Search Results (19)

Tunnel excavation typically induces disturbance to the surrounding soil. Advance grouting using small-diameter pipes can effectively mitigate surface settlement. Taking the mine-method tunnel at the southern end of Xiancun Station on Guangzhou Rail Transit Line 18 as the research object, this paper uses the Midas GTS NX three-dimensional finite element (FE) software and adopts the upper-lower excavation method that prioritizes the formation of an upper support closed loop to simulate and analyze the impact of the CRD method on tunnel excavation under different grouting layer thicknesses. The research indicates that the surface settlement curve exhibits a “U”-shape. The settlement value decreases as the thickness of the grouting layer increases; when the thickness increases from 1.2 m to 2.0 m, the maximum surface settlement decreases from 12.87 mm to 9.09 mm, with successive reductions of 1.30 mm, 1.11 mm, 0.81 mm, and 0.56 mm, corresponding to rates of 10.10%, 9.59%, 7.67%, and 5.6%. Increasing the thickness of the grouting layer can effectively control surface settlement; however, when the thickness reaches 2.0 m, the stress distribution undergoes a change. Specifically, the compressive stress at the arch waist increases to 1683.01 kPa, and plastic failure occurs in the surrounding rock. By comparing the numerical results with field monitoring data, it is determined that when the grouting layer thickness is 1.4 m and the elastic modulus is increased by 30% based on that of the upper-soft soil, the model prediction shows the highest consistency with the actual effect. Furthermore, it is suggested that the grouting layer thickness be increased to 1.6 m. This study delivers a scientific foundation for the design of grouting parameters and the optimization of construction schemes for tunnels in composite strata and is of importance to improving tunnel construction technology in underground rail transit. Full article

To evaluate the feasibility of a virtual overlay tester (OT), a modeling approach was proposed based on the discrete element method (DEM). Simulations were conducted on three types of asphalt mixtures across three different thickness conditions. Through the analysis of the load/displacement curves, crack propagation paths, force chains, and contact force characteristics, it was observed that the peak loads decrease with increasing thicknesses, indicating a notable size effect. The complexity of the crack path was positively correlated with the particle size along the path and the fractal dimension. Coarse aggregates can inhibit crack propagation to some extent. Prior to reaching the peak load, compressive force chains in asphalt concrete-13 (AC13) and large stone porous asphalt mixture-30 (LSPM30) exhibited a symmetrical and divergent distribution along the crack, while tensile force chains formed an arch-like pattern. After the peak load, compressive force chains were symmetrically distributed in an arch shape along the crack. In stone mastic asphalt-13 (SMA13), compressive forces were transmitted along coarse aggregates, forming several continuous vertical paths. The proportion of strong compressive force chains to total compressive force chains across the three gradations ranged from 0.74 to 0.83, while the corresponding proportion for tensile force chains ranged from 0.72 to 0.78. Full article

Corrugated steel–concrete (CSC) composite arches, an innovative structural system with simplified construction and enhanced stiffness, are widely used in bridge and tunnel modular engineering. However, insufficient research on their shear performance limits prefabricated applications. Similarly to beams, their shear behavior is significantly affected by loading location. Specifically, as a parameter significantly affected by the loading location, the shear–compression ratio exerts a notable influence on the shear bearing capacity of CSC arches by altering the development pattern of cracks and the inclination angle of shear cracks. To investigate the influence mechanism of the loading location, this study is the first to systematically link shear–compression ratio variation to load location in CSC arches. In this context, shear performance tests were conducted on two CSC specimens with different loading locations (mid-span and quarter-point) to investigate the influence of loading locations on the shear behavior of CSC arches. To further investigate the impact of key parameters on the shear bearing capacity of CSC arches, a validated finite element model was employed to support the parametric analysis. The parameters involved include the span-to-rise ratio, shear connector spacing, strength and thickness of corrugated steel, as well as strength and thickness of concrete. Theoretical calculations for internal forces under varying rise-to-span ratios and loading methods are conducted, proposing an analytical solution method. Validation using 2 experiments and 96 finite element results show that a modified method is applicable, with a mean value of 1.066, corresponding to a standard deviation of 0.071, and all relative errors within 15%. By introducing the shear–compression ratio, this study extends existing methods to make them applicable under single-point loading, thereby enabling their use for guiding engineering. Similarly, the internal force analysis method proposed herein can serve as a theoretical foundation, providing a valuable reference for future research on shear capacity calculation methods for CSC arches with varying cross-sectional configurations and those where bending moments play a more significant role. Full article

