Proceedings of the World Tunnel Congress 2014 – Tunnels for a better Life. Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil.

Design of steel fiber reinforced segmental lining for Line 5, Lot 7

of Metro Sao Paulo.
Benno Ring
Maidl Tunnelconsultants, Munich, Germany.
Renato Bastos Vieira da Fonseca
Consorcio Metropolitano 5, Sao Paulo, Brasil.

ABSTRACT: The alignment of Metro Line 5 Lot 7 runs for 5.75 km under the city of Sao Paulo with
an overburden between 7 m and 47 m. The tunnel is excavated with an EPB-shield of 10.58 m
diameter mainly in sands and clays, with a short part where an organic clay layer is encountered
within the cross-section. For the horizontal stresses in the ground a coefficient of lateral stress
between 0.5 and 0.8 is expected where the overburden is low, and up to 2.0 where the overburden is
high. The segmental design is optimized to allow for steel fiber reinforcement wherever possible.
Verifications are performed with beam- and finite-element-models utilizing nonlinear material
behavior for the concrete. The applied tensile behavior of the steel fiber reinforced concrete is back-
analyzed from test results. Cross-sections represent the characteristics of the alignment with low and
high overburden and existing structures, which in some places are in extreme proximity to the tunnel.

1 INTRODUCTION the tunnel changes its direction to the north-east

1.1 Project overview
The alignment of Lot 7 of Sao Paulo’s Metro
Tunnel Line 5 is shown in Figure 1. Starting at
the launching shaft Bandeirantes the tunnel runs
at first in north-eastern direction close to or
under the Avenida Ibirapuera until the cross-
roads with the street Pedro de Toledo, where the
line changes its direction into an eastern
direction and runs mainly under this street.
When this crosses the street Domingo de Morais
and runs to the arrival shaft.
The double track tunnel is 5.75 km long and
comprises 6 stations. It is constructed by means
of an EPB-shield with an excavation diameter of
10.58 m. The overburden varies between 7 and
47 m.
1.2 Geology and hydrology
The uppermost layer consists of technogenic
fills of mainly silty clays, slightly sandy,
generally with blocks and/or organic matter. It
is generally only few meters thick.

Figure 1. Ground view of the tunnel alignment.

