Created in COMSOL Multiphysics 5.

Tu n n el E xc av at i on

This model is licensed under the COMSOL Software License Agreement 5.6.
All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. See www.comsol.com/trademarks.
Introduction
This example studies the behavior of 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 reinforcements that are required during the excavation. This
verification example is adapted from Ref. 1 and Ref. 2.

In order to calculate in-situ stresses, use two studies. 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 study. The soil removal is modeled using the activation
feature in the linear elastic material model.

In order to speed up the calculation consider the soil in the first step as elastic, and in the
second step, add the Drucker-Prager soil plasticity model. 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 to model 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.

2 | TUNNEL EXCAVATION
SOIL PROPERTIES
The soil properties are adapted from Ref. 2.

• Young’s modulus, E = 12 MPa and Poisson’s ratio ν = 0.495.

• Cohesion c = 130 kPa and angle of internal friction φ = 30 degrees.
• 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.
• Use symmetry condition at the left boundary, and roller condition at the right
boundary.
• Add a Gravity node to account for gravity effects.

Results and Discussion

Figure 2 shows the stress distribution due to gravity. The roller and symmetry boundaries
create a linear vertical variation of the stress.

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

3 | TUNNEL EXCAVATION
Figure 3 shows the stress distribution after excavating the tunnel. Note the increase in the
equivalent stress around the tunnel.

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

In the second step, besides removing the tunnel domain, a soil plasticity feature is
included. In Figure 4, the region that experience plastic deformation is shown.

4 | TUNNEL EXCAVATION
Figure 4: Plastic deformation in the zone near the tunnel after the excavation.

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

5 | TUNNEL EXCAVATION
Figure 5: The horizontal displacement at the top surface.

Figure 6: The surface settlement.

6 | TUNNEL EXCAVATION
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 on Numerical Methods in Geotechnical Engineering,
pp. 305–314, 2002.

Application Library path: Geomechanics_Module/Soil/tunnel_excavation

Modeling Instructions
From the File menu, choose New.

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 Click Study.
5 In the Select Study tree, select General Studies>Stationary.
6 Click Done.

GEOMETRY 1

Rectangle 1 (r1)
1 In the Geometry toolbar, click 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 Click Build Selected.

7 | TUNNEL EXCAVATION
Circle 1 (c1)
1 In the Geometry toolbar, click 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 Click Build Selected.

Form Union (fin)

1 In the Model Builder window, click Form Union (fin).
2 In the Settings window for Form Union/Assembly, click Build Selected.

Use the full geometry and a linear elastic material in the first step.

SOLID MECHANICS (SOLID)

Linear Elastic Material 1

Since in this example, the Poisson’s ratio is 0.495, use a mixed formulation to avoid
locking effects.

1 In the Model Builder window, under Component 1 (comp1)>Solid Mechanics (solid) click
Linear Elastic Material 1.
2 In the Settings window for Linear Elastic Material, locate the Linear Elastic Material
section.
3 From the Use mixed formulation list, choose Pressure formulation.

Symmetry 1
1 In the Physics toolbar, click Boundaries and choose Symmetry.
2 Select Boundaries 1 and 3–5 only.

Fixed Constraint 1
1 In the Physics toolbar, click Boundaries and choose Fixed Constraint.
2 Select Boundary 2 only.

Roller 1
1 In the Physics toolbar, click Boundaries and choose Roller.
2 Select Boundary 7 only.

8 | TUNNEL EXCAVATION
Gravity 1
1 In the Physics toolbar, click Domains and choose Gravity.
2 In the Settings window for Gravity, locate the Domain Selection section.
3 From the Selection list, choose All domains.

Linear Elastic Material 1

In the Model Builder window, click Linear Elastic Material 1.

Soil Plasticity 1
1 In the Physics toolbar, click Attributes 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.

Add an Initial Stress and Strain node and enable it only in the second study in order to get
in-situ stresses due to gravity.

Linear Elastic Material 1

In the Model Builder window, click Linear Elastic Material 1.

Initial Stress and Strain 1

1 In the Physics toolbar, click Attributes and choose Initial Stress and Strain.
2 In the Settings window for Initial Stress and Strain, locate the Initial Stress and Strain
section.
3 In the S0 table, enter the following settings:

withsol('sol1', withsol('sol1', withsol('sol1',

solid.sx) solid.sxy) solid.sxz)
withsol(’sol1’, solid.sxy) withsol('sol1', withsol('sol1',
solid.sy) solid.syz)
withsol(’sol1’, solid.sxz) withsol(’sol1’, solid.syz) withsol('sol1',
solid.sz)

Add an Activation node to the linear elastic material in order to model the soil removal.
The activation expression set to zero in order to deactivate the material. The elastic
stiffness of the soil material is multiplied by activation scale factor.

Linear Elastic Material 1

In the Model Builder window, click Linear Elastic Material 1.

Activation 1
1 In the Physics toolbar, click Attributes and choose Activation.

9 | TUNNEL EXCAVATION
2 Select Domain 2 only.
3 In the Settings window for Activation, locate the Activation section.
4 In the Activation scale factor text field, type 1e-9.

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 Variable Value Unit Property group

Young’s modulus E 12e6 Pa Basic
Poisson’s ratio nu 0.495 1 Basic
Density rho 2000 kg/m³ Basic
Cohesion cohesion 130e3 Pa Mohr-Coulomb
Angle of internalphi 30[deg] rad Mohr-Coulomb
internal friction

MESH 1

Free Triangular 1
In the Mesh toolbar, click Free Triangular.

Size
1 In the Model Builder window, click Size.
2 In the Settings window for Size, locate the Element Size section.
3 From the Predefined list, choose Finer.

