JOlUnal of Highway and Transportation Research and Development

Vol.8.No.1(2014)061

Analysis of External Water Pressure on the Support and Lining of

Deep Mountain Tunnels below High Water Tables
XIN

Chun-Iei( 1)'of'l!t)

* *

, GAO

Bo( 1"li1t)

ZHOU

Yu ()l'f]*D

, SUI

Chuan-yi( f)

(Key Laboratory of Transportation Tunnel Engineering of MOE. Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu Sichuan 610031, China)

Abstract: To protect the environment and to minimize the water pressure on a tunnel lining , the controlled drainage principle is

Downloaded from ascelibrary.org by Satyajit Panda on 07/08/15. Copyright ASCE. For personal use only; all rights reserved.

proposed for deep mountain tunnels below high water tables. The mechanical characteristics of tunnel supports and linings with
respect to seepage and pressure are studied by using numerical methods and a test mooel based on the tunnel mechanics and seep
age mechanics. The results show that the pressure exerted on primary supports is unrelated to surrounding drainage conditions. The
pore water pressure on primary supports diverts to tunnel linings when the drainage system moves from the interlace between rock
mass and primary supports to the interlace between primary supports and tunnel linings, and the primary supports are wUoaded and
the pressure moves outwards to the rock mass. The water pressure on twmel linings can be neglected if the ground water can be
discharged smoothly. When a tunnel drainage system malfwlCtions and leads to poor drainage, the flow gradient in the ground de
creases, the effective radial stresses decrease, the radial flow of tunnel decreases and the ground deformations decrease.
Key words: tunnel engineering; water pressure on lining; test model; drainage patterns; relative stiffness method

controlled drainage, thorough analysis of the mechanical

Introduction

relationships between the surrounding rock and linings

With the development of large-scale transportation

construction, many mountain tunnels are deeply buried
below a high water table. The existing design principle,
focusing on drainage with the assistance of waterproofing
measures, not only damages the groundwater environ
ment,

with primary supports and secondary lining by changing

drainage conditions and moisture withdrawal is essential.

An analytical algorithm of the mechanical model of

tunnel support and lining

but also has a very detrimental effect to the

The relative stiffness method is widely used in many

strength of the lining of the tunnel structure and its sur

analyses to estimate the load that a primary support sys

rounding rock[l 3J

tem can support[7J This method is based on the assump

The primary supports of the tunnel

support the load generated during the excavation,

the

tions: the boundary conditions can be detennined by the

tunnel linings must withstand the load produced during

stress field of the surrounding rock away from the tunnel;

the tunnel construction process, and crustal stress and

for dry rock, the load on a supporting system during the

primary supports change over time.

An important reason

tunnel excavation process is generated by the defonnation

for the change in load generation is the change caused by

of surrounding rock; for tunnels below the groundwater

ground water seepage round the tunnel[4 6J Therefore,

table,

when controlling drainage,

generated by both the surrounding rock and the groundw

the study on tunnel lining

structure stress is the basis for structure design.

the supporting system must withstand the loads

In this

ater; the additional load on a supporting system applied

paper, on the basis of the tunnel mechanics and fluid

by water is unrelated to the tunnel drainage conditions,

mechanics, an analytical algorithm is adopted using a

but the surrounding rock stress field will change signifi

combination of methods based on numerical analysis and

cantly. Based on these important assumptions, load that

test models. To improve the lining structure design with

groundwater applies on the primary support system can be

Manuscript received July 29, 2013

Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China

( No.51178398, No.51078319 )

E-mail address:Raymond.xin3@gmail.com

J. Highway Transp. Res. Dev. (English Ed.) 2014.8:61-66.

62

Journal of Highway and Transportation Research and Development

expressed as follows:
T

where,

E,(I+v) ro
=
11, ot,
2
E,(1 +v) t + E(1 - vJro

is the axial load j

11,0

(1 )

is the far-field pore water

ent drainage modes

3.1

Model

E are E, the elastic modulus of the surrounding

rock and support structure, respectively j v and v, are the

the 114 continuum is needed: the right and bottom

Poisson's ratio of the sUHounding rock and supp0l1 struc

boundaries are used to limit the displacement constraint

ture, respectively j and

and the upper and the left boundaries are used to limit

pressure;

TO

is the radius of the tunnel.

Lining stress and strain can be calculated as follows:

Downloaded from ascelibrary.org by Satyajit Panda on 07/08/15. Copyright ASCE. For personal use only; all rights reserved.