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 Proceedings of the World Tunnel Congress 2014 – Tunnels for a better Life. Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil.
Underneath, for most of the alignment, the
quaternary alluvium deposits are located well
above the tunnel. However, in a few sections
they have a greater influence since they
comprise most of the overburden and are even
expected to be encountered within the upper
part of the tunnel. They are subdivided into a
very soft organic clay, clays and sands.
Below, the tertiary Sao Paulo Formation is a
sedimentary formation consisting of clays and
sands generally encountered at the tunnel face
and in the overburden.
The underlying Resende Formation is a
sedimentary formation subdivided into clays
and sands. It is generally encountered at the
tunnel face and in the overburden.
The geotechnical parameters given in Table 1
display a large variation of their values. Charac-
teristic parameters to be adopted for design are
not explicitly defined. Therefore the parameters
used in the structural analyses need to be
deduced. The elastic modulus is generally
chosen close to the lower end of the given
ranges under consideration of both the analyzed
cross-section and the local geotechnical
layering.
In those parts of the alignment with a lower
overburden the coefficient for lateral earth
pressure K0 is expected with boundary values of
either 0.5 or 0.8. Where the overburden is high,
the coefficient for the Resende Formation is
specified with boundary values of 0.5 and 2.0.
All of the tunnel alignment is located below
groundwater level.
1.3 Lining design
The outer diameter of the segmental lining is
10.21 m, its thickness 40 cm and each ring has a
length of 1.5 m. The ring is segmented into
eight segments plus a small key stone of 12°.
The intention of choosing a larger number of
segments with this division is to reduce the
bending moments in the ring due to the larger
number of longitudinal joints.
Technogenic Alluvium Deposits
Parameter
Fills organic clay
γ [kN/m³] 16 14
E0 [MN/m²] 8 - 28 1 1 - 15
ϕ [°] 20 15
c [kN/m²] 10 5 8
OCR [-] - -
The segments are made of concrete C45/55
and the intention is to use steel fiber reinforced
concrete (SFRC) wherever possible.
In the ring joints four plywood plates of
L x B x T = 500 mm x 240 mm x 3.2 mm are
placed per regular segment to transfer the thrust
forces of the TBM. Also in the ring-joint two
bicone-fasteners are provided per regular
segment. The main intention of these fasteners
is to provide a better alignment of the segments
in ring erection.
1.4 Subdividing the alignment for analyses
Due to a tight schedule the production of the
segments started with the verification process
still under way. Therefore the alignment is
divided into sections which are verified
separately using beam-models (BM) and finite-
element-models (FE). The cross-sections chosen
for verification represent the different charac-
teristics of the alignment:
• Low regular overburden of one diameter
and horizontal stresses according to K0 =
0.5 to 0.8 (BM).
• Passing underneath and close to existing
and planned buildings with an overburden
of 1.5 diameters, where excavations of up
to four basements may need to be
considered (BM and FE).
• Passing of a newly constructed 18-floor-
high-rise-building with a distance of 75 cm
to the diaphragm walls and 1 m below
anchoring (FE).
• Passing of NATM-tunnels with little clear
horizontal distance, an overburden of one
diameter and excavations in the crown
partly in organic soils (FE).
• Highest overburden of 47 m with water
levels 38 m above the crown and horizontal
stresses according to K0 = 0.5 to 2.0 (FE).
• Lowest overburden of 0.7 diameters
crossing a major road in a trench (FE).
Table 1. Soil parameters.
Sao Paulo Resende
clays sands clays sands clays sands
16 17 14 - 20 19 19 - 21 19 - 21
5 - 50 10 - 150 50 - 175 40 - 250 50 - 200
20 - 22 28 - 30 22 - 27 30 - 35 21 - 27 30 - 35
5 20 - 100 10 25 - 100 1
- - 1.1 - 3 1.5 - 3 1.7 - >4 1.7 - 3.3
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 Proceedings of the World Tunnel Congress 2014 – Tunnels for a better Life. Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil.
2 MATERIAL BEHAVIOR AND DESIGN
2.1 General behavior
The segmental lining consists of concrete
C45/55. It is reinforced with 40 kg/m³ of steel
fibers wherever possible, or otherwise it is
conventionally reinforced.
Verifications are performed utilizing non-
linear material behavior due to the intended use
of SFRC. Therefore stress-strain curves for
compressive and, in case of SFRC, tensile
behavior, are required.
2.2 Testing of SFRC
The SFRC was tested according to the Japanese
code (JCI 1983) with the four-point bending
tests shown in Figure 2, from which the colored
load-displacement curves in Figure 3 were
determined. A total of seven tests at the age of
28 days were performed.
Figure 2. Set-up for testing of SFRC.
2.3 Back-analysis of SFRC-behavior
Following the initial fracturing the test results
show a considerable residual load bearing
capacity. To utilize the SFRC best, it was
decided to back-analyze the tested material
behavior in order to determine the actual
underlying stress-strain-relationship.
For these analyses the displacement curves
are averaged and simplified by defining seven
decisive points on the curve resulting in the
black curve shown in Figure 3:
pt. 1) Mainly linear-elastic behavior nearly
uninfluenced by small cracks.
pt. 2) First maximum of the test load, small
cracks influencing the tensile behavior.
3
pt. 3) Interim minimum of the test load where
the largest impact of cracking is
apparent before the tensile streng-
thening through the steel fibers begins.
pt. 4) An intermediate point in residual
strengthening of the steel fibers.
pt. 5) Maximum test load due to residual
strengthening.
pt. 6) The load at app. 97 % of the maximum
test load is used to define the failure of
the specimen.
pt. 7) End of tests at displacement of 3 mm.
Figure 3. Results of SFRC-testing.
Point (1) is analytically evaluated assuming
linear elastic behavior. Matching the displace-
ment measured in testing for this point results in
the determination of a low elastic modulus of
15.7 GPa. An FE-evaluation of the test-setup
confirms the assumption of the reduced elastic
modulus. In this analysis the test specimen is
modelled two-dimensionally, with very stiff
springs simulating the supports, and loaded by
the same two-point-loads as in the test.
All points after the first are not defined by
linear-elastic behavior anymore, thus for
evaluation of the points (2) to (6) nonlinear
material behavior is applied, also taking the
initially determined low elastic modulus for
both compression and tension into account.
For the back-analyses a simple model of a
beam with two supports and two load points is
chosen, to which the load is applied as a pre-set
displacement in the two load points. The applied
displacements and the stress-strain-relation for
tension are modified until a match with both the
displacement measured in the middle of the
 Proceedings of the World Tunnel Congress 2014 – Tunnels for a better Life. Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil.
