Visco-elasto-plastic Creep Solutions to

Circular Tunnels Considering Seepage

Force

Xin-Bao Gu, Lu Yan

College of Civil Engineering, Chongqing University 400045, China
Corresponding author; e-mail 185121939@qq.com

ABSTRACT
Visco-elasto-plastic creep solutions to deep circular tunnels are deduced by a Visco-elasto-
plastic model of a modified Burgers body. Then the example is analyzed for the analytical
solution; conclusions are obtained: displacement of the surrounding rock increase as time
increases, when others parameters are constant, displacement of the surrounding rock
gradually increase as seepage force and crustal stress increase; displacement of the surrounding
rock gradually decrease as elasticity modulus increase; so seepage force, crustal stress and
elasticity modulus have great influence on creep of the surrounding rock; but displacement of
the surrounding rock gradually decrease as support force increase, because support force is
small, its influence is small on creep displacement of the surrounding rock.

KEYWORDS: Seepage force; Circular tunnel; Visco-elasto-plastic; creep solution

INTRODUCTION
Circular tunnel is always a research focus in tunnel engineering; elasto-plastic analytical
solutions are studied by many people, surrounding rock deformations turn out to be creep with
relation to time after circular tunnels are supported, deformations of surrounding rock increase as
time increases, after a certain time, great deformations are taken place, even tunnels support
constructions are destroyed, so creep property on surrounding rock of tunnels is studied in depth
by many researchers; A.Fahimifar, et al.[1] assume that rocks are incompressible Burgers visco-

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 Vol. 18 [2013], Bund. K 2232

plastic materials, they deduce analytical solutions of circular tunnel displacement under
hydrostatic pressure, and predict displacement of tunnel walls with relations to time. A.H.Lu,etc[2]
assume that soft rock in circular tunnel is incompressible materials, and discuss the relations
between roadway displacement, support resistance, coefficient of viscosity and time by making
use of visco-elasto-platic theory and contact conditions between surrounding rock and support
force, D.M.Yu[3], et al, study Visco-elasto-plastic solutions of deep circular tunnels considering
middle principle stress and dilatancy force ,but these theories do not consider influence of
underground water, so influences of underground water are considered in the text, it promotes
circular tunnel theory to develop further,

THEORETICAL MODEL

Tunnel basic assumptions

A circular tunnel is excavated in deep rocks, as depicted in Fig. 1, tunnel radius is a, plastic
zones radius is , elastic zones radius b a , The original rock pressure is b , water osmotic
pressure in Seepage field is h f , support force in excavation face is p, assumptions are expressed
as follows: (1) time of tunnel excavation and support is far smaller than one of tunnel operating, so
it is assumed that excavation and support accomplish instantaneously[4]; (2) elasto-plastic zones are
formed instantaneously after deep circular tunnels are excavated, if compressible holders are
adopted, it will keep constant[5] when support resistance reach the maximum value; so it is
assumed that support is done and support force is reached the maximum value at once when
excavation is accomplished (3)it is assumed that stress field keep constant after tunnels are
excavated and supported, creep displacement will be taken place in the surrounding rock of tunnel
in the stress field, deformations of elastic and plastic zones increase as time
increases;(4)compression stress is positive, and tension stress is negative.

Figure 1: Tunnel model

 Vol. 18 [2013], Bund. K 2233

Surrounding rock mechanical model

Improved Burgers Visco-elasto-plastic creep model which is narrative by H.P.Yuan, et al.[6-10]

is adopted in the text, it cascades a friction plate on the basis of Burgers body ,so a composite
pattern is formed, friction plate is satisfied with Mohr-Coulomb criterion, as depicted in Fig. 2.

Figure 2: Improved Burgers Visco-elasto-plastic creep model

In Fig. 2 E1 is elastic modulus of materials, E2 is viscoelastic modulus, 1 2 are viscosity
coefficients, G1 is shear modulus of materials, G2 is viscoelastic shear modulus, is Poissons
ratio, Burgers bodys worm strain along the direction of i (i=123) in the three dimensional
space is expressed as follows:

S 2t
G
I1 S S
i t i i t i 1 e 2 (1)
9 K 2G1 21 2G2

In Eq (1), I1 is the first stress invariant, K is volume modulus of materials, Si is deviatoric

stress, t is time, visco-elastic strain is expressed as follows:

S 2t
G
Si
e t t i 1 e 2 (2)
21 2G2

INSTANTANEOUS STRESS STATE CONSIDERING

SEEPAGE FORCE AFTER TUNNELS ARE EXCAVATED
Elastic and plastic zones are formed at the instant after circular tunnels are excavated and
supported, namely it is situated in elastic and plastic stress state. Stress field at the instant when
crustal stress ,support force and seepage force act together is initial stress field before creep
displacement of surrounding rocks is taken place, it is assumed that initial stress field of
surrounding rocks keeps invariant and at the same time creep is taken place as time increases.