The layered composite roof of a coal mine roadway exhibits heterogeneity, with pronounced variations in layer thickness and strength. Fully grouted rock bolts installed in such layered roofs usually penetrate two or more strata and bond with them to form an integrated anchorage system. Roof failure typically initiates in the shallow strata and progressively propagates to deeper layers; thus, the mechanical properties of the rock at the free surface critically influence the overall stability of the layered roof and the load-transfer behavior of the bolts. In this study, a layered rock mass model was developed using three-dimensional particle flow code (PFC3D), and a triaxial loading scheme with a single free surface was applied to investigate the effects of free-surface rock properties, support parameters, and confining pressure on the load-bearing performance of the layered rock mass. The main findings are as follows: (1) Without support, the ultimate bearing capacity of a hard-rock-free-surface specimen is about 1.2 times that of a soft-rock-free-surface specimen. Applying support strengths of 0.2 MPa and 0.4 MPa enhanced the bearing capacity by 29–38% and 46–75%, respectively. (2) The evolution of axial stress in the bolts reflects the migration of the load-bearing core of the anchored body. Enhancing support strength improves the stress state of bolts and effectively mitigates the effects of high-stress conditions. (3) Under loading, soft rock layers exhibit greater deformation than hard layers. A hard-rock free surface effectively resists extrusion deformation from deeper soft rocks and provides higher bearing capacity. Shallow free-surface failure is significantly suppressed in anchored bodies, and “compression arch” zones are formed within multiple layers due to bolt support. Full article

The burgeoning electromagnetic pollution from 5G/6G technologies demands lightweight, broadband, and mechanically robust electromagnetic microwave absorbers (EMWAs). Conventional carbon aerogels suffer from structural fragility and inadequate electromagnetic dissipation. Herein, we propose a defect-engineering strategy through precise optimization of the chitosan (CS)/cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) ratio to fabricate elastic boron nitride nanosheet (BNNS)-embedded carbon aerogels. By fixing BNNS content for optimal impedance matching and modulating the CS/CNC ratio of the aerogel, we achieve synergistic control over hierarchical microstructure, defect topology, and electromagnetic response. The aerogel exhibits a wide effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) of 8.3 GHz at a thickness of 3.6 mm and an excellent reflection loss of −52.79 dB (>99.999% attenuation), surpassing most biomass-derived EMWAs. The performance stems from CNC-derived topological defects enabling novel polarization pathways and BNNS-triggered interfacial polarization, while optimal graphitization (I_D/I_G = 1.08) balances conductive loss. Simultaneously, the optimal CS/CNC ratio facilitates the formation of a stable and flexible framework. The long-range ordered micro-arch lamellar structure endows the aerogel with promising elasticity, which retains 82% height after 1000 cyclic compression at 50% strain. This work paves the way for biomass-derived carbon aerogels as next-generation wearable and conformal EMWAs with broadband absorption. Full article

Red-layer soft rock has characteristics such as softening when encountering water, loose structure, and significant rheological properties. In tunnel engineering, it is necessary to sort out and analyze the stress characteristics of its support structure. This paper focuses on the mechanical behavior and support effect during the construction of Neogene red-layer soft rock tunnels. Through field monitoring, it explores the mechanical characteristics of Huizhou Tunnel under complex geological conditions in depth. This study adopted a remote wireless monitoring system to conduct real-time monitoring of key indicators including tunnel surrounding rock pressure, support structure stress, and deformation, obtaining a large amount of detailed data. An analysis revealed that the stress experienced by rock bolts is complex and varies widely, with stress values between 105 and 330.5 MPa. The peak axial force at a depth of 2.5 m reflects that the thickness of the loosened zone in the surrounding rock is approximately 2.5 m. The compressive stress in the steel arches of the primary support does not exceed 305.3 MPa. Shotcrete effectively controls the surrounding rock deformation, but the timing of support installation needs careful selection. The stress in the secondary lining is closely related to the primary support. The research findings provide an important theoretical basis and practical guidance for optimizing the support design of red-bed soft rock tunnels and enhancing construction safety and reliability. Full article

