T.H. Huang

ASSESSMENT OF DAMAGE IN MOUNTAIN TUNNELS DUE TO THE TAIWAN CHI-CHI EARTHQUAKE

Abstract Tunnels, being underground structures, have long been assumed to have the ability to sustain earthquakes with little damage. However, investigations of mountain tunnels after the Chi-Chi Earthquake in central Taiwan revealed that many tunnels suffered significant damage to various extents. This work describes the findings of a systematic assessment of damage in the mountain tunnels in Taiwan after the earthquake. It was found that among the 57 tunnels investigated 49 of them were damaged. The damage patterns are summarized based on the characteristics and the distribution of the lining cracks. This systematic investigation, involving geological conditions, design documents, construction and maintenance records of these tunnels, has been conducted to assess the potential factors that may have influence on the various damage patterns and the earthquake loading for tunnels. The results show that the degree of damage is associated with the geological condition and structural arrangement of the tunnel. A tunnel passing through a displaced fault zone will definitely suffer damage. The extent of geological weak zones, distance from the epicenter, and the existence of a slope face are also significant influencing factors. The seismic capacity of the tunnel is influenced by its structural arrangement, type of lining, invert setup, lining reinforcement, and other parameters.

Effect of joint sets on the strength and deformation of rock mass models

This note describes a series of physical model tests for jointed rock masses with several superimposed joint sets, performed to investigate the interaction between different joint sets.

Deformational characteristics of weak sandstone and impact to tunnel deformation

Abstract In northern Taiwan, a tunnel under construction along a segment where weak sandstone, the Mushan sandstone, was encountered and an excess crown settlement (14–30 cm) has been reported. This paper studies the deformational characteristics of Mushan sandstone and its impact on tunnel deformation. To distinguish the volumetric and the shear deformation of the sandstone, experiments with controlled stress paths, including hydrostatic compression, pure shearing and conventional triaxial compression, were conducted. The measured deformations were then decomposed into elastic and plastic components further exploring the stress–strain behavior of weak sandstone. The results indicate that, similar to other soil-like geo-materials, this sandstone has plastic strain before the stress path reaches the failure envelope and significant shear dilation is induced, especially when approaching the failure envelope. Meanwhile, the distinct features of deformation have also been highlighted by comparing the experimental results to the prediction, derived from existing constitutive models that were originally developed for other geo-materials. These features include significant plastic volumetric strain at low levels of confining stress, suppression of plastic volumetric strain at higher levels of confining stress, and the fact that the actual amount of shear compression is less than that predicted by the model. Numerical analysis indicates that the weak rock leads to the greatest inward displacement, which results from the shear dilation prior to failure state.

An experience of tunnelling in mudstone area in southwestern Taiwan

Abstract Many tunnels will be constructed in southwestern Taiwan in the upcoming decade to meet the huge demands of transportation, energy and water infrastructure projects. Mudstone strata cover more than a 1000 km2 area, consisting mainly of massive mudstone or alternation of mudstone and sandy layer, exhibiting unfavorable geological and hydrological characteristics, making it extremely difficult for tunnelling. This paper presents the lessons learned from three tunnelling projects in the 1990s in a mudstone area. In addition to discussing the rock behavior in the vicinity of tunnel and its failure patterns, the monitoring data during tunnelling are presented as well. Finally, the effective method of design and construction are recommended for tunnelling in mudstone area.

The holding mechanism of under-reamed rockbolts in soft rock

Abstract The holding mechanism of under-reamed rockbolts differs from that of conventional rockbolts, in which the bonding or the friction along the element–rock interface provides the holding capacity. The under-reamed end is kinematically blocked by the surrounding rock mass and can provide a greater holding capacity, especially in soft rock, whereas the strength of a soft rock frequently controls the bonding strength of the element–rock interface. Both an experimental study and numerical analyses were performed to examine the holding mechanisms of model under-reamed rockbolts subjected to direct pull out loading and pre-tensioning. When subjected to direct pull out loading, the holding capacity originates from the capacity of the rock resisting tensile fracture. Failure is characterized by the formation of a smooth, conical region bounded by a tensile crack, which subsequently separates from the surrounding rock. Correspondingly, the holding capacity is related to the tensile strength of the rock, bolt length and size of the under-reamed end. When subjected to pre-tensioning, the holding mechanism is provided by the ability of the rock to form two conical zones between the faceplate and the under-reamed end, and to prevent subsequent indentation of the two cones. Major factors influencing the holding capacity of under-reamed bolts include the size of the under-reamed end, bolt length and properties of the rock.

Influences of Microscopic Factors on Macroscopic Strength and Stiffness of Inter-Layered Rocks — Revealed by a Bonded Particle Model

Since a conventional petrographic analysis does not allow a systematic and detailed study on how the microscopic factors affect the macroscopic behavior of inter-layered rocks, this research adopted a numerical model, the bonded particle model, to explore the micro-mechanisms associated with the strength and stiffness of inter-layered rocks. The model was first calibrated by comparing the simulations to the actual behavior until they tally with each other. Following, the microscopic factors, including the bond strength, the bond stiffness, type of bonds and friction of particles and type of bond stiffness, are varied to study their influences. As expected, the bond strength and the bond stiffness are found to have a direct and significant influence on the macroscopic uniaxial compressive strength and stiffness, respectively. Furthermore, close observations on the breaking of bonds during the loading process reveal interesting phenomena, including the transition of shear/normal bond breaking, the type of internal fracture and the factors controlling internal failure, etc. These phenomena enlighten the interpretations about the micromechanisms accounting for the macroscopic strength and stiffness of inter-layered rocks.