beam in testing and of the supporting force with
the loads in testing for each of the test points is
achieved.
The back-analyses result in the stress-strain
relationship shown as a dashed black line in
Figure 4.
Figure 4. Tensile stress-strain-behavior of the SFRC.
2.4 SFRC-behavior for verifications
For structural analysis of the segmental lining
two different stress-strain curves are required,
one curve for the determination of internal
forces and one curve for dimensioning.
The stress-strain-relationship for tension is
chosen based on the results of the back-
analyses. The tensile behavior is simplified for
residual tensions to the curve shown with a
continuous black line in Figure 4, in order to
both ease convergence of the analyses and to
consider that according to DAfStb (2010) the
residual strength at large strains should not be
higher than at low strains.
For the determination of stress-resultants and
crack width the averaged material behavior for
the segments is applied, shown in Figure 4 and
Figure 5 as a red curve. This curve is deter-
mined by correcting the residual tensile strength
with factors according to RILEM (2003) that
account for the difference between the height of
the segments and the height of the samples.
The characteristic behavior is determined by
applying the statistics as described in RILEM
(2003) to the averaged values with factors deter-
mined from the original test load data, resulting
in the green curve shown in Figure 4.
The design behavior for tension is derived
from the characteristic behavior by applying the
safety factor of γct = 1.25 as suggested by
4
DAfStb (2010). The resulting curve is shown in
Figure 4 and Figure 5 as a blue line.
Figure 5. Stress-strain-behavior for verifications.
For compression the stress-strain-relations
are chosen according to DIN 1045-1 as shown
in Figure 5. With regard to the actually deter-
mined material behavior this is a conservative
approach, since the high stiffness used for com-
pression will result in higher stress resultants
being determined. The factor α, accounting for
long term effects in the concrete structure, is
chosen to be 1.0 since in the tunnel no major
load changes are expected for the final state.
Following DIN 1045-1 a material safety factor
of γc = 1.35 is applied. This reduced factor is
permitted for precast elements under the precon-
dition of a factory production with continuous
quality control.
2.5 Conventionally reinforced concrete
The conventionally reinforced segments consist
of the same concrete C45/55 as is used for the
SFRC. The reinforcement is steel rebar S500.
The nonlinear stress-strain-relations according
to EN 1992-1-1 are assigned. The material
safety factors applied are γc = 1.35 for the
concrete and γs = 1.15 for the reinforcement.
2.6 Verification of the reinforcement
The ultimate limit state is verified with a safety
factor for loads of 1.3 in accordance with the
tender documents.
The maximum permissible crack-width is set
to 0.2 mm to ensure watertightness of the
segments. The actual crack-width of the SFRC
is determined according to DAfStb (2010) based
 Proceedings of the World Tunnel Congress 2014 – Tunnels for a better Life. Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil.
on the size of the tensile strain. The amount of
conventional reinforcement required to limit the
crack width is explicitly determined according
to EN 1992-1-1.
3 ANALYSES WITH BEAM MODELS
3.1 Beam model
3.1.1 Segmental lining
Structural analyses are performed with a 2D-
beam-model. Each ring with its segments is
simulated with beams, shown in Figure 6 as
black lines. While the two rings are modelled
independently, due to 2D-modelling they are
located in identical positions.
The K-segment is neglected due to its small
size, thus eight regular segments are simulated.
Each segment consists of twenty beams; there-
fore the two rings are modelled with 160 beams
respectively. Each beam is simulated with a
cross-section of 0.40 m x 1 m.
Figure 6. Structural beam model with springs.
3.1.2 Bedding springs
The bedding springs, shown green in Figure 6,
simulate the bedding of the tunnel rings through
the ground. They are assigned with a radial
stiffness plus a tensile failure criterion and a
minor tangential stiffness to ensure numerical
stability of the system.
Where the overburden is low, the limited
bedding capacity in the tunnel crown is taken
into account by reducing the stiffness of the
bedding springs in the upper half of the ring.
The stiffness of the spring located exactly in the
crown equals zero. From the crown the stiffness
rises in a sine wave-form to full stiffness at the
tunnel sides. In the lower half of the tunnel the
spring stiffness is constant.
3.1.3 Coupling in ring-joint
The interaction between the adjoining rings is
modelled by springs located at the coupling
5
points. These coupling springs are assigned with
stiffness in the radial direction. Thus transversal
loads are transferred from one ring to the other
and staggered rings stiffen each other. The
positions of these coupling elements are shown
blue in Figure 6.
The frictional coupling through the hard-
board plates is conservatively assumed with
4800 kN/mm and distributed on either two or
three springs per hardboard location. The stiff-
ness of 40 kN/mm for the bicone-fasteners is
negligibly low and modelled with one spring per
location of the bicone.
3.1.4 Coupling in longitudinal joint
Rotational springs, red in Figure 6, are placed in
the longitudinal joints. Thus rotations between
segments are possible, but restricted in the
concrete hinge depending on the geometry of
the longitudinal joint, the concrete used and the
normal force acting on the joint. The rotational
stiffness of these springs is modelled according
to the simplified bilinear approach by Janssen
(1983).
3.2 Loads and load-cases
The general loads considered in analyses are
self-weight, implicitly accounted for in the cal-
culations, as well as earth and water pressures.
The vertical earth pressure is determined by
the depth below the surface and the respectively
applicable specific weight of the soil. Since with
the beam-model only cross-sections with low
overburden are analyzed, a reduction of the
vertical pressures due to arching effects is not
considered. The horizontal earth pressure is
calculated directly from the vertical earth
pressure by multiplying with the respective
coefficient of lateral earth pressure K0.
The water pressure rises linearly with increa-
sing depth and is applied on the lining as an
external load.
Since the tunnel runs under the city of Sao
Paulo, many buildings are located above or
close to the tunnel. For the existing high-rise
buildings the respective loads are based on the
number and type of floors. Each is accounted
for with an individual load, which can be either
maximal or minimal, depending on what is
more unfavorable. When determining the over-
all loads, an unloading due to the excavation for
basements is considered where applicable.
Future buildings with a load of 36 kN/m² can be
constructed almost everywhere. Existing smaller
 Proceedings of the World Tunnel Congress 2014 – Tunnels for a better Life. Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil.