Due to the impact of disordered mining activities in previous years, numerous abandoned roadways exist in the second mining district of the 13# coal seam in Chejiazhuang Coal Mine. The stability of the new roadway roof was analyzed under various distributions of abandoned roadways above. It was determined that the ultimate stable thickness of the coal layer between the new and abandoned roadways is 4.0 m. When the thickness between the two is less than 4.0 m, the roof becomes unstable after excavation, posing a risk of collapse. Advanced grouting reinforcement is required to enhance roof stability before installing U-shaped steel arches. Mechanical experiments were conducted on the polymer grouting consolidation of fractured coal, showing a significant increase in residual strength compared to intact coal. Furthermore, the uniaxial compressive strength of the polymer grouting consolidation partially recovered. On average, the consolidation coefficient and recovery coefficient were 5.28 and 85.51%, respectively. Grouting increased the ductility of the fractured surrounding rock, enhancing its resistance to deformation and plasticity. A polymer grouting consolidation technology for supporting fractured surrounding rock under the unstable roof of abandoned roadways is proposed, along with the design of corresponding support schemes and parameters. Monitoring the results of mine pressure indicated that the surrounding rock remained stable after roadway excavation, validating the effectiveness of the support schemes and parameters. Full article

Increasingly, research indicates that steel fibers can significantly enhance the engineering properties of mortar and concrete; however, few studies have examined their impact on the reinforcement of in-service tunnel linings within sleeve arch structures. In this study, a series of 1:2 scale experiments were conducted using a specialized loading device to compare the reinforcement performance of steel fiber-reinforced concrete sleeve arches and traditional reinforced concrete sleeve arches on prefabricated cracks with depths of 1/3 and 2/3 of the lining thickness. The experimental results were validated using numerical simulations. The results indicate that under the same load, when reinforcing components with 2/3 prefabricated cracks, the maximum compressive strains for steel fiber-reinforced and reinforced concrete sleeve arches were −852 με and −985 με, respectively, and the maximum deflections were 3.57 mm and 5.48 mm. Composite sleeve arches of both materials provide a certain degree of reinforcement to linings with varying damage. The reinforcement performance of steel fiber-reinforced concrete sleeve arches is superior to that of traditional reinforced concrete sleeve arches, with particularly significant reinforcement for linings with 2/3 prefabricated cracks. Numerical simulations have shown that the stress in reinforced concrete at the concentrated stress regions is 16.15%, 6.01%, 12.68%, 36.62%, and 4.82% higher than that in steel fiber-reinforced concrete, respectively, thereby validating the reliability of the experimental results. Therefore, this study recommends the application of steel fiber materials in sleeve arches to achieve superior maintenance and reinforcement, addressing cracking issues in in-service tunnel linings and thereby improving the safety and durability of these structures. Full article

The stability of the gas extraction roadway is very important for the safe mining of coal and gas. The compression arch formed by the combined action of the prestressed bolt (cable) support and surrounding rock has been widely used in the engineering practice of the gas extraction roadway. It is of great engineering application value to analyze the influence of prestressed bolt (cable) parameters on the compression arch. In this paper, combined with the engineering practice of the deep roadway in Huainan and Huaibei mining area of Anhui Province, the mechanical parameters of surrounding rock are measured via field coring and the laboratory. The numerical simulation software FLAC^3D is used to analyze the typical position of fractured mudstone, mudstone, sandy mudstone and muddy sandstone under the bolt pre-tightening force of F = 50 kN, 70 kN and 100 kN; the bolt spacing of a × b = 400 mm × 400 mm, 500 mm × 500 mm and 600 mm × 600 mm; the bolt length of L = 1500 mm, 2000 mm, 2600 mm and 3000 mm; and the distribution characteristics of additional compressive stress on the surface of the side. The influence of the different lithology and bolt parameters on the thickness and strength of the compression arch was analyzed, and on this basis, prestressed anchor cables with a pre-tightening force of F = 80 kN, 100 kN and 120 kN and length of L = 3000 mm, 4000 mm and 6000 mm were applied, and their influence on the thickness and strength of the compression arch was analyzed. The results show that the bolt pre-tightening force (F) and the bolt length (L) have a significant effect on the thickness of the compression arch, while the surrounding rock lithology, the bolt spacing (a × b), the anchor cable pre-tightening force (F) and the anchor cable length (L) have no obvious effect on the thickness of the compression arch. The surrounding rock lithology, the bolt pre-tightening force (F), the bolt length (L), the bolt spacing (a × b), the anchor cable pre-tightening force (F) and the anchor cable length (L) have a significant effect on the strength of the compression arch. Full article

