# Three-Dimensional Numerical Simulation of Soil Deformation during Shield Tunnel Construction

Authors: Chenglong Liu; Shaoyu Yang; Weijing Liu; Zhenyong Wang; Yusheng Jiang; Zhiyong Yang; Hua Jiang
Journal: Mathematical Problems in Engineering
 (2022)

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## Abstract

In order to effectively control the ground deformation and ground subsidence during subway construction, three-dimensional numerical simulation of soil deformation during shield tunnel construction is proposed. Based on a subway tunnel project, this essay firstly divides the shield construction process into several stages and analyzes the vertical displacement of soil in each stage. FLAC 3D was used for three-dimensional finite difference numerical simulation. By comparing the numerical simulation results with the field measured data, the soil settlement caused by shield tunnel excavation is studied deeply. The simulation results show that the maximum settlement value of the monitoring data is 0.59 mm, and the maximum settlement value of the numerical simulation is 0.82 mm, with a difference of 0.23 mm. The maximum value of uplift on both sides of the tunnel is 0.41 mm in monitoring data and 0.29 in numerical simulation, with a difference of 0.12 mm. The maximum settlement value of monitoring data is 2.59 mm, and the maximum settlement value of numerical simulation is 3.05 mm, with a difference of 0.46 mm. The maximum value of uplift on both sides of the tunnel is 0.32 mm in monitoring data and 1.89 mm in numerical simulation, with a difference of 1.57 mm. The settlement value of numerical simulation is slightly larger than that of monitoring data.Conclusion. The simulation can well simulate the state of soil uplift on both sides, and the width of settlement groove is in good agreement with the monitoring data.


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## Body

## 1. Introduction

Since the 21st century, with the rapid development of China's economic society and urban infrastructure construction, the scale of cities is gradually expanding, resulting in increased pressure of urban public transport. In order to relieve the pressure of urban public transportation, the utilization and development of underground space is particularly important. Subway has become a representative of green transportation due to its large volume and low emission [1]. The construction methods of urban subway tunnels at home and abroad mainly include open excavation method, shallow excavation method, and shield tunneling method. Among them, the shallow excavation method and the open excavation method cause great interference to commercial and road traffic, and the shield tunneling method has the advantages of low noise and little influence on the surrounding environment and economic production and life. The advantages of shield tunneling will become more and more obvious as the difficulty of road traffic distribution increases and the cost of urban commercial, industrial, and residential demolition increases. At present, the shield tunneling method has become the preferred tunneling method for subway construction in China. Even in third-tier cities, the shallow excavation method and the open excavation method are often only adopted in the hard rock and suburban areas. In addition, a shield tunnel is also widely used in hydraulic tunnel construction because of its good waterproof effect in construction, such as the undercrossing Yangtze River tunnel in Nanjing, Wuhan, and Shanghai, and the Qingchun Road tunnel in Hangzhou [2]. Moreover, in developed cities with dense subway lines, there have been frequent instances of new tunnels penetrating existing tunnels, which poses challenges to the evaluation of internal force redistribution caused by the construction disturbance of existing tunnels, as well as the development of transverse and longitudinal design methods of shield tunnel structures. According to the structure of shield head, it can be roughly divided into closed chest type and open type. Shield machine can be divided into compressed air-type, mud water-type, and Earth pressure balance-type shield machine according to the different soil quality and working mode (see Figure 1).Figure 1
Classification of shield tunneling.Closed chest shield is a shield configuration that forms a pressure chamber between the diaphragm and the excavation surface by closing the diaphragm to maintain the pressure in the pressure chamber full of mud and sand or mud water, so as to ensure the stability of the excavation surface. Open shield tunneling refers to the shield configuration with all or most of the excavation face open, on the premise that the excavation face can be self-stable.


## 2. Literature Review

Ma et al. discussed the possibility of simulating stratum displacement, stress conditions, various stages of tunnel excavation, and lining segment installation by using the finite element method and believed that two-dimensional plane strain analysis was the most effective and simplest method to simulate stratum displacement [3]. Yahi et al. considered the influence of the soil displacement in front of the working face and the soil displacement to the tail pore in two independent two-dimensional analyses. The hyperbolic model is adopted, and it is assumed that the initial stress and shear strength in the soil layer change linearly with burial depth. By studying several geometric and mechanical parameters, the analysis results can be expressed into a simple dimensionless relation [4]. Hosseini Mobara et al. introduced clearance parameters to describe the stratum losses caused by shield tunnel construction and first allowed the soil around the tunnel to freely deform towards the excavation zone. When the radial convergence value of soil reaches the predetermined total clearance parameter value, the shield-lining element is activated and the contact between soil and shield lining is assumed, and the interaction between soil and lining is considered. The prediction of surface settlement caused by lining tunnel construction in soft clay under drainage condition is studied by using plane strain elastic-plastic finite element program. The influences of elastic modulus and thickness of the soil layer under tunnel, static lateral pressure coefficient of soil K0, grouting pressure, dead weight of soil, anisotropy, and other factors on the plane analysis results were analyzed [5]. Yang et al. used the planar finite element method to study the stratum displacement and Earth pressure in the process of shield construction, and simulated the process of shield excavation, shield tail grouting, and lining segment support through the element “life and death.” On the basis of laboratory tests on the mechanical properties of grouting materials at different hardening stages, a variable stiffness body was used to simulate the solidification process of grout. The influences of grouting body thickness, soil condition, lining stiffness, and tunnel relative buried depth on stratum displacement and lining pressure distribution are analyzed [6]. Ma et al. used the highly adaptable finite element method to conduct finite element simulation on the construction steps of the shield tunnel, the contact surface between segment and soil layer, and the release of ground stress during excavation. The influence of shield construction on adjacent structures and the changes in the stratum were analyzed by using Tongji Shuguang software [3]. Xia et al. proposed a plane finite element simulation method that divided shield tunnel construction into four stages: cutter head excavation and lining support, shield tail filling grouting, initial setting of grouting materials, and final setting of grouting materials. Curved beam element and joint element are used to simulate lining, and different stress release coefficients are used for different curing stages of grouting materials [7].In this essay, the ground surface settlement caused by the shield tunnel is analyzed in detail by comparing the numerical simulation results with the field measured data of the shield tunnel.


