Mechanical Characteristics and Safety Evaluation of Tunnel Lining Structures in Karst Areas Under Heavy Rainfall Conditions
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Project Overview
3. Numerical Simulation
3.1. Numerical Model and Parameter Selection
- (1)
- Calculate the initial self-weight stress field.
- (2)
- Simulate tunnel excavation and stress release in karst areas to determine the ground stress field and structural stress characteristics upon completion.
- (3)
- Apply water pressure around the cavity boundary. An internal program calculates the pressure based on the designated water pressure height, and the corresponding nodal forces are then applied to the cavity boundary to simulate the water load.
3.2. Working Condition Design
3.3. Structural Safety Assessment Methods
4. Results Analysis
4.1. Structural Mechanical Response After Cavity Filling
4.2. Influence of Surrounding Rock Grade on Structural Stress
4.3. Influence of Cavity Position on Structural Stress
5. Critical Water Pressure Height of Structures Under Different Factors and Its Application
5.1. Determination of Critical Water Pressure Height and Failure Forms of Tunnels
5.2. On-Site Tunnel Construction and Design Optimization Solutions
6. Conclusions
- (1)
- Compared with the absence of karst conditions, water filling in karst cavity will lead to a sharp increase in the internal forces of the structure. When the water pressure inside the cavity is relatively small, it can restrain the bulging deformation of the structure into the cavity, which is more beneficial to the structure. However, as the water pressure increases, the internal forces of the structure gradually increase until it is damaged.
- (2)
- When the water pressure is the same, the lining structure bears the greatest bending moment in the grade III surrounding rock under different position conditions of the karst cave. Due to the dual nature of the surrounding rock’s effect on the structure as both load and constraint, the critical water pressure of the structure increases first and then decreases with the increase in the surrounding rock grade.
- (3)
- In terms of structural failure forms, when karst develops at the arch top position in grade IV and V surrounding rocks, the structure is damaged in the form of small eccentric compression, while the remaining surrounding rock grades and cave location conditions are all damaged in the form of large eccentric compression.
- (4)
- Due to the force symmetry and constraints of the structure, the critical water pressure value of the lining structure at the arch shoulder position is the smallest under different surrounding rock grades and should be closely monitored.
- (5)
- A safety assessment was conducted based on critical water pressure values under various influencing factors. Accordingly, corresponding construction measures were applied to improve the drainage efficiency of groundwater, and the thickness of the secondary lining was increased to improve the structural stability of the karst tunnel. Thus, the safety of karst tunnels can be guaranteed under heavy rainfall conditions.
- (6)
- In the future, the rationality of the critical water pressure height proposed in this paper will be explored through the method of indoor experiments. Meanwhile, research on the mechanical characteristics of the lining structure under the coupling effect of surrounding rock and groundwater is being further explored.
Author Contributions
Funding
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
Nomenclature
PLANE42 | A planar element in the ANSYS element library |
C20 | The designed compressive strength of concrete is 20 MPa |
C30 | The designed compressive strength of concrete is 30 MPa |
SA3 | The secondary lining form of surrounding rock III |
SA4 | The secondary lining form of surrounding rock IV |
SA5 | The secondary lining form of surrounding rock V |
SA5JQB | The secondary lining form of surrounding rock V in the reinforcement section |
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Cavity Location | Circumferential Width of Cavity | Quantity |