Lining stress and displacement analysis on differ

r' ;
,
lB yO",
T

Because the object of study is symmetrical, study on

the effective stress and pore water pressure of the far

field l8J This model uses a three-dimensional simulation

Mt
21, '

(2)

and the radius of the circular tunnel is 3 m, in accord

ance with the tunnel mechanics theory and boundary the
oryr91 , the tunnel from the longitudinal boundary is taken

where, M is the moment; A, is the tunnel lining cr08S

as 58 m, the crown from the upper boundary is taken as

sectional area per unit length (i. e. , the constant thick

42 m, and the underground water level is dose to the

ness of the lining is t, As = t)

Is is the moment of inertia

of the tunnel per unit length (i. e. , Is 1I12t3 )
=

surface. Rock mass is simulated by Solid45 element, and

supporting is simulated by the shell element She1l63. A
nalysis by numerical simulation method is divided into
two different situations: anointer face between fomlation and
lining without drainage, namely full hydrostatic pore pres
sure acting on the interface j and full drainage, namely full
hydrostatic pore pressure is zero. Hydrostatic pressure is
applied to the model boundary, as shown in figure

Fig.1

2.

Model for analytical arithmetic

With no drainage conditions, the ground displacement

near Lhe Lunnel due Lo waLer flow can be expressed as:
T
L,

(1 - v) (1 + v)

11,0'
r
E,(l +V)l + EO - vJro
T

Fig.2

(3)

3.2

Grid model for numerical simulation

Material parameters

The calculations place the tunnel model in dass

In a complete drainage situation, the displacement

near the tunnel caused by the water flow to the outlet can

sUHounding rock, and tunnel lining with 20 cm thick C30

be calculated by:

concrete. Table 1 summarizes the relevant parameters

[( 1 +v) (1 - 2v) (r2

2EO - v)

(1 - v:) (1 +v)

used in the simulation of the sUlTounding rock and lining.

) +

] 11,0

r3 .
E,(1 +v) t + E (1 - v:) ro ---;

3. 3

(4)

Equation (4) applies when the pore water pressure

Comparative analysis of calculation results

Applying the far-field effective stress and pore water

pressure on the 114 continuum model, the results usmg
finite stress analysis are shown in figures 3 to 6.

boundary conditions at a distance from the tunnel are

Through comparative analysis of the analytical algo

known, and thcrc is no displaccmcnt constraint on thc

rithm and numerical simulation results, the results of the

boundary.

numerical simulation confirm the analytical algorithm: e-

J. Highway Transp. Res. Dev. (English Ed.) 2014.8:61-66.

63

XIN Chun-Iei ,et al : Analysis of External Water Pressure on the Support and Lining of Deep Mountain Tunnels below High Water Tables

quation (3) predicts the displacement will increase with

ment produced by the water table ) . The first item In e

decrease of radial distance, supported by the trend shown

quation

in figure

4 ( in the finite element method, the displace-

ment includes the ground displacement and the displaceTab. 1

observed in figure 6. The increase is caused by ground

seepage pressure produced by water flow.

Properties of both the rock and lining materials

Modulus of

Poisson

Cohesive

Angle of friction

elasticity( CPa)

ratio

strength( kPa)

( 0)

surrounding rock

1.0

0.40

0.3

35

Primary support

23.0

Secondary lining

30.0

Material

Downloaded from ascelibrary.org by Satyajit Panda on 07/08/15. Copyright ASCE. For personal use only; all rights reserved.

(4) increases with increasing radial distance, as

Weight per unit

volume( kN

3
m )

Porosity

20.0

0.3

2.0 X 10-2

0.30

22.0

0.2

Ox 10-5

0.20

22.0

-0.103E+07

0
.
0.234E-03
.
0.467E-03
.
0.70IE-03
.
0.935E-03
.
.001169
0
.001402
0
O.001636
D
0.00187
.
0.002 104

-918 158

-804 747
-691 336
-577 925
-464 514
D
D
D

Fig. 3

Permeability
coefJicient( mid)

-351 103
-237 692
-124 281
-10 870

Stress for the no-drainage case (unit:Pa)

- 0.846E-04
- 0.658E-04
- 0.470E-04

Fig.6

Displacement contours for the full

drainage case (unit:m)

- 0.282E-04
- 0.938E-05

the drainage conditions of the tunnel are unrelated to the

load on the primary support as shown in figures 3 and 5.

D
D

0.94IE-05
0.282E-04
0.470E-04
0.658E-04
0.846E-04

Stress and displacement caused by groundwater without

draining are smaller than in the fully drained condition.
This is because water seepage pressure exists in the sur
rounding rock due to the water flow down to the tunnel.
The maximal displacement of surrounding rock occurs a
way from the tunnel in the full drainage condition, so the

Fig. 4

Displacement contours for the no-drainage

case (unit:m)

nearer it is to the tunnel, the smaller its displacement.