Tunnel equilibrium equation considering seepage force is as follows[11-14]:

d r r
Tr 0 (3)
dr r
hf
In Eq.(3), Tr , hf is underground water osmotic pressure.
rln
 Vol. 18 [2013], Bund. K 2234

Boundary conditions are expressed as follows:

r
r
r r b hf (4)
r a

Elastic zones stress for the moment after excavation is shown as follows:

hf r
re b h f (1 v) Ln
2ln a
(5)
2 2a2 h
2 2
1 b h f r f (1 v) Ln
a r
2 2
2ln a
hf r
e b hf (1 v) Ln (v 1)
2ln a
(6)
2 2a2 h
2 2
1 b h f r f (1 v) Ln
a r
2 2
2ln a

In Eqs (5), (6), is Poissons ratio, and v
1
Plastic zones of surrounding rocks are satisfied with Mohr-Coulomb criterion, it is expressed
as follows:

1 sin 2c cos
p rp (7)
1 sin 1 sin

In Eq (7), c and are cohesive coefficient and internal friction angle respectively. By Eqs(3)

and (6) plus boundary condition

r r a p ,Eqs (8) and (9) are obtained as follow:

2sin
r 1sin
rp A A p (8)
a
2sin
1 sin r 1sin 1 sin h f
p A p
1 sin a 2sin Ln (9)
c cot

In Eqs (8) and (9), A is constant, it is expressed as follows:

1 sin h f
A c cot (10)
2sin Ln
 Vol. 18 [2013], Bund. K 2235

When r = , re rp, e p Eqs (11),(12) are obtained as follows by Eqs. (5),

(6), (8), (9).

hf 2 2
(v 1) (9)
2ln 2 2a2
2sin

b h f A A p
1sin hf
(1 v) Ln
a 2ln a (10)

2sin
2sin 1sin
A p
h
f (11)
sin 1 a Ln
2sin
1sin
r
A A p (12)
a

VISCO-ELASTO-PLASTIC CREEP DISPLACEMENT

CONSIDERING SEEPAGE FORCE
Moment after excavation is namely t=0, elastic and plastic stress field are initial stress field of
surrounding rocks Visco-elasto-plastic stress field, t>0, viscoelastic and visco-plastic zones are
formed owing to creep,

Creep displacement in viscoelastic zone considering seepage

force
Strain in viscoelastic zones is expressed as follows[15]:

e e (13)

Eq.(14) is obtained as follows by generalized Hooke's law , Eqs (11),(5),(2) and geometric
equation,

u
b hf 2

2G1r
hf 2 1
(14)
1 t
G2

t 1 e 2
b

r 21 2G2

When 1 , 2 , deformation of surrounding rock degenerates from visco-elasticity

to elasticity.
 Vol. 18 [2013], Bund. K 2236

When r , displacement expression on the interface between viscoelastic and viscoplastic

zones is obtained as follows:

u
b hf 1
b h f t
1 2 t
G

1 e 2
2G2 (15)
2G1 21

Creep displacement in visco-plastic zone considering seepage

force

Strain in visco-plastic zones is expressed as follows:

e e (16)
Eq .(17) is obtained by the non-associated flow rule

rp k p (17)
In Eq.(17), k tan 2 45


2
Eq.(18) can be obtained by Eqs(16),(17) and geometry equation

k k e e re r e
du u
(18)
dr r

Visco-plastic displacement expression is obtained by Eqs.(2),(8),(9),(18),generalized hoek rule

and boundary condition : t=0, u u.
e p

2sin

k 1 b hf b hf sin 1sin hf
u A p B
k 1 2G1 4 4 sin 1 a 8Ln
(19)
k 1 b hf 1
k 1
1 2 1 r
1 r Br b
r 2 G1 r E1

In Eq.(19),
1 2t
G
1 2
B t 1 e
21 2G2

(20)

Eq.(19) is creep displacement solution considering seepage force in visco-plastic zone, as

in Eq.(19), creep displacement solution without considering seepage force is obtained as follows:
2sin

k 1 b b sin 1sin
' '

hf 0 u1 cCot p B
k 1 2G1 4 4 sin 1 a
(21)
b 1
k 1 '

k 1
1 2 1 r
1 r B r b
r 2 G1 r E1
 Vol. 18 [2013], Bund. K 2237

' is determined as follows:

