Face stability analysis of shield-driven tunnels shallowly buried in dry sand using 1-g large-scale model tests

This paper investigates the face stability of shield-driven tunnels shallowly buried in dry sand using 1-g large-scale model tests. A half-circular tunnel model with a rigid front face was designed and tested. The ground movement was mobilized by pulling the tunnel face backwards at different speeds. The support pressure at tunnel face, settlement at ground surface, and internal movement of soil body were measured by load cells, linear variable differential transducers, and a camera, respectively, and the progress of face failure was observed through a transparent lateral wall of model tank. The tests show that, as the tunnel face moves backwards, the support pressure at the tunnel face drops sharply initially, then rebounds slightly, and tends to be stabilized at the end. Similarly, the ground surface settlement shows a three-stage variation pattern. Using the particle image velocimetry technique, the particle movement, shear strain, and vortex location of soil are analyzed. The variation of support pressure and ground surface settlement related to the internal movement of soil particles is discussed. The impact of the tunnel face moving speed on the face stability is discussed. As the tunnel face moves relatively fast, soil failure originates from a height above tunnel invert and an analytical model is developed to analyze such failure.