The reverse is true under the condition without drainage.

-0.103E+07
-912 660
-799 936
-687 213
-574 489
-461 765
0-349 041
0
-236 318
0
-123 594
-10 870

Tunnel seepage pressure test

Applying the tunnel seepage pressure test allows

study of the changes in groundwater seepage caused by
2
the tunnel excavation and supports[IO-1 ]. This experi
ment focuses on the changes of stress in the tunnel prima
ry support and secondary lining caused by the change of
groundwater seepage.
4.1

Fig. 5

Stress for the full drainage case (unit:Pa)

In summary, the following conclusions can be

made: within the allowable range of the numerical error,

Test program design

The size of the tunnel model section IS

(width )

70 em

100 em ( height ) . To reduce the influence of

the stratigraphic boundary on tunnel waterproofing and

J. Highway Transp. Res. Dev. (English Ed.) 2014.8:61-66.

64

Journal of Highway and TranspOltation Kesearch and Development

Tab. 2

drainage activities, the width and height of the rock mod

el boundary must be at least

400 cm each. Natural,

strong-completely weathered sandstone is used to simulate

Serial

Excavation

Style of

Groundwater

number

manner

suppOlting stlucture

discharge mode

Full-face

the surrounding rock. In addition, no limits set on permea

Full drained

No SUppOlt

The tunnel invelt drained ,

ble and force boundaries. To simulate the tunnel, a cavern

Vull-face

Primary support

7 m. A pool is placed above

the crown as the infiltration device ( figures 7 and 8).

Full-face

Primary SUppOlt

'lo-drainage

Full-face

Primary support and

The tunnel invelt drained ,

secondary lining

crown and haunchundrained

Vull-face

is excavated with a depth of

Downloaded from ascelibrary.org by Satyajit Panda on 07/08/15. Copyright ASCE. For personal use only; all rights reserved.

Design list for test model

cruwnand haunchundrained

Primary support and

secondary lining

'<o-drainage

Three sections are set in the tunnel model, which

are respectively

O.

3 m, 2. 8 m and 5. 3 m from the exca

vating face. Each section has three measuring points re

spectively located at the crown, one side of the haunch,
and one side of the abutment wall. There is also a meas
Fig. 7

uring point at the bottom of the inverted arch in section

Tunnel model for the tests

2.

Primary support and secondary lining designs are as

follows: CD Use CI5 mortar to simulate shotcrete, the de
sign thickness is
thickness of
Water vessel
..... lm

O.

2 cm. Use thick tile with design

5 cm to simulate the C30 secondary lin

ing, Set the drainage layer between the primary sup

port and the secondary lining, and install drainage holes
and valves at the crown, arch waist, and side wall of
each section order to simulate water pressure on the lin

Fig. 8

ing under different drainage conditions.

Design sketch of the test model

Considered from the perspective of water seepage,

the water pressure behind the lining is mainly dependent
on the surrounding rock permeability coefficient, grouting
circle permeability coefficient, the thickness of the grou
ting circle, tunnel control water discharge, etc.

[10J

Taking the combined effect of the stress field and the

penetration field into account, the basic physical quanti
ties in the test model are decided, including permeability
coefficient, the height of the head, aquifer thickness,
displacement, drainage time, severity of the geometry,
water pressure, and so on. The water pressure on the
lining changes due to different waterproofing and drainage

conditions is the focus of the analysis l13 -16J

4.2

Test case design

The focus of the test at this stage is the study of the

mechanical characteristics of the primary support and
secondary lining by changing the drainage conditions in
the case of full section excavation. Therefore, the on-site
test model conditions are designed as shown in table

4. 3

Analysis of test results

The results of the test based on changes in drainage

conditions after setting the initial support are shown in
figures

and

10. Primary support is not designed as an

impermeable layer. By comparison, the pore water pres

sure of primary support does not produce significant
changes when drainage conditions change, once again
proving the conclusions of the analytical method and the
numerical simulation algorithm. Comparing the results
with the water pressure meters embedded on-site, the

maximum pore water pressure of the primary support ap12

!ll::'
o

100

200

300

400

Time (h)

500

600

700

-+-1-1--1-2 ....1-3
..
__ 2-1 ...... 2-2 __ 2-3-+-2-4 - 3-1- 3-2-+--3-3

Fig.9

Water pressure on the primary support

2.