## 3. The Research Methods

### 3.1. Introduction to the Soil Constitutive Model

Mohr–Coulomb soil constitutive model (MC model) is a common constitutive model in soil simulation. As an ideal elastoplastic model, it is considered that the stress and strain conform to Hooke's law before the soil reaches shear strength [8, 9]. Therefore, the elastic deformation of soil is controlled by elastic modulus and Poisson's ratio. Soil failure satisfies the Coulomb failure criterion and is controlled by effective cohesion and effective internal friction angle of parameters. The specific formula is shown in the following equation:(1)τf=c+σtanφ.The soil hardening constitutive model (HS model) uses the MC failure criterion, as shown in the following equation:(2)σ1=σ3tan245∘+φ2+2ctan45∘+φ2.The yield criterion is divided into shear yield and volume yield. Shear yield is shown in the following equation, and volume yield is shown in equation (6):(3)Fs=qaE50qqa−q−2qEur−γp.Among them, formulas (4) and (5) are as follows:(4)Eur=Eurrefσ3+ccotφσref+cotφm,(5)γp=ε1p−ε2p−ε3p=2ε1p−εvp≈2ε1p,where Fs is the shear yield function; qa is the progressive value of shear strength; E50 is the secant modulus at 50% strength under confining pressure; Eur is the secant stiffness of unloading and reloading; Eurref is the reference secant stiffness under unloading and reloading; γp is the plastic shear strain; ε1p, ε2p, and ε3p are the first, second, and third plastic principal strains, respectively; and εvp is the plastic volume strain.Volume yield is shown in the following equation:(6)Fc=q¯2M2+p2−pc2,where(7)p=σ1+σ2+σ33,q¯2=σ1+α−1σ2+ασ3,α=3+sinφ3−sinφ,M=6sinφ3−sinφ.Here, Fc is the volume yield function; q¯ is the calculation of deviatoric stress; pc is the isotropic preconsolidation stress; p is the principal stress; and M is the friction constant, which controls the flatness of the cap yield surface in the P-Q plane.The HSs model is improved on the basis of HS model to reflect the characteristics of small strain of soil. On the basis of 11 parameters in the HSs model and HS model, the other two parameters are used to control the small-strain characteristics of soil [10].The expression of the initial shear modulus is shown in the following equation:(8)G0=G0refccosφ+σ3sinφccosφ+prefsinφm,where G0ref is the reference pressure corresponding to the initial shear modulus.The soil hardening constitutive model (HS model) has a total of 11 parameters, including 3 strength parameters, 4 stiffness parameters, and 4 advanced parameters. The parameters are summarized as shown in Table1 [11]. On the basis of 11 parameters of the HSs model and the HS model, two other parameters are used to control the small-strain characteristics of soil. The specific parameters of the HSs model are shown in Table 2, and the pair of the two models is shown in Table 3.Table 1
HS model parameters.
The parameter typesThe serial numberSymbolNameStrength parameters1cEffective cohesion2φEffective internal friction angle3ΨThe dilatancy angleThe stiffness parameters4E50refThree weeks drainage test reference secant stiffness5EoedrefReference tangent stiffness of consolidation test6EurrefUnloading and reloading reference secant stiffness7mPower index of stiffness stress level correlationAdvanced parameters8prefReference stress9vurUnload and reload Poisson's ratio10k0Lateral pressure coefficient under normal consolidation condition11RfRatio of damageTable 2
HSs model-specific parameters.
The parameter typesSymbolNameThe stiffness parametersGoInitial shear modulusY0.7The initial shear modulus is the shear strain corresponding to the initial 70%, also called threshold shear strainTable 3
Comparison between the HS model and the HSs model.
Constitutive modelShear hardening of soilCompressive hardening of soilSmall strain of soilYield criterionHSYesYesNoMCHSsYesYesNoSMPThe HS model uses the MC failure criterion, whereas the HSs model uses the Nakai–Matsuoka failure criterion (SMP criterion) [12]. MC criterion is a two-dimensional friction criterion determined by two principal stresses, while SMP criterion is a three-dimensional friction criterion. The yield surface of HSs constitutive model is smoother than that of the HS constitutive model. The expression of SMP failure criterion is shown in the following equation:(9)τSMPσSMP=23σ1−σ22σ1σ32+σ2−σ32σ1σ32+σ3−σ12σ1σ32.


### 3.2. Project Summary

The initial mileage of a subway shield tunnel is K11 + 591.899, and terminating mileage is K12 + 422.189. The slope shape of the shield tunnel line is V-shaped, and the maximum longitudinal slope is 30%. The depth of the tunnel is 8.0∼14.5 m. The tunnel is located below the Central road, which is the main road with busy ground traffic and more buildings on both sides and directly above the road. In the process of shield construction, the ground settlement should be strictly controlled to ensure the normal operation of ground traffic and the safety of the surrounding environment. The stratum where the shield tunnel is located is mainly silty clay and silty sand [13]. The driving parameters of the shield tunneling machine are as follows: the upper soil pressure is 0.13–0.21 MPa, the lower soil pressure is 0.19–0.28 MPa, the rate is 60 mm/min, the tail grouting pressure is 0.25 MPa, and the grouting volume is 3.2/ring.


### 3.3. Three-Dimensional Numerical Simulation

#### 3.3.1. Refined Modeling Steps

The specific steps of shield tunnel excavation are shown as follows.The first step is as follows: first, excavate a range of 8 m for the total length of the shield machine and then apply support force of trapezoidal distribution on the face of the shield head. A trapezoidal distribution support force with a slope of 9 kPa and a support force of 33.73 kPa at the center point was set according to Dias. Due to the high strength and stiffness of the shell of the actual shield machine, it is considered in the simulation that when the displacement of the soil on the surface reaches the position of the shell of the shield machine, it will be fixed, and no displacement will occur to the inside of the tunnel. In this step, the displacement of all points on the excavation surface is controlled by the FISH language, so that the displacement of the point 2 m inside the shield head of the shield machine is 0, and the displacement of the shield machine within 3 m is 0.01 m. The displacement of the point within 3 m at the tail of the shield machine shows a linear change, and the displacement of the last end is 0.015 m. After the completion of the first step of excavation, the settlement diagram at the top of the shield machine along the excavation direction is shown in Figure2.Figure 2
Soil displacement of the vault during the first three steps of excavation (the first step).The second step is as follows: the length of the lining width of a ring excavated forward by the shield machine. In this essay, the lining width is 1 m, that is, 1 m excavated forward [14, 15]. At this moment, the shield head of the shield machine is located at 9 m. At this moment, the support force applied at 8 m in the first step is removed, and the trapezoidal support force is applied at 9 m. Since the displacement at each point of 0–8 m tunnel excavation has been fixed in the first step to form the shape of conical shield machine, the fixation at each point of 0–8 m tunnel excavation needs to be solved in the second step. Then, fish language was used to control the soil displacement on the surface of 1–9 m, thus forming the conical shape of the shield machine again. Because of the initial excavation of the actual tunnel, the initial excavation surface will be strengthened. Therefore, when the excavation direction of the model is 0 m, that is, on the boundary of the excavation, the diameter of the tunnel opening is fixed as the diameter of the shield tail of the shield machine in the simulation. As the shield machine excavates one step forward, the soil at 0–1 m in the excavation direction is in an empty state. At this point, the trapezoidal distribution grouting pressure is applied on the surface, and the trapezoidal distribution grouting pressure at the center point is set as 260 kPa and the slope is 11 kPa according to Dias. After the completion of the second excavation, the settlement diagram of the shield top along the excavation direction of the shield machine is shown in Figure 3.Figure 3
Soil displacement of the vault during the first three steps of excavation (Step 2).The third step is as follows: the shield machine excavates 1 m forward. At this moment, the shield head of the shield machine is located at 10 m. At this moment, the support force applied at 9 m in the first step is removed, and the trapezoidal support force is applied on the face at 10 m. The fixation at each point of the excavation of the 1–9 m tunnel was solved, and then, the soil displacement on the surface at 2–10 m was controlled by USING FISH language, thus forming the conical shape of the shield machine again. The soil at the excavation direction of 1–2 m is in an empty state, and the trapezoidal grouting pressure is applied on the empty surface. The grouting pressure on 0–1 m soil surface was removed, and the lining unit and grouting unit were installed [16]. After the completion of the third step of excavation, the settlement diagram of the shield top along the excavation direction is shown in Figure 4.Figure 4
Soil displacement of the vault during the first three steps of excavation (Step 3).The overall tunnel excavation cycle is as follows: excavate one meter forward ⟶ remove the supporting force of the previous step ⟶ apply the supporting force of the present stage⟶ release the fixed soil displacement within the range of the shield machine at the last step ⟶ control the soil displacement within the range of the shield machine at the present stage to form a conical shape of the shield machine ⟶ apply grouting pressure within the range of 0–1 m at the current stage of shield tail ⟶ remove the grouting pressure applied at the last step, that is, the range of 1–2 m behind the current stage of shield tail ⟶within the range of grouting pressure removal, the lining unit and grouting unit are installed [17]. The cycle continues until the whole tunnel excavation is completed, which is 60 meters in this essay.


