Studying the effect of some parameters on the stability of shallow tunnels

Abstract Several factors have crucial impact on the serviceability of underground openings including: the quality of rock mass; the presence of rock joints and their geometrical properties; the state of in-situ stress ratio; the depth below surface and opening geometry. This paper only investigates the effect of two parameters on the stability of underground shallow tunnels, namely: the presence of rock joints in the rock mass matrix and the shape of the excavation. A series of two-dimensional elasto-plastic finite-element models has been constructed using rock-soil, RS 2D , software. Consequently, parametric stability analysis has been conducted for three different tunnel shapes (e.g. circular, square and horseshoe) with/without joint inclusion. Four reference points have been assigned in the tunnel perimeter (e.g. back, sidewalls and floor) to monitor the state of stress-displacement in the rock mass around them. The results indicate that the weak performance of a tunnel opening occurs with a square-shaped opening and when joints exist in the rock mass. In addition, the normal stress along joints sharply drops in the vicinity of a tunnel opening. Moreover, the direction of shear stress is reversed. Thus, it causes inward shear displacement.