J. Highway Transp. Res. Dev. (English Ed.) 2014.8:61-66.

(drainage case)

65

XIN Chun-Iei ,et al : Analysis of External Water Pressure on the Support and Lining of Deep Mountain Tunnels below High Water Tables

: L

pears In the crown, and the pressure along the springing

direction decreases; at the springing, due to the drainage
pIpe, the water pressure is close to zero, and in the no-

drainage case it changes normally.

Tab, 3

Embedded conditions of pore water pressure gauges

Serial

Numberof

Section

Measuring points

number

piezometers

number

location

Downloaded from ascelibrary.org by Satyajit Panda on 07/08/15. Copyright ASCE. For personal use only; all rights reserved.

PI-1
DMI

Depth of
burial

Crown

4.8

Haunch

5.1

PI-2

PI -3

Sidewall

5.4

P2 -I

Crown

3.4

P2 -2

Haunch

3.7

P2 -3

Sidewall

4.0

P2 -4

Bottom of inverted arch

4.6

P3 -I

Crown

1.9

P3 -2

10

P3 -3

DM3

Haunch

2.2

sidewall

2.5

,
::

100

200

300

400

Time (h)

500

600

700

--+-- 1-1--1-2-+-1-3 --*""2-1 -+-2-2--2-3-+-2-4 -3-1 -3-2 --+-3-3

( m)

DM2

:::

Fig.ll

Water pressure on the primary support after

installing the secondary support (from drainage to

no-drainage)

Time (h)
--+-- 1-1--1-2-+-1-3---2-1-+-2-2 -+--2-3-+-2-4-3-1- 3-2 -+-- 3-3

Fig.12

Water pressure on the secondary support

(from drainage to no-drainage)

From the four test results above and the observations

of the test models, we can draw the following conclu
sIOns. Because the pore water pressure passes from the
primary support to the secondary lining, the surrounding
Time (h)
--+--1-1-+-1-2-+-1-3--*"" 2-1-+-2-2--+--2-3--+-2-4-3-1- 3-2-+-3-3

Fig.l0

Water pressure on the primary support

(no-drainage case)

rock around the primary support can help to bear part of

the load, while the secondary support is impermeable, it
must bear all of the pore water pressure. Typically, the
increase of pore water pressure results in the inward de

11 and 12 show the experimental results af

formation of the secondary support, the decrease of for

ter setting the secondary lining and changing the drainage

mation seepage pressure, the decrease of the formation of

conditions during the experiment to simulate the degrada

effective stress, and unloading of the primary support.

Figures

tion of drainage layer function. It can be concluded that

the pore water pressure of the primary support and sec

Conclusions

ondary lining still decreases along the direction of the

By analytical algorithm, numerical simulation algo

crown to the springing. Because of the waterproof layer

rithm, and test model monitoring data analysis, the water

set between the primary support and secondary lining,

pressure characteristics of the primary support and sec

the pore water pressure behind the secondary lining fluc

ondary lining of a tunnel were studied, and the following

tuates slightly, indicating the pore water pressure here

can be ignored in the design of the secondary lining[5].

conclusions can be drawn:

The drainage layer gradually merges with the impermea

change when drainage conditions are changed even when

ble layer and the drainage method changes from the

the tunnel is under drainage conditions.

( 1) The pressure on the pnmary supports will not

drainage case to the no-drainage case during the experi

(2) The pore water pressure diverts from the primary

ment. In this case, the primary support is not designed

supports to the tunnel linings when the drainage channels

as an impervious layer and water will leak through it so

move from the interface between the rock mass and pri

that the primary support is in the unloading condition and

mary supports to the interface between the primary sup

all water pressure is borne by the secondary lining.

ports and tunnel linings, and the primary supports unload

J. Highway Transp. Res. Dev. (English Ed.) 2014.8:61-66.

66

Journal of Highway and Transportation Research and Development

and pressure moves outwards to the rock mass.

[7J

trol of Pore Water Pressures on Tunnel Linings Using Pin

(3) The deformation of the primary support caused

hole Drain Method [ J J. Tunnelling and Underground

by the effects of water stress depends on the relative stiff

ness betv.reen surrounding rock and linings.
(4 ) The water pressure on tunnel linings can be

Space Technology, 2009, 24 (5),555-561.

[ 8J

Lining Stresses in Drained Tunnels [J J. Tunnelling and

If the tunnel drainage system malfunctions and leads to

Underground Space Technology, 2009, 24 (4): 376 -

poor drainage, the tunnel lining will bear a higher water

Downloaded from ascelibrary.org by Satyajit Panda on 07/08/15. Copyright ASCE. For personal use only; all rights reserved.

389.
[9J

cess inflow.

