Tunnel Modeling in PLAXIS 3D

Richard Witasse, Principal Product Manager

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 INTRODUCTION

• Why are PLAXIS Connect Edition packages essential for tunnel

applications
– Intuitive modelling workflow
– Comprehensive material model library
for both soft soils and rock
– Versatile structural elements library
– Advanced soil-structure interaction modelling
– Unique dewatering-related modeling features
– Tunnel designer
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 INTUITIVE MODELING WORKFLOW

Definition of soil stratigraphy Definition of structural elements,

loads
and boundary conditions

SOIL STRUCTURES

Creation of the FE mesh Definition of pressure Definition of construction stages

distribution

MESH FLOW CONDITIONS STAGED CONSTRUCTION

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 MATERIAL MODELS
• Small-strain stiffness
− Reduces mesh boundary effects
− More realistic (narrow) settlement trough
− Avoids heave
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
0.002
0

-0.002
-0.004

-0.006 HSsmall
HS
-0.008 MC
-0.01
-0.012

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 MATERIAL MODELS
• Two specific models available in PLAXIS for rock
– Hoek-Brown model
– Jointed rock model
• Models formulated in the framework of continuum
mechanics!!

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 MATERIAL MODELS

• Swelling rock model

– Meant for swelling clay and anhydritic rock
– Main features
• Transverse isotropic elastic stiffness
• Elastic perfectly-plastic material behavior with Mohr-Coulomb
failure condition
• Stress and time dependency of swelling strains with three
different swelling laws, all going back to the idea formulated by
Grob (1972)

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 MATERIAL MODELS

• Shotcrete time dependent behaviour can be modelled with

user-defined model SCM

− Time dependent strength and stiffness

− Strain hardening/softening in tension and compression
− Creep
− Shrinkage

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 EXTENSIVE LIBRARY OF STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS
• Available in PLAXIS CE
– Plates
– Beams
– Embedded piles
– Interface
– Anchors

• Structures might be modelled by

means of soil elements with
appropriate material properties

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 SOIL REINFORCEMENT
• Soil reinforcement (soil nails, rock bolts) can be modelled by
means of beams or embedded beam row
• Beams are based on Mindlin theory
– Optional elasto-plastic behaviour
– Rigidly connected to surrounding soil elements
• Embedded beam is a combination of a beam and special
coupling springs to the surrounding soil
– Beam are fully elastic in embedded beam
– Coupling springs are elasto-plastic (skin and tip resistance)

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 INTERFACE ELEMENTS

–Meant to be introduced along strong stiffness

contrasts (e.g. soil-lining)

–Interface strength properties

• Are derived from soil through Rinter factor (default)
• Could be set independently with its own material set

–Control water flow through structural elements

(permeable vs impermeable)

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 METHODS OF DEWATERING
• Not specific to tunnel problems but still relevant
• Two possibilities in PLAXIS to change pore water
distribution
– User-defined distribution (based on phreatic levels)
– Groundwater flow analyses
• steady-state analysis (i.e. only solution at t=)
• transient analysis (with also possible time-dependent
BC)
• Can be used for water raising as well

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 PLAXIS 3D TUNNEL DESIGNER
• PLAXIS 2D and 3D feature a tunnel designer to quickly model
sprayed concrete lining or bored tunnels with shell elements or
volume elements.
• This feature includes
additional options to model
rock bolts, grout pressures,
jack forces, tunnel face
pressures and/or volume
loss.

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