#### 3.3.2. Model Overview

In this essay, FLAC 3D is used to simulate the excavation process of the shield tunnel. There are 190560 entity units and 198372 nodes in the model. The upper surface of the shield tunnel model is set as free constraint, while the lower surface is set as full constraint. Normal constraints are imposed on the left and right sides of the tunnel along the direction of excavation, and on the front and rear surfaces along the direction of section. The vertical downward gravity is applied to the whole shield tunnel model.The whole shield tunnel excavation model is composed of four parts: the cylinder element of tunnel excavation, the shell element of the grouting body, the shell element of lining, and the surrounding soil part. The soil near the excavation of the tunnel has a dense grid division, while the soil far from the excavation of the tunnel has a sparse grid division.


## 3.1. Introduction to the Soil Constitutive Model

Mohr–Coulomb soil constitutive model (MC model) is a common constitutive model in soil simulation. As an ideal elastoplastic model, it is considered that the stress and strain conform to Hooke's law before the soil reaches shear strength [8, 9]. Therefore, the elastic deformation of soil is controlled by elastic modulus and Poisson's ratio. Soil failure satisfies the Coulomb failure criterion and is controlled by effective cohesion and effective internal friction angle of parameters. The specific formula is shown in the following equation:(1)τf=c+σtanφ.The soil hardening constitutive model (HS model) uses the MC failure criterion, as shown in the following equation:(2)σ1=σ3tan245∘+φ2+2ctan45∘+φ2.The yield criterion is divided into shear yield and volume yield. Shear yield is shown in the following equation, and volume yield is shown in equation (6):(3)Fs=qaE50qqa−q−2qEur−γp.Among them, formulas (4) and (5) are as follows:(4)Eur=Eurrefσ3+ccotφσref+cotφm,(5)γp=ε1p−ε2p−ε3p=2ε1p−εvp≈2ε1p,where Fs is the shear yield function; qa is the progressive value of shear strength; E50 is the secant modulus at 50% strength under confining pressure; Eur is the secant stiffness of unloading and reloading; Eurref is the reference secant stiffness under unloading and reloading; γp is the plastic shear strain; ε1p, ε2p, and ε3p are the first, second, and third plastic principal strains, respectively; and εvp is the plastic volume strain.Volume yield is shown in the following equation:(6)Fc=q¯2M2+p2−pc2,where(7)p=σ1+σ2+σ33,q¯2=σ1+α−1σ2+ασ3,α=3+sinφ3−sinφ,M=6sinφ3−sinφ.Here, Fc is the volume yield function; q¯ is the calculation of deviatoric stress; pc is the isotropic preconsolidation stress; p is the principal stress; and M is the friction constant, which controls the flatness of the cap yield surface in the P-Q plane.The HSs model is improved on the basis of HS model to reflect the characteristics of small strain of soil. On the basis of 11 parameters in the HSs model and HS model, the other two parameters are used to control the small-strain characteristics of soil [10].The expression of the initial shear modulus is shown in the following equation:(8)G0=G0refccosφ+σ3sinφccosφ+prefsinφm,where G0ref is the reference pressure corresponding to the initial shear modulus.The soil hardening constitutive model (HS model) has a total of 11 parameters, including 3 strength parameters, 4 stiffness parameters, and 4 advanced parameters. The parameters are summarized as shown in Table1 [11]. On the basis of 11 parameters of the HSs model and the HS model, two other parameters are used to control the small-strain characteristics of soil. The specific parameters of the HSs model are shown in Table 2, and the pair of the two models is shown in Table 3.Table 1
HS model parameters.
The parameter typesThe serial numberSymbolNameStrength parameters1cEffective cohesion2φEffective internal friction angle3ΨThe dilatancy angleThe stiffness parameters4E50refThree weeks drainage test reference secant stiffness5EoedrefReference tangent stiffness of consolidation test6EurrefUnloading and reloading reference secant stiffness7mPower index of stiffness stress level correlationAdvanced parameters8prefReference stress9vurUnload and reload Poisson's ratio10k0Lateral pressure coefficient under normal consolidation condition11RfRatio of damageTable 2
HSs model-specific parameters.
The parameter typesSymbolNameThe stiffness parametersGoInitial shear modulusY0.7The initial shear modulus is the shear strain corresponding to the initial 70%, also called threshold shear strainTable 3
Comparison between the HS model and the HSs model.
Constitutive modelShear hardening of soilCompressive hardening of soilSmall strain of soilYield criterionHSYesYesNoMCHSsYesYesNoSMPThe HS model uses the MC failure criterion, whereas the HSs model uses the Nakai–Matsuoka failure criterion (SMP criterion) [12]. MC criterion is a two-dimensional friction criterion determined by two principal stresses, while SMP criterion is a three-dimensional friction criterion. The yield surface of HSs constitutive model is smoother than that of the HS constitutive model. The expression of SMP failure criterion is shown in the following equation:(9)τSMPσSMP=23σ1−σ22σ1σ32+σ2−σ32σ1σ32+σ3−σ12σ1σ32.


