Created in COMSOL Multiphysics 5.

Tu n n el E xc av at i on

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Introduction
This example simulates the behavior of the soil during a tunnel excavation. The surface
settlement and the width of the plastic region around the tunnel are important parameters
required to predict the necessary reinforcements during the excavation. This verification
example was adapted from Ref. 1 and Ref. 2.

In order to calculate in situ stresses, use two study steps. In the first study compute the
stress state of the soil before the excavation of the tunnel. In the second study compute
the elastoplastic behavior once the soil is removed. This requires incorporation of the stress
response calculated in the first step.

In order to speed up the calculation consider the soil in the first step as elastic and in the
second step add a soil plasticity material model Drucker-Prager. The example is solved in
2D plane strain.

Model Definition
The geometry consists of a soil layer that is 45 m deep and 90 m wide. A tunnel of 10 m
in diameter is placed at the symmetry axis, 20 m below the surface. A bed rock, 45 m
below the surface, constrains the displacement in the vertical direction, and a roller
boundary is used for simulating the infinite extension of the soil in the lateral direction.

20 m
Symmetry

45 m

5m

90 m

Figure 1: Dimensions and boundary conditions for the tunnel excavation example.

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SOIL PROPERTIES
The soil properties are adapted from Ref. 2.

Youngs modulus, E = 12 MPa and Poissons ratio = 0.495.

Cohesion c = 130 kPa and angle of internal friction = 30 .
Use the Drucker-Prager criterion and match the material parameters to the Mohr-
Coulomb criterion.

CONSTRAINTS AND LOADS

At the lower boundary fix the displacement with a Fixed Constraint boundary.
Use Symmetry at the left boundary and Roller at the right boundary.
Keep the default Free boundary at the top. Keep a Free boundary on the tunnels wall
after removing the soil from this domain.
Add a Gravity node to account for gravity effects.

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Results and Discussion
The first plot (Figure 2) shows the stress distribution due to gravity. The roller and
symmetry boundaries create an homogeneous vertical variation.

Figure 2: The von Mises stress in the soil layer before the excavation of the tunnel.

The second plot (Figure 3) shows the stress distribution after excavating the tunnel. In situ
stresses are taken from the first step. Note the increase in the effective stress around the
tunnel.

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Figure 3: The von Mises stress in the soil layer after excavation of the tunnel.

In the second step, beside removing the tunnel domain, a soil plasticity feature is added.
In Figure 4 the region that experience plasticity is shown.

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Figure 4: The plastic deformation in the zone near the tunnel after the excavation.

The horizontal displacement and the subsidence of the top surface due to the excavation
is shown in Figure 5 and Figure 6.

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Figure 5: The horizontal displacement at the top surface

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Figure 6: The surface subsidence.

References
1. D. Potts and L. Zdravkovic, Finite Element Analysis in Geotechnical Engineering,
Thomas Telford Publishing, 2001.

2. H. Schweiger, Results from Numerical Benchmark Exercises in Geotechnics, Proc.

5th European Conference in Numerical Methods in Geotechnical Engineering,
pp. 305314, 2002.

Application Library path: Geomechanics_Module/Soil/tunnel_excavation

Modeling Instructions
From the File menu, choose New.

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NEW
In the New window, click Model Wizard.

MODEL WIZARD
1 In the Model Wizard window, click 2D.
2 In the Select Physics tree, select Structural Mechanics>Solid Mechanics (solid).
3 Click Add.
4 In the Select Physics tree, select Structural Mechanics>Solid Mechanics (solid).
5 Click Add.
6 Click Study.
7 In the Select Study tree, select Preset Studies for Selected Physics Interfaces>Stationary.
8 Click Done.

GEOMETRY 1

Rectangle 1 (r1)
1 On the Geometry toolbar, click Primitives and choose Rectangle.
2 In the Settings window for Rectangle, locate the Size and Shape section.
3 In the Width text field, type 90.
4 In the Height text field, type 45.
5 Locate the Position section. In the y text field, type -45.
6 Right-click Rectangle 1 (r1) and choose Build Selected.

Circle 1 (c1)
1 On the Geometry toolbar, click Primitives and choose Circle.
2 In the Settings window for Circle, locate the Size and Shape section.
3 In the Radius text field, type 5.
4 In the Sector angle text field, type 180.
5 Locate the Position section. In the y text field, type -20.
6 Locate the Rotation Angle section. In the Rotation text field, type 270.
7 Right-click Circle 1 (c1) and choose Build Selected.

Form Union (fin)

In the Model Builder window, under Component 1 (comp1)>Geometry 1 right-click
Form Union (fin) and choose Build Selected.