buildings can be replaced by such new situated. Here the overburden is around 16.6 m
construction. with the groundwater level 10.9 m above the
Traffic loads are accounted for with a uni- crown, as shown in Figure 8.
form general area load of 5 kN/m². Additionally
a special truck load is considered with an area
load of 100 kN/m² and dimensions of 3 m
length and 2 m width.
The loads from buildings and traffic cause a
change of the stress state in the ground, which is
calculated for the crown and both sidewalls of
the tunnel based on an elastic load distribution
model.
The above loads are combined in load-cases
considering K0-values of either 0.5 or 0.8 to
determine the most adverse combination for
dimensioning of the lining. Figure 8. Decisive situation for State-owned area.

The building load right on top of the tunnel,

3.3 Cross-sections and results
3.3.1 Tunnel under residential area
At the beginning of the alignment the tunnel
runs underneath a residential area with the
lowest general overburden of 11.3 m and the
water table approximately at ground surface, as
shown in Figure 7.
assumed with a width of 30 m and combined
with a K0-value of 0.5, determines the decisive
situation. In design the tensile strength is
reached, while the compressive stress of
27.3 MN/m² is slightly lower than the respective
strength of 33.3 MN/m². The determined crack
width is well below the permissible width.
3.3.3 Tunnel next to and below buildings
Shortly after tuning out of the first station the
alignment of Lot 7 runs close to a 15-floor high-
rise building and partly underneath its ante-
structure of one floor. Both parts of the building
have two subsurface floors with their foun-
dations 7 m below ground surface. The overbur-
den is 16.5 m and the water table 2.5 m above
the tunnel crown, as shown in Figure 9.

Figure 7. Decisive situation for residential area.