## 3.2. Project Summary

The initial mileage of a subway shield tunnel is K11 + 591.899, and terminating mileage is K12 + 422.189. The slope shape of the shield tunnel line is V-shaped, and the maximum longitudinal slope is 30%. The depth of the tunnel is 8.0∼14.5 m. The tunnel is located below the Central road, which is the main road with busy ground traffic and more buildings on both sides and directly above the road. In the process of shield construction, the ground settlement should be strictly controlled to ensure the normal operation of ground traffic and the safety of the surrounding environment. The stratum where the shield tunnel is located is mainly silty clay and silty sand [13]. The driving parameters of the shield tunneling machine are as follows: the upper soil pressure is 0.13–0.21 MPa, the lower soil pressure is 0.19–0.28 MPa, the rate is 60 mm/min, the tail grouting pressure is 0.25 MPa, and the grouting volume is 3.2/ring.


## 3.3. Three-Dimensional Numerical Simulation

### 3.3.1. Refined Modeling Steps

The specific steps of shield tunnel excavation are shown as follows.The first step is as follows: first, excavate a range of 8 m for the total length of the shield machine and then apply support force of trapezoidal distribution on the face of the shield head. A trapezoidal distribution support force with a slope of 9 kPa and a support force of 33.73 kPa at the center point was set according to Dias. Due to the high strength and stiffness of the shell of the actual shield machine, it is considered in the simulation that when the displacement of the soil on the surface reaches the position of the shell of the shield machine, it will be fixed, and no displacement will occur to the inside of the tunnel. In this step, the displacement of all points on the excavation surface is controlled by the FISH language, so that the displacement of the point 2 m inside the shield head of the shield machine is 0, and the displacement of the shield machine within 3 m is 0.01 m. The displacement of the point within 3 m at the tail of the shield machine shows a linear change, and the displacement of the last end is 0.015 m. After the completion of the first step of excavation, the settlement diagram at the top of the shield machine along the excavation direction is shown in Figure2.Figure 2
Soil displacement of the vault during the first three steps of excavation (the first step).The second step is as follows: the length of the lining width of a ring excavated forward by the shield machine. In this essay, the lining width is 1 m, that is, 1 m excavated forward [14, 15]. At this moment, the shield head of the shield machine is located at 9 m. At this moment, the support force applied at 8 m in the first step is removed, and the trapezoidal support force is applied at 9 m. Since the displacement at each point of 0–8 m tunnel excavation has been fixed in the first step to form the shape of conical shield machine, the fixation at each point of 0–8 m tunnel excavation needs to be solved in the second step. Then, fish language was used to control the soil displacement on the surface of 1–9 m, thus forming the conical shape of the shield machine again. Because of the initial excavation of the actual tunnel, the initial excavation surface will be strengthened. Therefore, when the excavation direction of the model is 0 m, that is, on the boundary of the excavation, the diameter of the tunnel opening is fixed as the diameter of the shield tail of the shield machine in the simulation. As the shield machine excavates one step forward, the soil at 0–1 m in the excavation direction is in an empty state. At this point, the trapezoidal distribution grouting pressure is applied on the surface, and the trapezoidal distribution grouting pressure at the center point is set as 260 kPa and the slope is 11 kPa according to Dias. After the completion of the second excavation, the settlement diagram of the shield top along the excavation direction of the shield machine is shown in Figure 3.Figure 3
Soil displacement of the vault during the first three steps of excavation (Step 2).The third step is as follows: the shield machine excavates 1 m forward. At this moment, the shield head of the shield machine is located at 10 m. At this moment, the support force applied at 9 m in the first step is removed, and the trapezoidal support force is applied on the face at 10 m. The fixation at each point of the excavation of the 1–9 m tunnel was solved, and then, the soil displacement on the surface at 2–10 m was controlled by USING FISH language, thus forming the conical shape of the shield machine again. The soil at the excavation direction of 1–2 m is in an empty state, and the trapezoidal grouting pressure is applied on the empty surface. The grouting pressure on 0–1 m soil surface was removed, and the lining unit and grouting unit were installed [16]. After the completion of the third step of excavation, the settlement diagram of the shield top along the excavation direction is shown in Figure 4.Figure 4
Soil displacement of the vault during the first three steps of excavation (Step 3).The overall tunnel excavation cycle is as follows: excavate one meter forward ⟶ remove the supporting force of the previous step ⟶ apply the supporting force of the present stage⟶ release the fixed soil displacement within the range of the shield machine at the last step ⟶ control the soil displacement within the range of the shield machine at the present stage to form a conical shape of the shield machine ⟶ apply grouting pressure within the range of 0–1 m at the current stage of shield tail ⟶ remove the grouting pressure applied at the last step, that is, the range of 1–2 m behind the current stage of shield tail ⟶within the range of grouting pressure removal, the lining unit and grouting unit are installed [17]. The cycle continues until the whole tunnel excavation is completed, which is 60 meters in this essay.


### 3.3.2. Model Overview

In this essay, FLAC 3D is used to simulate the excavation process of the shield tunnel. There are 190560 entity units and 198372 nodes in the model. The upper surface of the shield tunnel model is set as free constraint, while the lower surface is set as full constraint. Normal constraints are imposed on the left and right sides of the tunnel along the direction of excavation, and on the front and rear surfaces along the direction of section. The vertical downward gravity is applied to the whole shield tunnel model.The whole shield tunnel excavation model is composed of four parts: the cylinder element of tunnel excavation, the shell element of the grouting body, the shell element of lining, and the surrounding soil part. The soil near the excavation of the tunnel has a dense grid division, while the soil far from the excavation of the tunnel has a sparse grid division.


