Effect of stress disturbance induced by construction on the seismic response of shallow bored tunnels

This paper examines the effect of the stress disturbance induced by tunnel construction on the completed tunnel’s seismic response. The convergence-confinement method is used to simulate the tunnel construction prior to the dynamic analysis. The analysis is performed using the finite element method and drained soil behaviour is simulated with an advanced multi-mechanism elastoplastic model, utilising parameters derived from laboratory testing of Toyoura sand. The response of the soil and of the lining during dynamic loading is studied. It is shown that stress disturbance due to tunnel construction may significantly increase lining forces induced by earthquake loading, and Wang’s elastic solution appears to underestimate the increase.