---|---|---|
Arch crown | <1 m | 3 |
1 m~2 m | 2 | |
2 m~3 m | 0 | |
Arch spandrel | <1 m | 4 |
1 m~2 m | 3 | |
2 m~3 m | 2 | |
Side wall | <1 m | 4 |
1 m~2 m | 3 | |
2 m~3 m | 1 |
Material | Element Type | Elastic Modulus (GPa) | Poisson’s Ratio | Density (kg·m−3) | Cohesion (MPa) | Internal Friction Angle (°) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Primary support | PLANE42 | 28.0 | 0.2 | 2200 | \ | \ |
Secondary lining | Beam Element | 30.0 | 0.2 | 2300 | \ | \ |
Surrounding rock III | PLANE42 | 12.0 | 0.25 | 2500 | 1 | 40 |
Surrounding rock IV | PLANE42 | 3.0 | 0.32 | 2300 | 0.5 | 30 |
Surrounding rock V | PLANE42 | 1.2 | 0.38 | 2000 | 0.14 | 24 |
Influencing Factors | Working Condition Design | Remarks |
---|---|---|
Cavity location | Arch crown | Circumferential width: 2 m, 3 m |
Arch spandrel | Circumferential width: 2 m, 3 m | |
Side wall | Circumferential width: 2 m, 3 m | |
Water pressure height | 0 m-ultimate water pressure height | / |
Surrounding rock grade | III | / |
IV | / | |
V | / |
Surrounding Rock Grade | Circumferential Width of Cavity (m) | Location of Cavity | Critical Water Pressure Height (m) | Destruction Mode |
---|---|---|---|---|
III | 2 | Arch crown | 70 | Large eccentric compression failure |
Arch spandrel | 65 | |||
Side wall | 70 | |||
3 | Arch crown | 60 | ||
Arch spandrel | 55 | |||
Side wall | 85 | |||
IV | 2 | Arch crown | 140 | Small eccentric compression failure |
Arch spandrel | 80 | Large eccentric compression failure | ||
Side wall | 85 | |||
3 | Arch crown | 90 | ||
Arch spandrel | 65 | |||
Side wall | 100 | |||
V | 2 | Arch crown | 120 | Small eccentric compression failure |
Arch spandrel | 85 | Large eccentric compression failure | ||
Side wall | 105 | |||
3 | Arch crown | 85 | ||
Arch spandrel | 65 | |||
Side wall | 95 |
Number | Location and Size | Surrounding Rock Grade | Original Support Type | Have a Hydraulic Connection or Not | Safe or Not | Need to Change the Design or Not |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
K65 + 372 | Arch spandrel, diameter 2 m | IV | SA4 | No | Safe | Unnecessary |
K65 + 327 | Arch waist, diameter 2 m | V | SA5 | No | Safe | Unnecessary |
K65 + 324 | Arch waist, diameter 6 m | V | SA5 | Yes | Unsafe | Necessary |
K65 + 310 | Arch waist, diameter 3 m | V | SA5 | Yes | Unsafe | Necessary |
ZK65 + 314 | Arch waist, diameter 3 m | V | SA5 | Yes | Unsafe | Necessary |
ZK65 + 240 | Arch spandrel, diameter 4 m | III | SA3 | No | Safe | Unnecessary |
Tunnel Location | Conventional Section | Strengthening Section | Conventional Section | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Left Tunnel | Original design | SA3 (130 m) | SA5: ZK65 + 270~ZK65 + 330 (60 m) | SA4 (100 m) |
Design after change | SA3 (130 m) | SA5JQB: ZK65 + 270~ZK65 + 330 (60 m) | SA4 (100 m) | |
Right Tunnel | Original design | SA3 (140 m) | SA5: K65 + 290~K65 + 350 (60 m) | SA4 (100 m) |
Design after change | SA3 (140 m) | SA5JQB: K65 + 290~K65 + 350 (60 m) | SA4 (100 m) |
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Qian, W.; Tang, X.; Ma, X.; Wang, X. Mechanical Characteristics and Safety Evaluation of Tunnel Lining Structures in Karst Areas Under Heavy Rainfall Conditions. Buildings 2025, 15, 1756. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15101756
Qian W, Tang X, Ma X, Wang X. Mechanical Characteristics and Safety Evaluation of Tunnel Lining Structures in Karst Areas Under Heavy Rainfall Conditions. Buildings. 2025; 15(10):1756. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15101756
Chicago/Turabian StyleQian, Wangping, Xu Tang, Xiaoxin Ma, and Xiaonan Wang. 2025. "Mechanical Characteristics and Safety Evaluation of Tunnel Lining Structures in Karst Areas Under Heavy Rainfall Conditions" Buildings 15, no. 10: 1756. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15101756
APA StyleQian, W., Tang, X., Ma, X., & Wang, X. (2025). Mechanical Characteristics and Safety Evaluation of Tunnel Lining Structures in Karst Areas Under Heavy Rainfall Conditions. Buildings, 15(10), 1756. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15101756