## 3.3.1. Refined Modeling Steps

The specific steps of shield tunnel excavation are shown as follows.The first step is as follows: first, excavate a range of 8 m for the total length of the shield machine and then apply support force of trapezoidal distribution on the face of the shield head. A trapezoidal distribution support force with a slope of 9 kPa and a support force of 33.73 kPa at the center point was set according to Dias. Due to the high strength and stiffness of the shell of the actual shield machine, it is considered in the simulation that when the displacement of the soil on the surface reaches the position of the shell of the shield machine, it will be fixed, and no displacement will occur to the inside of the tunnel. In this step, the displacement of all points on the excavation surface is controlled by the FISH language, so that the displacement of the point 2 m inside the shield head of the shield machine is 0, and the displacement of the shield machine within 3 m is 0.01 m. The displacement of the point within 3 m at the tail of the shield machine shows a linear change, and the displacement of the last end is 0.015 m. After the completion of the first step of excavation, the settlement diagram at the top of the shield machine along the excavation direction is shown in Figure2.Figure 2
Soil displacement of the vault during the first three steps of excavation (the first step).The second step is as follows: the length of the lining width of a ring excavated forward by the shield machine. In this essay, the lining width is 1 m, that is, 1 m excavated forward [14, 15]. At this moment, the shield head of the shield machine is located at 9 m. At this moment, the support force applied at 8 m in the first step is removed, and the trapezoidal support force is applied at 9 m. Since the displacement at each point of 0–8 m tunnel excavation has been fixed in the first step to form the shape of conical shield machine, the fixation at each point of 0–8 m tunnel excavation needs to be solved in the second step. Then, fish language was used to control the soil displacement on the surface of 1–9 m, thus forming the conical shape of the shield machine again. Because of the initial excavation of the actual tunnel, the initial excavation surface will be strengthened. Therefore, when the excavation direction of the model is 0 m, that is, on the boundary of the excavation, the diameter of the tunnel opening is fixed as the diameter of the shield tail of the shield machine in the simulation. As the shield machine excavates one step forward, the soil at 0–1 m in the excavation direction is in an empty state. At this point, the trapezoidal distribution grouting pressure is applied on the surface, and the trapezoidal distribution grouting pressure at the center point is set as 260 kPa and the slope is 11 kPa according to Dias. After the completion of the second excavation, the settlement diagram of the shield top along the excavation direction of the shield machine is shown in Figure 3.Figure 3
Soil displacement of the vault during the first three steps of excavation (Step 2).The third step is as follows: the shield machine excavates 1 m forward. At this moment, the shield head of the shield machine is located at 10 m. At this moment, the support force applied at 9 m in the first step is removed, and the trapezoidal support force is applied on the face at 10 m. The fixation at each point of the excavation of the 1–9 m tunnel was solved, and then, the soil displacement on the surface at 2–10 m was controlled by USING FISH language, thus forming the conical shape of the shield machine again. The soil at the excavation direction of 1–2 m is in an empty state, and the trapezoidal grouting pressure is applied on the empty surface. The grouting pressure on 0–1 m soil surface was removed, and the lining unit and grouting unit were installed [16]. After the completion of the third step of excavation, the settlement diagram of the shield top along the excavation direction is shown in Figure 4.Figure 4
Soil displacement of the vault during the first three steps of excavation (Step 3).The overall tunnel excavation cycle is as follows: excavate one meter forward ⟶ remove the supporting force of the previous step ⟶ apply the supporting force of the present stage⟶ release the fixed soil displacement within the range of the shield machine at the last step ⟶ control the soil displacement within the range of the shield machine at the present stage to form a conical shape of the shield machine ⟶ apply grouting pressure within the range of 0–1 m at the current stage of shield tail ⟶ remove the grouting pressure applied at the last step, that is, the range of 1–2 m behind the current stage of shield tail ⟶within the range of grouting pressure removal, the lining unit and grouting unit are installed [17]. The cycle continues until the whole tunnel excavation is completed, which is 60 meters in this essay.


## 3.3.2. Model Overview

In this essay, FLAC 3D is used to simulate the excavation process of the shield tunnel. There are 190560 entity units and 198372 nodes in the model. The upper surface of the shield tunnel model is set as free constraint, while the lower surface is set as full constraint. Normal constraints are imposed on the left and right sides of the tunnel along the direction of excavation, and on the front and rear surfaces along the direction of section. The vertical downward gravity is applied to the whole shield tunnel model.The whole shield tunnel excavation model is composed of four parts: the cylinder element of tunnel excavation, the shell element of the grouting body, the shell element of lining, and the surrounding soil part. The soil near the excavation of the tunnel has a dense grid division, while the soil far from the excavation of the tunnel has a sparse grid division.


## 4. Results Analysis

### 4.1. Soil Displacement on the Top of the Shield

Along the excavation direction, the soil displacement at the top of the shield machine (i.e., at the depth of 10.465 m) is shown in Figures5–7.Figure 5
Soil displacement at the top of shield along the excavation direction (shield head A is located at 30 m section).Figure 6
Soil displacement at top of shield along excavation direction (shield head B at 40 m section).Figure 7
Soil displacement at the top of shield along the excavation direction (shield head C is located at 50 m section).With the continuous tunneling of the shield machine, the displacement of the soil vault at the excavation of the tunnel is in constant change [18, 19]. Figure 5 shows the displacement at the soil vault (buried depth −10.465 m) when the shield head of the shield machine is excavated to a 30 m section (halfway along the excavation direction of the 3D model):(1)
In front of the shield head of the shield machine: a relatively obvious uplift occurs within 10 mm in front of the shield head of the shield machine, with the maximum uplift value approaching 2 mm and the uplift range of about 1.6 d (D is the diameter of the shield head of the shield machine). The reason for the slight uplift here is that the supporting force applied on the target palm surface is slightly greater than the lateral pressure of the original soil, so the uplift of the soil in front is caused.(2)
Position of the shield machine: the displacement at the soil vault at the position of the shield machine can be divided into three sections at the shield head of the shield machine (28–30 m), and the soil displacement is 0. When the shield is located at 25–28 m, the soil settlement is 10 mm. At the tail of shield (23–25 m), the soil settlement changes linearly from 10 mm to 13.4 mm.Reasons for displacement changes: the radius at the shield head of a shield machine is 3.135 m, namely, the excavation radius. Because of the support of the shield head, the soil displacement within the shield head is 0. B. The radius of the shield is 3.125 m, which differs 10 mm from the excavation radius, so the soil displacement within the shield body is 10 mm. The radius of the tail of the shield machine is 3.125 m at the junction of the tail and the body, and 3.12 m at the end of the tail. Therefore, the settlement of the soil at the junction of the tail and the body is 10 mm, while the settlement of the soil at the end of the tail should be 15 mm, but the range of grouting pressure applied at the tail of the shield is 21–22 m. Therefore, the displacement of soil at 22 m generates 1.98 mm settlement under the action of grouting pressure, while the displacement of soil at 23 m still maintains 13.4 mm at the shell position of the shield machine.(3)
Behind the shield tail of the shield machine: within 2–4 m (18–22 m) behind the shield tail, the soil displacement changes from small to large, and the settlement generated at the highest point is about 1.98 mm, at the 22 m position. After 4 m (6–18 m) behind shield tail, the soil displacement tends to be stable, and the soil settlement is between 2.6 and 3 mm. Under the comprehensive influence of boundary fixed displacement, grouting pressure, and grouting body deformation, the soil settlement gradually decreases, and the settlement varies within 3–3.8 mm [20, 21].(4)
Boundary surface of initial excavation: the displacement on the boundary surface (0 m) is fixed at 15 mm. This fixed value is related to the actual excavation process of the shield machine. In actual tunnel excavation, when the shield machine enters the soil for the first time, it will reinforce the initial excavation surface and then excavates forward step by step [22]. Therefore, in 3d simulated excavation, the boundary surface is pretreated before the second step of excavation; that is, the diameter of the open surface on the boundary of the excavated tunnel is fixed as the diameter of the tail end of the shield machine.By comparing the soil displacement curves in Figures6 and 7 with Figure 5, we obtain the following:(1)
The soil displacement curves of the three figures can be obtained by horizontal translation. The difference of the vertical displacement data is small, about 0.1 mm, and the whole excavation process maintains a certain continuity.(2)
Along the excavation direction, the law of soil displacement of the vault is similar in each stage: when the shield reaches the target face, the soil is uplifted in a certain range in front of the target face; the cone shape of the shield machine causes the displacement of the vault. The grouting pressure of shield tail reduces the soil settlement of the vault. The application of grouting and lining makes the settlement of soil relatively stable.