The decisive situation is determined for the

K0-value of 0.8 and surface loads located to
both sides of the tunnel. When dimensioning for
the characteristic stress resultants the maximum
possible concrete tensile design stress is reached
and the maximum concrete design strength is
almost reached. Since the nonlinear iteration is
convergent for dimensioning, the cross-section Figure 9. Decisive situation next to and below buildings.
is verified in ULS. For verification of SLS the
calculated crack width is well below the The most adverse loading in the lining results
permissible crack width of 0.2 mm. from assuming the maximum loads for the high-
rise part of the building and the minimum loads
3.3.2 Tunnel under State-owned area in the ante-structure, which under consideration
Close to the middle of the alignment the tunnel of the excavation for the basements leads to a
runs underneath an area owned by the State considerable relief of stresses in the ground
where large buildings of only a few floors are below the ante-structure. Combined with a K0-
value of 0.8 the resulting high horizontal
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 Proceedings of the World Tunnel Congress 2014 – Tunnels for a better Life. Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil.
pressures and the low pressures in the crown of
the tunnel exceed the design strength of a steel
fiber reinforced lining.
In the subsequent design with conventional
reinforcement the limitation of crack width is
decisive, requiring an amount of reinforcement
slightly higher than the minimum requirement
by EN 1992-1-1. The segmental lining is
realized with a reinforcement cage of 65 kg/m³.
4 ANALYSES WITH FE-MODELS
4.1 FE- model
When the stress-state in the ground is
substantially altered by structures, excavations
or ground layers, the interaction between the
tunnel structure and the ground becomes more
complex. In such cases beam-models do not
provide realistic results, since the interactions
need to be simplified to a large extent and the
change of loading of the tunnel can only be
crudely estimated. In these cases the more
extensive finite-element-method is capable of
simulating the interdependencies between exca-
vations, structures, ground and tunnel to a high
degree resulting in more realistic results.
The FE-models are three-dimensionally
developed in longitudinal direction from 2D-
meshes. They have a length of 3.04 m and
consist of ten vertical slices:
• two slices of 37.5 cm each, equivalent to
half a segmental ring,
• one slice of 2 cm, modelling the gap
between two rings,
• four slices of 37.5 cm each, equivalent to a
full segmental ring of 1.50 m length,
• one slice of 2 cm, modelling the gap
between two rings,
• two slices of 37.5 cm each, equivalent to
half a segmental ring.
4.1.1 Soil
The layers in the FE-models are oriented by the
layering of the ground, with some simplifica-
tions being introduced where thin layers are
homogenized and merged into the main layer.
The soil is modelled with volume-elements of
eight nodes.
The material behavior of the soil is simulated
according to Mohr-Coulomb. Depending on the
respective calculative step, in areas of unloading
7
an elastic modulus for unloading is assumed that
is twice the size of the regular elastic modulus.
4.1.2 Segmental lining, grouting and coupling
The individual segments are modelled with
shell-elements of four nodes, a thickness of
40 cm and nonlinear material behavior.
In the circumferential direction 16 elements
are used for each A-segment, 14 for the B- and
C-segments and four for the K-segment, see
Figure 10. In the longitudinal direction the
halved segments in the front and back of the
model are discretized with two shell-elements
each and the full segment in the middle of the
model with four shell-elements.
Figure 10. Modeling of lining with springs in ring-joint.
The grouting of the ring-gap between the
unexcavated ground and the segmental lining is
modelled explicitly with volume-elements of the
actual gap-thickness of 18.5 cm. The material
behavior of the grout is simulated with Mohr-
Coulomb parameters.
The nodes of the segmental lining are
radially coupled to the nodes on the inner side
of the ring-grout with springs of high stiffness
and a tensile failure criterion. To ensure nume-
rical stability of the analyses, these springs are
also provided with a low tangential stiffness and
the resulting tangential forces are limited by a
friction criterion with a coefficient of 0.05.
4.1.3 Coupling in the ring-joint
The coupling through friction between adjoining
rings is simulated with springs pre-stressed in
longitudinal direction. The exerted friction in
the ring joint is implicitly calculated in analysis
through a frictional criterion and a transversal
stiffness in the springs. Thus the size of the
coupling force is proportional to the differential
 Proceedings of the World Tunnel Congress 2014 – Tunnels for a better Life. Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil.