2sin
1sin
cCot cCot p 1
'
(22)
a

1 in Eqs.(23),(24) is determined as follows:

2sin

2 2
b cCot cCot p 1sin

2
a 2 2
a
(23)
2sin
2sin
cCot p 1
1sin

sin 1 a

EXAMPLE AND ANALYSIS

A hydraulic tunnel, its maximum depth is 1790 m, rock density is 2.76g/cm3, is 50MPa,

radius of a tunnel is 6 m, seepage force is 10 MPa, for Visco-elasto-plastic materials in Fig.b 2,
c=6MPa, =40, E1=50GPa, v=0.3, E2=20GPa, =4000GPa, =40GPa, support force p=0.8MPa,

hf 5 1 2
4.5

3.5
displacement u/cm

2.5

1.5

1 hf=0MPa
hf=10MPa
0.5 hf=20MPa

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
time t/d

Figure 3: Creep displacement contrast in different seepage force

Creep displacements of tunnel wall are calculated in different seepage force by Eqs (19)-(23)
in Fig. 3, when others parameters are constant, conclusions can be drawn: creep displacement of
tunnel wall gradually increases as time increases; creep displacement considering seepage force
increase faster than without considering; at the same time, creep displacement of tunnel wall
increase gradually as seepage force increase; so seepage force has great influence on creep
displacement,
 Vol. 18 [2013], Bund. K 2238

4.5

3.5

displacement u/cm
3

2.5

1.5

1
b=20MPa
b=25MPa
0.5
b=30MPa
0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
time t/d

Figure 4: Creep displacement contrast in different crustal stress

Creep displacement contrast of tunnel wall in different crustal stress is shown in Fig. 4, when
others parameters are constant, conclusions are obtained in Fig. 4: creep displacement of tunnel
wall increase gradually as time increases, creep displacement increase faster when crustal stress is
larger at the same time; crustal stress has great influence on creep displacement,

5
displacement u/cm

3 E1=20MPa
E1=22MPa
E1=24MPa
2

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
time t/d

Figure 5: Creep displacement contrast in different elasticity modulus

Creep displacement contrast of tunnel wall in different elastic modulus is shown as Fig. 5,
when others parameters are constant, conclusions are drawn in Fig. 5; creep displacement of tunnel
wall increase gradually as time increases, creep displacement decrease faster when elastic modulus
is larger at the same time; so elastic modulus has great influence on creep displacement,
 Vol. 18 [2013], Bund. K 2239

displacement u/cm
p=0.1MPa
4 p=0.5MPa
p=0.8MPa

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
time t/d

Figure 6: Creep displacement contrast in different support force

Creep displacement contrast of tunnel wall in different support force is shown as Fig. 6, when
others parameters are constant, conclusions are drawn in Fig. 6:creep displacement of tunnel wall
increase gradually as time increases; creep displacement decrease faster when support force is
larger at the same time; because support force is finite, so it has small influence on creep
displacement,

CONCLUSIONS
(1)elasto-plasticity state is shown at the instant when deep circular tunnel is excavated and
supported, creep character is shown as time increases after support is accomplished; Visco-elasto-
plastic Model about burgers body and Mohr-coulomb criterion is used to simulate to surrounding
rocks character, so this model has rather instructional significance for engineering activity,

(2) Visco-elasto-plastic displacement expression of circular tunnel considering seepage force

is deduced in the text, influence law on creep displacement is analysed by the example,
conclusions are drawn: creep displacement increases gradually as seepage force increases at the
same time when others Parameters are constant, and displacement considering seepage force is
obviously larger than without considering; creep displacement increases gradually as crustal stress
increases at the same time; creep displacement decreases gradually as elastic modulus increases at
the same time; so seepage force, crustal stress and elastic modulus have great influence on creep
displacement; because support force is small, it has a little influence on creep displacement,

(3) Visco-elasto-plastic creep model with the I stage and II stage is adopted in the text, so it
belongs to stable creep model; in reality when water pressure exceed a critical value, accelerated
creep displacement [16]is taken place , so its solution has some differences with the reality; but it
can provide some predictions for creep displacement considering seepage force, this makes it has
some reference values for actual engineering,
 Vol. 18 [2013], Bund. K 2240

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This study is supported by the Program of National Natural Science Foundation of China
(Project No. 51064010) and Program for ChangJiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in
University (Project No. IRT1045), we gratefully acknowledge these supports,

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