Static effects and aspects of feasibility and design of drainages in tunnelling

This PhD thesis investigates the effectiveness of drainage measures with respect to two particularly important problems associated with tunnelling through water-bearing, weak ground: the stability of the tunnel face and the stability and deformation of grouting bodies. Water is an adverse factor with respect to the stability and deformation of underground structures due to the pore water pressure and the seepage forces associated with seepage flow towards the tunnel. Drainage boreholes reduce the pore water pressure and the seepage forces in the vicinity of the cavity. Furthermore, loss of pore water pressure increases the effective stresses and thus the shearing resistance of the ground („consolidation“), which is favourable in terms the deformation occurring during and after tunnelling. The goal of the PhD thesis is to elaborate a more detailed understanding of the interrelationships between drainage measures and the stability of the tunnel face and grouting bodies. The main objectives of the investigations relating to the tunnel face are: 1. analysis of face stability through limit equilibrium computations taking account of the numerically determined seepage flow conditions prevailing in the ground after the implementation of drainage measures; 2. systematic investigation of tunnel face stability considering several different drainage layouts and working out designnomograms; 3. consideration of a series of aspects limiting pore pressure relief and thus the effectiveness of drainage measures and their impact on face stability. The main objectives of the investigations with regard to grouting bodies are: 1. a study of the stabilizing effect of the virtual case of ideal drainage on tunnel support and plastification in grouted fault zones in plane strain conditions; 2. a comparison with the stabilizing effect of real drainage layouts, i. e. when considering pore pressure relief due to specific drainage borehole arrangements; 3. application of the drainage measure both before and after the injection works. In summary, the contribution of this PhD thesis is the detailed investigation of the static effects of drainage measures during tunnelling in water-bearing ground with respect to the stability of the tunnel face and the grouting body as well as the supply of design aids capable of providing a quick assessment of face stability when considering a number of advance drainage schemes.