Evaluation of superficial settlements in low overburden tunnel TBM excavation: Numerical approaches

摘要

In this paper the problem of the superficial settlements related to tunnel mechanised excavation is analysed considering a low overburden application example. The excavation of tunnels in urban areas has actually important diffusion. This kind of work always implies to guarantee the safety and the stability of the existing superficial structures. The use of a tunnel boring machine (TBM) represents a good method in these conditions and the estimation of the induced settlement represents a difficult engineering problem. The study shows the differences between three different numerical approaches; the results, function of the same loss of volume, evidence from a quantitative point of view, the ground settlement.