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Set the first step with full geometry and linear elastic material.

SOLID MECHANICS (SOLID)

Linear Elastic Material 1

Since in this example, the Poissons ratio is 0.495, select the Nearly incompressible check-
box to avoid locking effects.

1 In the Model Builder window, expand the Component 1 (comp1)>Solid Mechanics (solid)
node, then click Linear Elastic Material 1.
2 In the Settings window for Linear Elastic Material, locate the Linear Elastic Material
section.
3 Select the Nearly incompressible material check box.

Symmetry 1
1 In the Model Builder window, right-click Solid Mechanics (solid) and choose
More Constraints>Symmetry.
2 Click the Select Box button on the Graphics toolbar.
3 Select Boundaries 1 and 35 only.

Fixed Constraint 1
1 Right-click Solid Mechanics (solid) and choose Fixed Constraint.
2 Select Boundary 2 only.

Roller 1
1 Right-click Solid Mechanics (solid) and choose Roller.
2 Select Boundary 7 only.

Gravity 1
1 Right-click Solid Mechanics (solid) and choose Volume Forces>Gravity.
2 In the Settings window for Gravity, locate the Domain Selection section.
3 From the Selection list, choose All domains.

Set the second step with modified geometry and elasto-plastic model with yield criterion
according to Drucker-Prager.

SOLID MECHANICS 2 (SOLID2)

1 In the Model Builder window, under Component 1 (comp1) click
Solid Mechanics 2 (solid2).
2 Select Domain 1 only.

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Linear Elastic Material 1
1 In the Model Builder window, expand the Solid Mechanics 2 (solid2) node, then click
Linear Elastic Material 1.
2 In the Settings window for Linear Elastic Material, locate the Linear Elastic Material
section.
3 Select the Nearly incompressible material check box.

Soil Plasticity 1
1 Right-click Component 1 (comp1)>Solid Mechanics 2 (solid2)>Linear Elastic Material 1
and choose Soil Plasticity.
2 In the Settings window for Soil Plasticity, locate the Soil Plasticity section.
3 Select the Match to Mohr-Coulomb criterion check box.

External Stress 1
1 Right-click Linear Elastic Material 1 and choose External Stress.
2 In the Settings window for External Stress, locate the External Stress section.
3 From the Sext list, choose Second Piola-Kirchhoff stress (solid/lemm1).

Symmetry 1
1 In the Model Builder window, right-click Solid Mechanics 2 (solid2) and choose
More Constraints>Symmetry.
2 Select Boundaries 1 and 5 only.

Fixed Constraint 1
1 Right-click Solid Mechanics 2 (solid2) and choose Fixed Constraint.
2 Select Boundary 2 only.

Roller 1
1 Right-click Solid Mechanics 2 (solid2) and choose Roller.
2 Select Boundary 7 only.

Gravity 1
1 Right-click Solid Mechanics 2 (solid2) and choose Volume Forces>Gravity.
2 In the Settings window for Gravity, locate the Domain Selection section.
3 From the Selection list, choose All domains.

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MATERIALS

Material 1 (mat1)
1 In the Model Builder window, under Component 1 (comp1) right-click Materials and
choose Blank Material.
2 In the Settings window for Material, locate the Material Contents section.
3 In the table, enter the following settings:

Property Name Value Unit Property group

Youngs modulus E 12e6 Pa Basic
Poissons ratio nu 0.495 1 Basic
Density rho 2000 kg/m Basic
Cohesion cohesion 130e3 Pa Mohr-Coulomb
Angle of internalphi 30[deg] rad Mohr-Coulomb
internal friction

MESH 1

Size 1
1 In the Model Builder window, under Component 1 (comp1) right-click Mesh 1 and choose
Free Triangular.
2 Right-click Free Triangular 1 and choose Size.
3 In the Settings window for Size, locate the Element Size section.
4 From the Predefined list, choose Finer.

Distribution 1
1 Right-click Free Triangular 1 and choose Distribution.
2 Select Boundaries 8 and 9 only.
3 In the Settings window for Distribution, locate the Distribution section.
4 In the Number of elements text field, type 12.
5 Click Build All.

Use two stationary study steps. The first one is used to compute the initial stress state of
the soil. The second step is used to compute the elasto-plastic deformation due to the
excavation of the tunnel.

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STUDY 1

Step 1: Stationary
1 In the Model Builder window, expand the Study 1 node, then click Step 1: Stationary.
2 In the Settings window for Stationary, locate the Physics and Variables Selection section.
3 In the table, clear the Solve for check box for the Solid Mechanics 2 interface.