### 4.2. Surface Soil Displacement

Along the excavation direction, the surface soil displacement is shown in Figures8–10.Figure 8
Surface soil displacement along excavation direction (shield head A is located at 30 m section).Figure 9
Surface soil displacement along excavation direction (shield head B at 40 m section).Figure 10
Surface soil displacement along excavation direction (shield head C is located at 50 m section).Figure8 shows the displacement of surface soil along the excavation direction when the shield head is excavated to 30 m section:(1)
In front of the shield head of the shield machine: at this time, the shield head of the shield machine is located at 30 m, and in front of it, small settlement occurs on the surface within the range of 30–33 m; small surface uplift occurs in the range of 33–35 m; obvious uplift occurs in the range of 35–50 m; small ridges occur in the range of 50–60 m. The obvious uplift range was about 2.4D. Compared with the displacement changes at the soil vault shown in Figure5, the influence range of a surface uplift is larger than that at the soil vault, about 0.8 d larger. The maximum value of the surface uplift is about 1.4 mm smaller than that of the soil vault.(2)
Position of the shield machine: the soil settlement generated by the position of the shield machine (22–30 m) is approximately an inclined straight line.Compared with the displacement change of the soil vault shown in Figure5, the settlement generated on the surface is much smaller than the position of the shield machine. This is because the shield machine is conical, and the radius difference between the shield head, body, and tail will form gaps, which increase the settlement of the soil at the vault.(3)
Behind the shield tail of the shield machine: in the range of 1–8 m, the soil settlement gradually decreases from large to small, and the variation range (maximum to minimum) is about 0.3 mm. In the range of 8–14 m, the soil settlement curve is approximately a horizontal straight line. In the range of 14–22 m, the soil settlement changes from small to large, and the settlement difference range is 0.25 mm. Compared with the change of soil vault displacement in Figure5, the change rule of the two is similar: the settlement at the beginning of Figure 5 decreases from large to small; after Figure 6, there is a relatively stable settlement in a horizontal straight line; the soil displacement within the shield tail grouting range of Figure 7 decreases and becomes stable gradually. The slight difference is that under the direct action of grouting pressure, the soil settlement of the vault decreases rapidly and changes from 15 mm to 2 mm, and then gradually increases and becomes stable, while the surface settlement decreases and becomes stable gradually [23].(4)
Initial excavation boundary surface: the maximum surface settlement at 0 m is about 3.13 mm in the whole excavation direction. Compared with the vault soil displacement in Figure5, both are the maximum values of settlement along the excavation direction.The soil displacement curves in Figures8–10 can be obtained by comparison:(1)
Along the direction of tunnel excavation, the displacement curve of surface soil gradually moves upward as a whole, while the displacement curve shown in Figures8 and 9 is basically stable.This is because when 0 m is in the simulation, only the displacement of the soil around the hole is fixed, but the displacement of all the soil above the hole is not fixed. This is similar to the actual excavation and reinforcement of the tunnel. The actual reinforcement scope is also the soil near the entrance, rather than all the soil above the entrance [24]. With the progress of excavation, the settlement at the depth of 0 m increases slowly. The comparison between the 30 m surface settlement diagram and the 50 m surface settlement diagram shows that the ground settlement at 0 m gradually increases from 3.13 mm to about 3 mm. The settlement of the stable zone ranges from about 2.85 mm to about 2.6 mm.(2)
Along the excavation direction, the law of surface settlement is similar in each stage: when the shield reaches the target face, the soil in a certain range in front of the target face is uplifted, and small settlement occurs at the target face. The conical shape of the shield machine causes the displacement of the ground surface. The grouting pressure of shield tail reduces the settlement of soil. The application of grouting and lining makes the settlement of soil relatively stable.


### 4.3. Surface Soil Displacement in Section

Surface settlement at 30 m section is shown in Figures11–13.Figure 11
Surface soil displacement at 30 m section (shield head A is located at 30 m section).Figure 12
Surface soil displacement at 30 m section (shield head B at 40 m section).Figure 13
Surface soil displacement at 30 m section (shield head C is located at 50 m section).Figure11 is the surface settlement diagram of soil mass at 30 m section when the shield head of the shield machine reaches 30 m.(1)
The maximum value of surface settlement is about 0.82 mm, and the maximum value of uplift on both sides is about 0.28 mm(2)
The range of surface subsidence is −9–9 m, which is about within the 3D rangeFigure12 shows the surface settlement of soil at a section of 30 meters when the shield head of a shield machine reaches 40 meters. At this point, solidified grouting body and lining were applied at 30 meters (8 m shield machine length +1 m grouting pressure +1 m grouting body and lining), as shown in the figure:(1)
The maximum value of surface subsidence is about 3.05 mm, and the maximum value of uplift on both sides is about 0.93 mm(2)
The range of surface subsidence is −9–9 m, which is about within the 3D rangeFigure13 shows the surface settlement of soil at a section of 30 meters when the shield head reaches 50 meters. At this time, the solidified grouting body and lining were applied at 30 meters, as shown in the figure:(1)
The maximum value of surface settlement is about 2.67 mm, and the maximum value of uplift on both sides is about 1.89 mm(2)
The range of surface subsidence is –7–7 m, about 2.2 d


### 4.4. Comparison of Numerical Simulation Results and Monitoring Data

The comparison between monitoring data and numerical simulation of surface subsidence is shown in Figure14.Figure 14
Comparison of monitoring data and numerical simulation results.When the shield reaches the target palm surface, the maximum settlement value of monitoring data is 0.59 mm. The maximum settlement value of numerical simulation is 0.82 mm, with a difference of 0.23 mm. The maximum value of uplift on both sides of the tunnel is 0.41 mm in monitoring data and 0.29 in numerical simulation, with a difference of 0.12 mm. The settlement value of numerical simulation is slightly larger than that of monitoring data.Comparison of surface settlement after grouting solidification: the maximum settlement value of monitoring data is 2.59 mm, and the maximum settlement value of numerical simulation is 3.05 mm, with a difference of 0.46 mm. The maximum value of uplift on both sides of the tunnel is 0.32 mm in monitoring data and 1.89 mm in numerical simulation, with a difference of 1.57 mm. The settlement value of numerical simulation is slightly larger than that of monitoring data.