Distribution 1
1 In the Model Builder window, 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.

10 | TUNNEL EXCAVATION
5 Click Build All.

Use two stationary studies. The first one is used to compute the in-situ stresses. The
second study is used to compute the elastoplastic deformation due to the excavation of the
tunnel.

STUDY: BEFORE EXCAVATION

1 In the Model Builder window, click Study 1.
2 In the Settings window for Study, type Study: Before Excavation in the Label text
field.

Step 1: Stationary
1 In the Model Builder window, under Study: Before Excavation click Step 1: Stationary.
2 In the Settings window for Stationary, locate the Physics and Variables Selection section.
3 Select the Modify model configuration for study step check box.
4 In the Physics and variables selection tree, select Component 1 (comp1)>
Solid Mechanics (solid)>Linear Elastic Material 1>Soil Plasticity 1, Component 1 (comp1)>
Solid Mechanics (solid)>Linear Elastic Material 1>Initial Stress and Strain 1, and
Component 1 (comp1)>Solid Mechanics (solid)>Linear Elastic Material 1>Activation 1.
5 Click Disable.

11 | TUNNEL EXCAVATION
ADD STUDY
1 In the Home toolbar, click Add Study to open the Add Study window.
2 Go to the Add Study window.
3 Find the Studies subsection. In the Select Study tree, select General Studies>Stationary.
4 Click Add Study in the window toolbar.
5 In the Home toolbar, click Add Study to close the Add Study window.

STUDY: AFTER EXCAVATION

1 In the Model Builder window, click Study 2.
2 In the Settings window for Study, type Study: After Excavation in the Label text
field.

STUDY: BEFORE EXCAVATION

In the Home toolbar, click Compute.

STUDY: AFTER EXCAVATION

Click Compute.

RESULTS

Stress: Before Excavation

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
In the Model Builder window, expand the Stress: Before Excavation node.

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 In the Stress: Before Excavation toolbar, click Plot.
6 Click the Zoom Extents button in the Graphics toolbar.

The second default plot shows the von Mises stress in the soil after the tunnel excavation.

12 | TUNNEL EXCAVATION
Stress: After Excavation
1 In the Model Builder window, expand the Results>Stress (solid) 1 node, then click
Stress (solid) 1.
2 In the Settings window for 2D Plot Group, type Stress: After Excavation in the
Label text field.

Deformation
1 In the Model Builder window, expand the Results>Stress: After Excavation>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.

Filter 1
1 In the Model Builder window, click Filter 1.
2 In the Settings window for Filter, locate the Element Selection section.
3 From the Element nodes to fulfill expression list, choose All.
4 In the Stress: After Excavation toolbar, click Plot.
5 Click the Zoom Extents button in the Graphics toolbar.

Plastic Region: After Excavation

Use this plot group to show the plastic zone after excavation of the tunnel.

1 In the Model Builder window, under Results click Equivalent Plastic Strain (solid).
2 In the Settings window for 2D Plot Group, type Plastic Region: After Excavation
in the Label text field.

Contour 1
1 In the Model Builder window, expand the Plastic Region: After Excavation node, then click
Contour 1.
2 In the Settings window for Contour, locate the Expression section.
3 In the Expression text field, type solid.epeGp>0.
This is a boolean expression which is 1 in the plastic region and 0 elsewhere.
4 Clear the Description check box.

Deformation 1
1 Right-click Contour 1 and choose Deformation.
2 In the Settings window for Deformation, locate the Scale section.

13 | TUNNEL EXCAVATION
3 Select the Scale factor check box.
4 In the associated text field, type 1.
5 In the Plastic Region: After Excavation toolbar, click Plot.
6 Click the Zoom Extents button in the Graphics toolbar.

Plastic Region: After Excavation

1 In the Model Builder window, click Plastic Region: After Excavation.
2 In the Settings window for 2D Plot Group, click to expand the Selection section.
3 From the Geometric entity level list, choose Domain.
4 Select Domain 1 only.
5 In the Plastic Region: After Excavation toolbar, click Plot.

Horizontal Displacement: After Excavation

1 In the Home toolbar, click Add Plot Group and choose 1D Plot Group.
2 In the Settings window for 1D Plot Group, type Horizontal Displacement: After
Excavation in the Label text field.

3 Locate the Data section. From the Dataset list, choose Study: After Excavation/
Solution 2 (sol2).
4 Click to expand the Title section. From the Title type list, choose Manual.
5 In the Title text area, type Horizontal displacement at surface.
6 Locate the Plot Settings section. Select the x-axis label check box.
7 In the associated text field, type Distance from tunnel axis (m).
8 Select the y-axis label check box.
9 In the associated text field, type Horizontal displacement (mm).

Line Graph 1
1 Right-click Horizontal Displacement: After Excavation 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 u.
5 From the Unit list, choose mm.
6 In the Horizontal Displacement: After Excavation toolbar, click Plot.

Vertical Displacement: After Excavation

1 In the Model Builder window, right-click Horizontal Displacement: After Excavation and
choose Duplicate.

14 | TUNNEL EXCAVATION
2 In the Settings window for 1D Plot Group, type Vertical Displacement: After
Excavation in the Label text field.
3 Locate the Title section. In the Title text area, type Surface settlement.
4 Locate the Plot Settings section. In the y-axis label text field, type Vertical
displacement (mm).

Line Graph 1
1 In the Model Builder window, expand the Vertical Displacement: After Excavation node,
then click Line Graph 1.
2 In the Settings window for Line Graph, locate the y-Axis Data section.
3 In the Expression text field, type v.
4 In the Vertical Displacement: After Excavation toolbar, click Plot.

15 | TUNNEL EXCAVATION
16 | TUNNEL EXCAVATION