Step 2: Stationary 2
1 On the Study toolbar, click Study Steps and choose Stationary>Stationary.
2 In the Settings window for Stationary, locate the Physics and Variables Selection section.
3 In the table, clear the Solve for check box for the Solid Mechanics interface.
4 On the Study toolbar, click Compute.

RESULTS

Stress (solid)
The first default plot shows the von Mises stress in the soil at the initial state.

1 In the Model Builder window, under Results click Stress (solid).

2 In the Settings window for 2D Plot Group, type Stress, before excavation in the
Label text field.

Surface 1
1 In the Model Builder window, expand the Results>Stress, before excavation node, then
click Surface 1.
2 In the Settings window for Surface, locate the Expression section.
3 Select the Description check box.

Deformation
1 In the Model Builder window, expand the Surface 1 node, then click Deformation.
2 In the Settings window for Deformation, locate the Scale section.
3 Select the Scale factor check box.
4 In the associated text field, type 1.
5 On the Stress, before excavation toolbar, click Plot.
6 Click the Zoom Extents button on the Graphics toolbar.

Stress (solid2)
The second default plot shows the von Mises stress in the soil after the tunnel excavation.

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1 In the Model Builder window, under Results click Stress (solid2).
2 In the Settings window for 2D Plot Group, type Stress, after excavation in the
Label text field.

Surface 1
1 In the Model Builder window, expand the Results>Stress, after excavation node, then
click Surface 1.
2 In the Settings window for Surface, locate the Expression section.
3 Select the Description check box.

Deformation
1 In the Model Builder window, expand the Surface 1 node, then click Deformation.
2 In the Settings window for Deformation, locate the Scale section.
3 Select the Scale factor check box.
4 In the associated text field, type 1.
5 On the Stress, after excavation toolbar, click Plot.

2D Plot Group 3
1 On the Home toolbar, click Add Plot Group and choose 2D Plot Group.
Use this plot group to show the plastic zone after the excavation of the tunnel.
2 In the Settings window for 2D Plot Group, type Plastic Region in the Label text field.

Surface 1
1 Right-click Plastic Region and choose Surface.
2 In the Settings window for Surface, click Replace Expression in the upper-right corner of
the Expression section. From the menu, choose Component 1>Solid Mechanics 2>Strain>
solid2.epe - Effective plastic strain.
3 Locate the Expression section. Select the Description check box.
4 In the Expression text field, type solid2.epe>0.
This is a boolean expression which is 1 in the plastic region and 0 elsewhere.

Deformation 1
1 Right-click Results>Plastic Region>Surface 1 and choose Deformation.
2 In the Settings window for Deformation, click Replace Expression in the upper-right
corner of the Expression section. From the menu, choose Component 1>
Solid Mechanics 2>Displacement>u2,v2 -
Displacement field (material and geometry frames).

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3 Locate the Scale section. Select the Scale factor check box.
4 In the associated text field, type 1.
5 On the Plastic Region toolbar, click Plot.

1D Plot Group 4
1 On the Home toolbar, click Add Plot Group and choose 1D Plot Group.
2 In the Settings window for 1D Plot Group, type Horizontal Displacement in the Label
text field.
3 Click to expand the Title section. From the Title type list, choose Manual.
4 In the Title text area, type Horizontal displacement at surface.
5 Locate the Plot Settings section. Select the x-axis label check box.
6 In the associated text field, type Distance from tunnel axis (m).
7 Select the y-axis label check box.
8 In the associated text field, type Horizontal displacement (mm).

Line Graph 1
1 Right-click Horizontal Displacement and choose Line Graph.
2 Select Boundary 6 only.
3 In the Settings window for Line Graph, locate the y-Axis Data section.
4 In the Expression text field, type u2.
5 From the Unit list, choose mm.
6 On the Horizontal Displacement toolbar, click Plot.

1D Plot Group 5
1 On the Home toolbar, click Add Plot Group and choose 1D Plot Group.
2 In the Settings window for 1D Plot Group, type Vertical Displacement in the Label
text field.
3 Locate the Title section. From the Title type list, choose Manual.
4 In the Title text area, type Surface settlement.
5 Locate the Plot Settings section. Select the x-axis label check box.
6 In the associated text field, type Distance from tunnel axis (m).
7 Select the y-axis label check box.
8 In the associated text field, type Vertical displacement (mm).

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Line Graph 1
1 Right-click Vertical Displacement and choose Line Graph.
2 Select Boundary 6 only.
3 In the Settings window for Line Graph, locate the y-Axis Data section.
4 In the Expression text field, type v2.
5 From the Unit list, choose mm.
6 On the Vertical Displacement toolbar, click Plot.

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