displacements of neighboring rings and the size basement floors. It is assumed that the depth of
of the respective normal force. The direction of respective excavations is 14 m. For such future
the coupling force is perpendicular to the axial constructions the client defined a safety zone
(longitudinal) direction, resulting in both radial around the tunnel, consisting of a circular ring
and circumferential forces. The location of the with a thickness of one tunnel diameter. Within
springs is illustrated in Figure 10 with the this safety zone no constructions are to be built.
springs shown in pink color. Thus analyses for this load-case only consider
The coupling through the bicone-fasteners is excavations outside of the safety zone.
neglected in the FE-analyses. Right after turning out of the first station the
alignment of Lot 7 crosses underneath an area
4.1.4 Coupling in the longitudinal joint where future excavations above and to the side
In the longitudinal joint two sets of springs are of the tunnel are possible. Here the overburden
modelled, one set simulating the transfer of is 16.6 m and the water table is 16 m above the
normal and shear forces, and the other set simu- crown (Figure 11).
lating the transfer of moments. The springs
transferring the normal forces couple one seg-
ment to the other with very high stiffness and
are oriented in circumferential direction. To also
transfer shear forces they are equipped with a
stiffness perpendicular to the circumferential
plane, with a frictional criterion limiting the size
of the transferable shear force.
The rotational behavior of the springs trans-
ferring moments in the concrete hinge of the
longitudinal joints is modelled according to the
nonlinear approach by Janssen (1983).
4.2 Loads and load-cases
The loads considered in FE-analyses are
generally the same as for the analyses with the Figure 11. FE-mesh for excavations above the tunnel.
beam-models (see section 3.2). The difference
in loading lies in the implicit determination and For long stretches the alignment runs along
distribution of the loads, with the primary an avenue where future excavations could be
stress-state being calculated implicitly from the located to the sides of the tunnel. One such
unit weight and the coefficient of lateral stress situation is analyzed with the mesh shown in
K0 of the respective layers. Figure 12, where the overburden is 17 m and the
In the FE-meshes the foundation loads are water table 16 m above the crown.
applied below the respective foundations and
excavations are considered based on their
dimensions. The general traffic loads are
applied at ground surface and the additional
special loads in the most unfavorable position.
To account for loads within a construction
site, a 10 kN/m² general load is assumed where
applicable at the surface in unfavorable position.
The analyses are performed in calculation
steps which combine the different loads in order
to determine the decisive load-combinations.