### 4.5. The Results of 3D Numerical Simulation Are Compared with Those of 2D Numerical Simulation

As can be seen from the comparison diagram of results shown in Figure15, the results of three-dimensional numerical simulation have the following advantages compared with those of two-dimensional numerical simulation:(1)
Compared with the results of 2d numerical simulation, the width of the settlement trough is narrower and closer to the monitoring data(2)
It can simulate the state of soil uplift on both sides, while two-dimensional numerical simulation can only simulate the effect of settlementFigure 15
Comparison of 2D and 3D numerical simulation results.The results of three-dimensional numerical simulation have the following shortcomings compared with those of two-dimensional numerical simulation:(1)
The results of three-dimensional numerical simulation of the maximum value of surface subsidence are relatively large. When the shield reaches the palm surface, the maximum surface settlement in the monitoring data is about 0.6 mm, while the maximum settlement in the 3D simulation results is 0.9 mm. After the solidification of the grouting body, the maximum surface settlement in monitoring data is about 2.6 mm, while the maximum settlement in 3D numerical simulation is about 3 mm.(2)
After the solidification of the grouting body, the simulated uplift value of soil on both sides of 3D numerical simulation is relatively large.


## 4.1. Soil Displacement on the Top of the Shield

Along the excavation direction, the soil displacement at the top of the shield machine (i.e., at the depth of 10.465 m) is shown in Figures5–7.Figure 5
Soil displacement at the top of shield along the excavation direction (shield head A is located at 30 m section).Figure 6
Soil displacement at top of shield along excavation direction (shield head B at 40 m section).Figure 7
Soil displacement at the top of shield along the excavation direction (shield head C is located at 50 m section).With the continuous tunneling of the shield machine, the displacement of the soil vault at the excavation of the tunnel is in constant change [18, 19]. Figure 5 shows the displacement at the soil vault (buried depth −10.465 m) when the shield head of the shield machine is excavated to a 30 m section (halfway along the excavation direction of the 3D model):(1)
In front of the shield head of the shield machine: a relatively obvious uplift occurs within 10 mm in front of the shield head of the shield machine, with the maximum uplift value approaching 2 mm and the uplift range of about 1.6 d (D is the diameter of the shield head of the shield machine). The reason for the slight uplift here is that the supporting force applied on the target palm surface is slightly greater than the lateral pressure of the original soil, so the uplift of the soil in front is caused.(2)
Position of the shield machine: the displacement at the soil vault at the position of the shield machine can be divided into three sections at the shield head of the shield machine (28–30 m), and the soil displacement is 0. When the shield is located at 25–28 m, the soil settlement is 10 mm. At the tail of shield (23–25 m), the soil settlement changes linearly from 10 mm to 13.4 mm.Reasons for displacement changes: the radius at the shield head of a shield machine is 3.135 m, namely, the excavation radius. Because of the support of the shield head, the soil displacement within the shield head is 0. B. The radius of the shield is 3.125 m, which differs 10 mm from the excavation radius, so the soil displacement within the shield body is 10 mm. The radius of the tail of the shield machine is 3.125 m at the junction of the tail and the body, and 3.12 m at the end of the tail. Therefore, the settlement of the soil at the junction of the tail and the body is 10 mm, while the settlement of the soil at the end of the tail should be 15 mm, but the range of grouting pressure applied at the tail of the shield is 21–22 m. Therefore, the displacement of soil at 22 m generates 1.98 mm settlement under the action of grouting pressure, while the displacement of soil at 23 m still maintains 13.4 mm at the shell position of the shield machine.(3)
Behind the shield tail of the shield machine: within 2–4 m (18–22 m) behind the shield tail, the soil displacement changes from small to large, and the settlement generated at the highest point is about 1.98 mm, at the 22 m position. After 4 m (6–18 m) behind shield tail, the soil displacement tends to be stable, and the soil settlement is between 2.6 and 3 mm. Under the comprehensive influence of boundary fixed displacement, grouting pressure, and grouting body deformation, the soil settlement gradually decreases, and the settlement varies within 3–3.8 mm [20, 21].(4)
Boundary surface of initial excavation: the displacement on the boundary surface (0 m) is fixed at 15 mm. This fixed value is related to the actual excavation process of the shield machine. In actual tunnel excavation, when the shield machine enters the soil for the first time, it will reinforce the initial excavation surface and then excavates forward step by step [22]. Therefore, in 3d simulated excavation, the boundary surface is pretreated before the second step of excavation; that is, the diameter of the open surface on the boundary of the excavated tunnel is fixed as the diameter of the tail end of the shield machine.By comparing the soil displacement curves in Figures6 and 7 with Figure 5, we obtain the following:(1)
The soil displacement curves of the three figures can be obtained by horizontal translation. The difference of the vertical displacement data is small, about 0.1 mm, and the whole excavation process maintains a certain continuity.(2)
Along the excavation direction, the law of soil displacement of the vault is similar in each stage: when the shield reaches the target face, the soil is uplifted in a certain range in front of the target face; the cone shape of the shield machine causes the displacement of the vault. The grouting pressure of shield tail reduces the soil settlement of the vault. The application of grouting and lining makes the settlement of soil relatively stable.


## 4.2. Surface Soil Displacement

Along the excavation direction, the surface soil displacement is shown in Figures8–10.Figure 8
Surface soil displacement along excavation direction (shield head A is located at 30 m section).Figure 9
Surface soil displacement along excavation direction (shield head B at 40 m section).Figure 10
Surface soil displacement along excavation direction (shield head C is located at 50 m section).Figure8 shows the displacement of surface soil along the excavation direction when the shield head is excavated to 30 m section:(1)
In front of the shield head of the shield machine: at this time, the shield head of the shield machine is located at 30 m, and in front of it, small settlement occurs on the surface within the range of 30–33 m; small surface uplift occurs in the range of 33–35 m; obvious uplift occurs in the range of 35–50 m; small ridges occur in the range of 50–60 m. The obvious uplift range was about 2.4D. Compared with the displacement changes at the soil vault shown in Figure5, the influence range of a surface uplift is larger than that at the soil vault, about 0.8 d larger. The maximum value of the surface uplift is about 1.4 mm smaller than that of the soil vault.(2)
Position of the shield machine: the soil settlement generated by the position of the shield machine (22–30 m) is approximately an inclined straight line.Compared with the displacement change of the soil vault shown in Figure5, the settlement generated on the surface is much smaller than the position of the shield machine. This is because the shield machine is conical, and the radius difference between the shield head, body, and tail will form gaps, which increase the settlement of the soil at the vault.(3)
Behind the shield tail of the shield machine: in the range of 1–8 m, the soil settlement gradually decreases from large to small, and the variation range (maximum to minimum) is about 0.3 mm. In the range of 8–14 m, the soil settlement curve is approximately a horizontal straight line. In the range of 14–22 m, the soil settlement changes from small to large, and the settlement difference range is 0.25 mm. Compared with the change of soil vault displacement in Figure5, the change rule of the two is similar: the settlement at the beginning of Figure 5 decreases from large to small; after Figure 6, there is a relatively stable settlement in a horizontal straight line; the soil displacement within the shield tail grouting range of Figure 7 decreases and becomes stable gradually. The slight difference is that under the direct action of grouting pressure, the soil settlement of the vault decreases rapidly and changes from 15 mm to 2 mm, and then gradually increases and becomes stable, while the surface settlement decreases and becomes stable gradually [23].(4)
Initial excavation boundary surface: the maximum surface settlement at 0 m is about 3.13 mm in the whole excavation direction. Compared with the vault soil displacement in Figure5, both are the maximum values of settlement along the excavation direction.The soil displacement curves in Figures8–10 can be obtained by comparison:(1)
Along the direction of tunnel excavation, the displacement curve of surface soil gradually moves upward as a whole, while the displacement curve shown in Figures8 and 9 is basically stable.This is because when 0 m is in the simulation, only the displacement of the soil around the hole is fixed, but the displacement of all the soil above the hole is not fixed. This is similar to the actual excavation and reinforcement of the tunnel. The actual reinforcement scope is also the soil near the entrance, rather than all the soil above the entrance [24]. With the progress of excavation, the settlement at the depth of 0 m increases slowly. The comparison between the 30 m surface settlement diagram and the 50 m surface settlement diagram shows that the ground settlement at 0 m gradually increases from 3.13 mm to about 3 mm. The settlement of the stable zone ranges from about 2.85 mm to about 2.6 mm.(2)
Along the excavation direction, the law of surface settlement is similar in each stage: when the shield reaches the target face, the soil in a certain range in front of the target face is uplifted, and small settlement occurs at the target face. The conical shape of the shield machine causes the displacement of the ground surface. The grouting pressure of shield tail reduces the settlement of soil. The application of grouting and lining makes the settlement of soil relatively stable.


