, tunnels excavated through weak ground conditions are considered, and the importance of considering the face stability of tunnels in tunneling studies is underlined.
The T26 tunnel was designed within the scope of the Ankara-Istanbul high-speed railway in accordance with the speed of 250 km/h. Some serious problems and excessive deformations were encountered ...during the excavation works. The deformations in the tunnel caused subsidence on the surface and the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) became stuck; therefore, tunnel excavation works were suspended. Design works for re-excavation in the T26 tunnel and extracting of the TBM were carried out and the tunnel was re-designed by the New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM) system. The main purposes of the present study are to describe the problems encountered during the T26 tunnel and to discuss the sources of the problems. The advantages and disadvantages of TBM and NATM methods for the tunnel having difficult ground conditions were discussed. Critical points needing to be considered for the tunnels excavated with TBM through weak ground conditions and the effect of the TBM selection process were discussed. Considering the complex geological and geotechnical structure of the tunnel route, it is possible to say that the T26 case is an interesting case for tunnel engineering. Along the tunnel route, landslides, high seismic activity, groundwater conditions, and extremely weak rock mass features coexist. Therefore, the tunnel route is a very complex environment. However, due to the geometric limitations of the high-speed railways, relocation of the route is not possible. The experiences gained from tunnel excavations under difficult conditions are capable of bringing new horizons to future tunneling studies.
The T8 tunnel was constructed within the scope of the Ankara - Sivas High-Speed Railway project. The tunnel route is formed completely by very weak and weak lithological units. The overburden ...decreases to 10 m, and the highest overburden thickness reaches up to 60 m. The tunnel is large with a 150 m
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excavation area and 14 m diameter. During the excavations in the section with an overburden thickness of 12 m, the supports failed, and the tunnel was completely collapsed. The purposes of the present study are to discuss the causes of the failure and engineering measures and to compare NATM and ADECO-RS methods with three-dimensional (3D) numerical analyses. Considering the mechanism of failure, extra engineering measures were proposed and the T8 tunnel was completed successfully. For the purpose of the study, a series of 3D numerical analyses were performed, and the results are discussed. The results obtained from the 3D numerical analyses showed that the ADECO-RS method yielded higher performance than the NATM method, for very weak and weak ground conditions (Category C).
The Dogancay T1 tunnel, projected within the scope of the Ankara-Istanbul high-speed train project, is being excavated entirely through clay and cohesionless units and is located in the North ...Anatolian Fault Zone (NAFZ). To determine the support system in the tunnel, innovative approaches require investigation through analytical and numerical methods to evaluate their suitability. The present study investigates rigid support systems, including the intermediate lining and pre-support excavation techniques in the new Austrian tunneling method (NATM), with 3D numerical analyses. The tunnel is in a seismically active zone, and the study also addresses the seismic sustainability of the proposed support system. The results of analyses showed that the proposed excavation and support system can be successfully implemented in the Dogancay T1 tunnel. The case study provides guidelines for investigating tunnel excavation and support systems in poor ground conditions in tectonically active zones.
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