4.3 Cross-sections and results

4.3.1 Future excavations with low overburden

According to specifications by the client, future Figure 12. FE-mesh for excavations beside the tunnel.
buildings need to be considered with up to four
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 Proceedings of the World Tunnel Congress 2014 – Tunnels for a better Life. Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil.
For both analyses the situation with lateral
stresses according to a K0-value of 0.5 is
decisive. In design the tensile strength of the
SFRC is reached, while the compressive stresses
are clearly below the strength of 33.3 MN/m².
Also the determined crack width is well below
the permissible width.
4.3.2 Tunnel right next to Platinum Tower
Right before entering the second station the
alignment runs underneath Avenida Ibirapuera
and right next to the newly constructed Platinum
Tower of 18 floors above ground and four base-
ment floors. From the construction of this
building the diaphragm walls with 75 cm
distance to the tunnel and the anchoring with its
lowest layer 1 m above the tunnel remain. Here
the overburden is 13.3 m and the groundwater
level is 2.6 m above the crown. A detail of the
FE-mesh used in analysis is shown in Figure 13.
Figure 13. Detail of FE-mesh for the tunnel at Platinum
Tower.
The most adverse loading in the lining results
from assuming traffic loads on the avenue and
minimum loads for the foundations of Platinum
Tower. Combined with a K0-value of 0.5 the
resulting high vertical pressures and the low and
asymmetric pressures in the walls of the tunnel
slightly exceed the design strength of a steel
fiber reinforced lining. In the subsequent design
with conventional reinforcement the limitation
of crack width is decisive, requiring an amount
of reinforcement below the minimum require-
ment by EN 1992-1-1. The segmental lining is
realized with the same reinforcement cage as
specified in chapter 3.3.3.
9
4.3.3 Tunnel right next to NATM-tunnel
Entering and exiting a turnout structure the
alignment runs close to a NATM-tunnel, which
will later incorporate parking tracks for trains.
For construction of the NATM tunnel a jet-
grouted umbrella, reduction of the water table
from the tunnel and excavations in parts with a
remaining core are designed and considered in
the FE-analyses.
The TBM-tunnel has an overburden of
11.8 m and the water level is 5.6 m above the
crown. The lower 1.9 m of an organic clay layer
of 6.5 m thickness and a stiffness of 1 MN/m²
will be excavated by the TBM. The situation of
both tunnels is shown in the detail of the FE-
mesh in Figure 14, with the organic clay
hatched in brown color.
Figure 14. Detail of FE-mesh for neighboring TBM- and
NATM- tunnels.
The results clearly show that the segmental
lining must be designed with conventional rein-
forcement due to the presence of the organic
clay layer in the crown. The limitation of crack
width is decisive, requiring an amount of rein-
forcement well above the minimum requirement
by EN 1992-1-1. Apparently the proximity of
the NATM-tunnel does not exert a strong
influence on the TBM-lining. However, the
results also show that the original NATM-
design needs to be revised in order to allow for
convergence of the analyses.
 Proceedings of the World Tunnel Congress 2014 – Tunnels for a better Life. Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil.
4.3.4 Tunnel with high overburden and high
horizontal pressures
For long parts of the alignment the overburden
is high and the tunnel lies within the clays of the
Resende Formation, for which the coefficient of
lateral stress K0 is specified with boundary
values of 0.5 and 2.0. The maximum overbur-
den reaches 47 m as shown in Figure 15 and the
respective water level is 37 m above the crown.
In order to calculate a more realistic loading of
the lining, stress-relief caused by the face- and
grout-pressures exerted from the TBM during
tunneling are considered in structural analyses
with assumptions regarding the support.
Figure 15. FE-mesh for tunnel with high overburden.
The situation is still under analysis at the
time of writing this article. From preliminary
results it can be concluded that the decisive
situation of an excavation right on top of the
alignment combined with lateral stresses accor-
ding to a K0-value of 2.0 can be verified for
SFRC. However, since the overburden is high,
high thrust forces of the TBM will occur,
requiring conventional reinforcement to prevent
splitting. Overall, a combined reinforcement of
steel fibers and rebar will be required at the
ring- and the longitudinal joints.
4.3.5 Future analyses
Verifications yet need to be performed for the
short stretch of crossing one of Sao Paulo’s
major roads, where the overburden of 7 m is
lowest due to the road running in a trench.
Also situations at the end of the alignment,
where tunneling is directly under new high-rise
buildings, still need to be verified.
10
5 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
The alignment of Metro Line 5 Lot 7 runs for
5.75 km under the city of Sao Paulo with an
overburden between 7 m and 47 m. The tunnel
is excavated mainly in sands and clays, with a
short part where an organic clay layer is
encountered within the cross-section. For the
horizontal stresses in the ground a coefficient of
lateral stress between 0.5 and 0.8 is expected
where the overburden is low, and up to 2.0
where the overburden is high.
The segmental design is optimized to allow
for steel fiber reinforcement wherever possible.
Verifications are performed with beam- and FE-
models utilizing nonlinear material behavior for
the concrete. For this the applied nonlinear
behavior of the SFRC is back-analyzed from
test results. Load-cases comprise self-weight,
earth and water pressures and traffic loads.
Existing buildings are considered with their
actual loads and future constructions must allow
for an excavation of up to four basements
outside of a safety zone around the tunnel.
At the time of writing this article analyses are
mainly finished. For most stretches of the
alignment the use of SFRC can be verified.
Where the overburden is higher than 1.5
diameters, additional splitting reinforcement is
required at both ring- and longitudinal joints.
However, where either existing buildings are in
very close proximity to the tunnel or where an
organic clay layer of low stiffness is
encountered, conventional reinforcement must
be used for the respective short stretches.
REFERENCES
DAfStb 2010: Deutscher Ausschuss für Stahlbeton
Richtlinie Stahlfaserbeton.
DIN 1045-1 2008: Tragwerke aus Beton, Stahlbeton und
Spannbeton – Teil 1: Bemessung und Konstruktion.
EN 1991-2 2003. Eurocode 1: Actions on structures –
Part 2: Traffic loads on bridges.
EN 1992-1-1 2005. Eurocode 2: Design of concrete
structures – Part 1.1: General rules and rules for
buildings.
Janssen, P. 1983. Tragverhalten von Tunnelausbauten mit
Gelenktübbings. Thesis (PhD in Civil Engineering) –
Technical University of Braunschweig. Germany,
136p.
JCI 1983: Japan Concrete Institute, Standards for Test
Methods of Fiber Reinforced Concrete, Method of
Test for Flexural Strength and Flexural Toughness of
Fiber Reinforced Concrete (Standard SF4).
RILEM TC 162-TDF 2003: Test and design methods for
steel fiber reinforced concrete”, σ-ε-design method.