## 4.3. Surface Soil Displacement in Section

Surface settlement at 30 m section is shown in Figures11–13.Figure 11
Surface soil displacement at 30 m section (shield head A is located at 30 m section).Figure 12
Surface soil displacement at 30 m section (shield head B at 40 m section).Figure 13
Surface soil displacement at 30 m section (shield head C is located at 50 m section).Figure11 is the surface settlement diagram of soil mass at 30 m section when the shield head of the shield machine reaches 30 m.(1)
The maximum value of surface settlement is about 0.82 mm, and the maximum value of uplift on both sides is about 0.28 mm(2)
The range of surface subsidence is −9–9 m, which is about within the 3D rangeFigure12 shows the surface settlement of soil at a section of 30 meters when the shield head of a shield machine reaches 40 meters. At this point, solidified grouting body and lining were applied at 30 meters (8 m shield machine length +1 m grouting pressure +1 m grouting body and lining), as shown in the figure:(1)
The maximum value of surface subsidence is about 3.05 mm, and the maximum value of uplift on both sides is about 0.93 mm(2)
The range of surface subsidence is −9–9 m, which is about within the 3D rangeFigure13 shows the surface settlement of soil at a section of 30 meters when the shield head reaches 50 meters. At this time, the solidified grouting body and lining were applied at 30 meters, as shown in the figure:(1)
The maximum value of surface settlement is about 2.67 mm, and the maximum value of uplift on both sides is about 1.89 mm(2)
The range of surface subsidence is –7–7 m, about 2.2 d


## 4.4. Comparison of Numerical Simulation Results and Monitoring Data

The comparison between monitoring data and numerical simulation of surface subsidence is shown in Figure14.Figure 14
Comparison of monitoring data and numerical simulation results.When the shield reaches the target palm surface, the maximum settlement value of monitoring data is 0.59 mm. The maximum settlement value of numerical simulation is 0.82 mm, with a difference of 0.23 mm. The maximum value of uplift on both sides of the tunnel is 0.41 mm in monitoring data and 0.29 in numerical simulation, with a difference of 0.12 mm. The settlement value of numerical simulation is slightly larger than that of monitoring data.Comparison of surface settlement after grouting solidification: the maximum settlement value of monitoring data is 2.59 mm, and the maximum settlement value of numerical simulation is 3.05 mm, with a difference of 0.46 mm. The maximum value of uplift on both sides of the tunnel is 0.32 mm in monitoring data and 1.89 mm in numerical simulation, with a difference of 1.57 mm. The settlement value of numerical simulation is slightly larger than that of monitoring data.


## 4.5. The Results of 3D Numerical Simulation Are Compared with Those of 2D Numerical Simulation

As can be seen from the comparison diagram of results shown in Figure15, the results of three-dimensional numerical simulation have the following advantages compared with those of two-dimensional numerical simulation:(1)
Compared with the results of 2d numerical simulation, the width of the settlement trough is narrower and closer to the monitoring data(2)
It can simulate the state of soil uplift on both sides, while two-dimensional numerical simulation can only simulate the effect of settlementFigure 15
Comparison of 2D and 3D numerical simulation results.The results of three-dimensional numerical simulation have the following shortcomings compared with those of two-dimensional numerical simulation:(1)
The results of three-dimensional numerical simulation of the maximum value of surface subsidence are relatively large. When the shield reaches the palm surface, the maximum surface settlement in the monitoring data is about 0.6 mm, while the maximum settlement in the 3D simulation results is 0.9 mm. After the solidification of the grouting body, the maximum surface settlement in monitoring data is about 2.6 mm, while the maximum settlement in 3D numerical simulation is about 3 mm.(2)
After the solidification of the grouting body, the simulated uplift value of soil on both sides of 3D numerical simulation is relatively large.


## 5. Conclusion

In this essay, three-dimensional finite difference software FLAC 3D is used to establish a three-dimensional modeling method with fine modeling. The effects of trapezoidal support force, cone shape of the shield machine, trapezoidal grouting pressure, solidification of the grouting body, and timely application of lining on soil displacement are considered comprehensively. The main conclusions are as follows:(1)
The soil deformation caused by shield construction is a dynamic process with obvious three-dimensional characteristics. Along the excavation direction, the displacement characteristics of soil mass in tunnel vault and ground surface change with the different excavation stages.(2)
Fine three-dimensional numerical simulation can accurately simulate the characteristics of soil displacement in each stage.(3)
The conical shape of the shield machine will make the gap between the shield head and the shield body, and between the shield body and the shield tail, which will cause the displacement of the soil at the tunnel vault, and then affect the surface settlement.(4)
The application of trapezoidal grouting pressure can reduce the large soil settlement caused by excavation in the early stage, which is a method to reduce the soil settlement in shield construction.(5)
Timely application of lining will stabilize soil settlement within a certain range, so timely application of lining is very important in actual construction.(6)
Compared with the two-dimensional numerical simulation results, the three-dimensional numerical simulation can not only simulate the surface settlement of the section, but also simulate the soil displacement along the excavation direction.(7)
In the numerical simulation of surface settlement in section, the three-dimensional numerical simulation can simulate the state of soil uplift on both sides, and the width of settlement groove is in good agreement with the monitoring data.



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*Source: 5029165-2022-08-31.xml*