It is challenging to assure safe and effective gas mining due to the surrounding soft coal rock and rock roads in deep and high gas mines being extremely loose and broken. One of the effective ways is to arrange pre-stressed anchors in a certain area of the roadway surrounding rocks to form a compression arch with the joint action of anchors and surrounding rocks, but due to the lack of in-depth systematic research on the formation mechanism of the compression arch, the effect is difficult to give full play. The typical microstructure of deep soft coal and rock was observed by the borehole camera method, and the mechanical performance parameters were measured in the laboratory. The distribution characteristics of different bolt spacing, bolt pre-tightening force, and bolt length along the bolt arrangement direction and the additional compressive stress on the surface of the straight wall of a semi-circular arch deep soft coal and rock roadway were numerically simulated and analyzed. According to the uniform distribution range and size of the small fluctuation of the additional compressive stress inside the coal and rock, the distribution and size of the additional compressive stress on the surface of the straight wall and the effective superposition of the additional compressive stress, and the thickness and strength of the compression arch of the deep coal and rock preload bolt were analyzed, and the reasonable parameters of the pre-stressed bolt were determined. The results show that bolt spacing, pre-tightening force, and bolt length significantly affect the thickness and strength of the compression arch. The reasonable spacing of the pre-stressed bolt was a × b = 600 mm × 600 mm~400 mm × 400 mm, the pre-stressed bolt pre-tightening force was F = 50~90 kN, the length of the pre-stressed bolt was L = 1500~2000 mm, the strength of compression arch was $\Delta {\sigma }_{\mathrm{c}}$ = −1.480~−1.589 MPa, and the thickness of the compression arch was m = −266.67~−533.33 mm. Full article

Due to the long-term coupling effect of a train load and groundwater, the surrounding rock at the tunnel bottom will soften in a certain range and the mechanical parameters of the surrounding rock will decrease, causing the uneven distribution of the confining pressure at the tunnel bottom and affecting the base concrete structure service life. In this research, the method of combining field tests and numerical simulation is adopted, and the vertical displacement, vertical acceleration, and maximum and minimum principal stresses are used as evaluation indicators. The dynamic response law of the base structure with the softened surrounding rock of the heavy-duty train is analyzed, and the Miner linear cumulative damage theory is introduced to obtain the service life of the tunnel bottom structure under different softening conditions. The results show that with the decrease in the softening coefficient and the increase in the softening thickness of the bedrock, the displacement, acceleration, and principal stress response indexes of the structure increase by varying degrees, and the service life of the base structure decreases almost linearly. The maximum vertical displacement, acceleration, and tensile stress are located directly below the track, and the maximum compressive stress is located at the connection between the inverted arch and the side wall. According to the predicted value of the service life, the reliability of the base structure is divided into four levels: safety, warning, danger, and serious danger. Full article

Studying the bearing mechanism of concrete-filled steel tubular (CFST) arch components and constructing the quantitative design method of the CFST arch is an important subject in underground support. In order to clarify the bending and compression properties of CFST arch joints, considering different structural parameters of the joint, bending and compression tests of square CFST components without joints, with tubular joints and with flange joints were carried out. The mechanical properties and failure modes of the bending and compression combinations of each component were analyzed, and the influence of structural parameters of joints on their bearing capacity was clarified. The results show that (1) the failure mode of the component without a joint and the component with a tubular joint present uniform curve deformation, and the flange joint presents typical brittle failure and broken line failure; (2) compared to the specimens without a joint and with a flange joint, the tubular joint has higher yielding strength and ultimate strength due to the strengthening effect of the tubular joint, while the bending bearing capacity is 623.639 KN; (3) the tubular length and flange thickness are the key structural parameters of the two types of joints, which have a significant influence on the bending capacity of the specimens; (4) the tubular joint has a simple structure and high bearing capacity, so it should be used as the preferred joint connection form of the concrete-filled steel tubular support arch in deep mine roadways with complex conditions. Full article

