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Journal of Zhejiang University-SCIENCE A (Applied Physics & Engineering)  2012, Vol. 13 Issue (4): 284-292    DOI: 10.1631/jzus.A1100246
Civil and Mechanical Engineering     
Upper bound solution of supporting pressure for a shallow square tunnel based on the Hoek-Brown failure criterion
Fu Huang, Xiao-li Yang, Lian-heng Zhao
School of Civil Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410075, China
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Abstract  To analyze the stability of a shallow square tunnel, a new curved failure mechanism, representing the mechanical characteristics and collapsing form of this type of tunnel, is constructed. Based on the upper bound theorem of limit analysis and the Hoek-Brown nonlinear failure criterion, the supporting pressure derived from the virtual work rate equation is regarded as an objective function to achieve optimal calculation. By employing variational calculation to optimize the objective function, an upper bound solution for the supporting pressure and the collapsing block shape of a shallow square tunnel are obtained. To evaluate the validity of the failure mechanism proposed in this paper, the solutions computed by the curved failure mechanism are compared with the results calculated by the linear multiple blocks failure mechanism when the Hoek-Brown nonlinear failure criterion is converted into the Mohr-Coulomb linear criterion. The influences of rock mass parameters on the supporting pressure and collapsing block shape are discussed.

Key wordsShallow square tunnel      Variational calculation      Curved failure mechanism      Supporting pressure      Shape of collapsing block      Upper bound theorem     
Received: 19 September 2011      Published: 06 April 2012
CLC:  TU921  
Cite this article:

Fu Huang, Xiao-li Yang, Lian-heng Zhao. Upper bound solution of supporting pressure for a shallow square tunnel based on the Hoek-Brown failure criterion. Journal of Zhejiang University-SCIENCE A (Applied Physics & Engineering), 2012, 13(4): 284-292.

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http://www.zjujournals.com/xueshu/zjus-a/10.1631/jzus.A1100246     OR     http://www.zjujournals.com/xueshu/zjus-a/Y2012/V13/I4/284

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