Effect of frequency and flexibility ratio on the seismic response of deep tunnels

Two-dimensional dynamic numerical analyses have been conducted, using FLAC 7.0, to evaluate the seismic response of underground structures located far from the seismic source, placed in either linear-elastic or nonlinear elastoplastic ground. The interaction between the ground and deep circular tunn...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Eimar Sandoval, Antonio Bobet
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. 2017-06-01
Series:Underground Space
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2467967416300290
_version_ 1797765471239405568
author Eimar Sandoval
Antonio Bobet
author_facet Eimar Sandoval
Antonio Bobet
author_sort Eimar Sandoval
collection DOAJ
description Two-dimensional dynamic numerical analyses have been conducted, using FLAC 7.0, to evaluate the seismic response of underground structures located far from the seismic source, placed in either linear-elastic or nonlinear elastoplastic ground. The interaction between the ground and deep circular tunnels with a tied interface is considered. For the simulations, it is assumed that the liner remains in its elastic regime, and plane strain conditions apply to any cross section perpendicular to the tunnel axis. An elastoplastic constitutive model is implemented in FLAC to simulate the nonlinear ground. The effect of input frequency and relative stiffness between the liner and the ground, on the seismic response of tunnels, is evaluated. The response is studied in terms of distortions normalized with respect to those of the free field, and load demand (axial forces and bending moments) in the liner. In all cases, i.e. for linear-elastic and nonlinear ground models, the results show negligible effect of the input frequency on the distortions of the cross section, for input frequencies smaller than 5 Hz; that is for ratios between the wave length and the tunnel opening (λ/D) larger than ten for linear-elastic and nine for nonlinear ground. Larger normalized distortions are obtained for the nonlinear than for the linear-elastic ground, for the same relative stiffness, with differences increasing as the tunnel becomes more flexible, or when the amplitude of the dynamic input shear stress increases. It has been found that normalized distortions for the nonlinear ground do not follow a unique relationship, as it happens for the linear-elastic ground, but increase as the amplitude of the dynamic input increases. The loading in the liner decreases as the structure becomes more flexible with respect to the ground, and is smaller for a tunnel placed in a stiffer nonlinear ground than in a softer nonlinear ground, for the same flexibility ratio.
first_indexed 2024-03-12T20:11:37Z
format Article
id doaj.art-635ac51897324192aeff1fd699d1a588
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2467-9674
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-12T20:11:37Z
publishDate 2017-06-01
publisher KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
record_format Article
series Underground Space
spelling doaj.art-635ac51897324192aeff1fd699d1a5882023-08-02T01:41:48ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Underground Space2467-96742017-06-012212513310.1016/j.undsp.2017.04.003Effect of frequency and flexibility ratio on the seismic response of deep tunnelsEimar SandovalAntonio BobetTwo-dimensional dynamic numerical analyses have been conducted, using FLAC 7.0, to evaluate the seismic response of underground structures located far from the seismic source, placed in either linear-elastic or nonlinear elastoplastic ground. The interaction between the ground and deep circular tunnels with a tied interface is considered. For the simulations, it is assumed that the liner remains in its elastic regime, and plane strain conditions apply to any cross section perpendicular to the tunnel axis. An elastoplastic constitutive model is implemented in FLAC to simulate the nonlinear ground. The effect of input frequency and relative stiffness between the liner and the ground, on the seismic response of tunnels, is evaluated. The response is studied in terms of distortions normalized with respect to those of the free field, and load demand (axial forces and bending moments) in the liner. In all cases, i.e. for linear-elastic and nonlinear ground models, the results show negligible effect of the input frequency on the distortions of the cross section, for input frequencies smaller than 5 Hz; that is for ratios between the wave length and the tunnel opening (λ/D) larger than ten for linear-elastic and nine for nonlinear ground. Larger normalized distortions are obtained for the nonlinear than for the linear-elastic ground, for the same relative stiffness, with differences increasing as the tunnel becomes more flexible, or when the amplitude of the dynamic input shear stress increases. It has been found that normalized distortions for the nonlinear ground do not follow a unique relationship, as it happens for the linear-elastic ground, but increase as the amplitude of the dynamic input increases. The loading in the liner decreases as the structure becomes more flexible with respect to the ground, and is smaller for a tunnel placed in a stiffer nonlinear ground than in a softer nonlinear ground, for the same flexibility ratio.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2467967416300290Deep circular tunnelDynamic numerical analysisFlexibility ratioDistortionSeismic response
spellingShingle Eimar Sandoval
Antonio Bobet
Effect of frequency and flexibility ratio on the seismic response of deep tunnels
Underground Space
Deep circular tunnel
Dynamic numerical analysis
Flexibility ratio
Distortion
Seismic response
title Effect of frequency and flexibility ratio on the seismic response of deep tunnels
title_full Effect of frequency and flexibility ratio on the seismic response of deep tunnels
title_fullStr Effect of frequency and flexibility ratio on the seismic response of deep tunnels
title_full_unstemmed Effect of frequency and flexibility ratio on the seismic response of deep tunnels
title_short Effect of frequency and flexibility ratio on the seismic response of deep tunnels
title_sort effect of frequency and flexibility ratio on the seismic response of deep tunnels
topic Deep circular tunnel
Dynamic numerical analysis
Flexibility ratio
Distortion
Seismic response
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2467967416300290
work_keys_str_mv AT eimarsandoval effectoffrequencyandflexibilityratioontheseismicresponseofdeeptunnels
AT antoniobobet effectoffrequencyandflexibilityratioontheseismicresponseofdeeptunnels