Using high-strength steel (yield strength f_y ≥ 460 MPa) in concrete-filled steel tubes is expected to provide a superior bearing capacity by achieving light weight and efficient construction, but the existing design limitation on diameter-to-thickness (D/t) ratios for concrete-filled high-strength steel tubular (CFHST) members inevitably obstructs its wide application. In this study, aiming at the application of circular CFHST members using Q690 steel (f_y ≥ 690 MPa), a total of 15 CFHST beams were examined using a three-point loading test to investigate the failure mode, bearing capacity and plasticity evolution. Subsequently, finite element models (FEMs) were established to analyze the full-range curves, composite effect, failure mechanism and influences of key parameters including material strengths, D/t ratios, and shear-span ratios. A simplified calculation method for bearing capacity was finally proposed and verified. The results indicate that the full-range performance of tested CFHST members with out-of-code D/t ratios have ductile behavior, though they fail through the mode of steel fracture and concrete cracks in the tension zone as well as through local buckling in the compression zone; out-of-code CFHST members (e.g., D/t = 120) can perform reasonable composite behavior because of contact pressure larger than 2.5 MPa, where a thin-walled steel tube experiences an arch failure mechanism similar to core concrete at a trussed angle of 45°; the simplified bearing capacity model achieves a mean value of 0.97, and can be accepted as a primary tool to perform structural design and performance evaluation. Full article

This paper proposes a curved link-slab (CLS) structure, simplified into a hingeless arch model, to address the current cracking phenomenon of CLS concrete. The stress formula of the hingeless arch under various loads is derived based on the classical mechanic’s method. Based on an actual bridge example, the mechanical properties of CLS are analyzed under different loads and load combinations. The results show that: (1) the CLS stress is significantly lower than that of the flat link-slab structure (FLS), (2) its stress values are less than the concrete tensile limit, and (3) the CLS can effectively solve the concrete cracking phenomenon on the link-slab. The rationality of the stress formula derived from the simplified model of the hingeless arch is verified using the finite element method (FEM). The parametric sensitivity analysis shows that variation of the reinforcement ratio of the CLS has a limited impact on it. Considering both the concrete tensile and compressive limit, the thickness of the CLS should be 15 cm to 20 cm, and its design span should be about 5% to 7.5% of the main beam length. Full article

For an ultra-shallow buried double-arch tunnel with a large cross-section, the arching effect is difficult to form in surrounding rock, and grouting method is often adopted to reinforce the surrounding rock. Hence, examining the grouting reinforcement parameters is of great significance for potential failure and collapse prevention. The land part of Haicang undersea tunnel was selected as a case study; laboratory experiments, theoretical analysis, and numerical simulation were performed to determine the grouting solid strength and grouting reinforcement parameters. The effects of different water–cement ratios on slurry fluidity, setting time, bleeding rate, and sample strength were studied by laboratory experiments. A method was proposed to determine the shear strength parameters of grouted surrounding rock through the grout water–cement ratio and the unconfined compressive strength of the rock mass. Numerical simulations were performed for grouting reinforcement layer thickness and the water–cement ratios. The deformation and stability law of tunnel surrounding rock and its influence on surrounding underground pipelines were obtained considering the spatial effect of tunnel excavation and grouting reinforcement. The reasonable selection range of grouting reinforcement parameters was proposed. The initial setting time and bleeding rate of cement slurry increased with the increasing water–cement ratio, while the viscosity of cement slurry and sample strength decreased with the increasing water–cement ratio. The shear strength parameters of grouted surrounding rock were determined by the water–cement ratio of grout and unconfined compressive strength of rock mass before grouting. When the thickness of grouting reinforcement layer h = 1.5 m and the water–cement ratio of grout was suggested η = 0.85, the surface settlement, the deformation of the vault, and the deformation of the nearby pipeline all met the design. Moreover, the construction requirements were more economical. Research results can provide a reference for the selection of grouting reinforcement parameters for similar projects. Full article