CHEN Yu-min, XU Ding-ping. Basis and Instances of En

gineering Project of FLAC/FLAC3D [MJ. Beijing: China

(5) In the process of decreasing the drainage capac

ity of the tunnel over time,

ARJNOl P, JEONG J H, KIM C Y, et al. Effect of Dmin

age Conditions on Porewater Pressure Distributions and

neglected when the ground water is discharged smoothly.

pressure due to the pore water pressure caused by the ex

SHIN H S, YOUN D J, CHAE S E, et al. Effective Con

the flow gradient in the

Water Power Press, 2009. (in Chinese)

[IOJ

DING Hao, JIANG Shu - ping, CHEN Lin-jie. Study on

Similar Test Model for External Water Pressure of Highway

ground decreases, the effective radial stresses decrease,

Tunnel [JJ. Journal of Highway and Transportation Re

and the radial flow of the tunnel and the ground deforma

search and Development, 2008, 25 (10): 99-104. (in

tions also decrease.

Chinese)
[11J

References

FU Gang, WANG Lei. Study on Design Method of Lining

Structure of the Highway Tunnel in Deep-lying Stratum

[1J

LV Kang-cheng, CUI Ling-qiu. Guidebook of Tunnel Wa

with High Water Level [JJ. Chinese Journal of Under

terproofing and Drainage Engineering [M J. Beijing: Chi

ground Space and Engineering, 2007, 3 (2):252-257.

(in Chinese)

na Communications Press, 2005. (in Chinese)

[2J

[3J

GAO Xin-qiang. Study on the Distribution Rule of Water

[12J

Pressure upon Lining in Subject to High Hydraulic Pres

Technology of Great Water Pressure Tunnel [JJ. Journal

sure Mountain Tunnel [DJ. Chengdu: Southwest Jiaotong

of Highway and Transportation Research and Development,

University, 2005. (in Chinese)

2010, 27 (12), 118-121. (in Chinee)

WANG Xiu-ying, TAN Zhong-sheng, WANG Meng-shu,

[13J

[14J

ZHANG Zhi-dao. Semi-theoretical Derivation for the For

mulas of Water Inflow and Water Pressure Acting on a

DING Hao, JIANG Shu-ping, YANG Lin-de. Research on

Tunnel and Their Application to the Waterproofing and

Mechanical Response and Structural Countermeasure of

Drainage of Tunnels [J J. Journal of Modern Tunnelling

Tunnel Lining under External Water Pressure [1]. Journal

Technology, 2006, 43 (1), 1-6. (in Chinee)

[15J

WANG Xiu-ying, TAN Zhong-sheng, WANG Meng-shu,

2804. (in Chinese)

et al. Analysis of Interaction Between Surrounding Rock

NAM S W, BOBET A. Radial Deformations Induced by

and Lining in High Water-level Tunnels with Controlled

Groundwater flow on Deep Circular Tunnels [J J. Rock

Drainage [JJ. Journal of Rock and Soil Mechanics, 2008,

Mechanics and Rock Engineering, 2007, 40 (1): 23 -

29 (6),1623-1628. (in Chinee)

[16J

39.
[6J

[ M J.

80. (in Chinese)

of Rock and Soil Mechanics, 2008, 29 (10): 2799 -

[5J

Engineering

Shanghai: Tongji University Press, 1999. (in Chinese)

Rock with Controlled Drainage in Mountain Tunnels [1].

Journal of Rock and Soil Mechanics, 2008, 29 (1): 75-

XIA Cai-chu, LI Yong-sheng. Testing Theories and Moni

toring Technology of Underground

et al. Analysis of Mechanical Character of Surrounding

[4J

ZHANG Yan-fei, ZHAO Yu-sheng. Study on Construction

ZHANG Cheng-ping,

ZHANG Ding-Ii,

WANG

Meng

WANG You, WANG Xing-hua, CHEN Jun-ru. Elasto

shu, et al. Study on Appropriate Parameters of Grouting

plastic Analysis of Surrounding Rocks of Subsea Tunnel

Circle for Tunnels with Limiting Discharge Lining in High

Considering Seepage [1]. Journal of Highway and Trans

Water Pressure and Water-Enriched Region [JJ. Chinese

portation Research and Development, 2012, 29 ( 5 ):

Journal of Rock Mechanics and Engineering, 2007, 26

89-95. (in Chinese)

(11),2270-2276. (in Chinee)

(Chinese version's doi, 10. 3969/j. issn. 1002 - 0268. 2013. 02. 014, vol. 30, pp. 77 - 82, 2013)

J. Highway Transp. Res. Dev. (English Ed.) 2014.8:61-66.