Work

Investigation into the Mechanical Response of Shield Lining Under Simultaneous Construction of Subway Station and Tunnel

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: To reduce downtime of the Tunnel Boring Machine and improve construction efficiency of subway tunnels, the tunnel–station synchronous construction method was implemented in the Qingdao metro. In this method, the TBM advanced continuously through the station, while the upper station was excavated in stages using the primary support arch covering technique. Focusing on a construction scheme with low-grade temporary segments, this study develops a three-dimensional numerical model to investigate the mechanical response of shield lining during the simultaneous construction of a subway station and tunnel. The Mohr–Coulomb model and the Elastic model were employed to represent the mechanical behavior of the surrounding rock and support structure, respectively. The deformation, bending moment, axial force, and residual bearing capacity coefficients of the shield lining were systematically examined across six distinct construction stages. The results showed that asymmetric gradual unloading of the surrounding rock at the arch part caused the vertical displacement of the shield lining to be predominantly upward, with a maximum heave of 1.51 mm. Horizontal displacement exhibited significant asymmetry. During station arch excavation, asymmetric unloading led to an increase and clockwise shift in the bending moments of the shield lining. The axial forces transitioned from compression to tension at specific locations (40° and 240°), whereas the removal of temporary supports had only a minor influence. The maximum tensile stress of the shield lining increased by 3.35 times in Stage III and reached 0.69 MPa in Stage V, representing a 1.65-fold increase compared to the previous stage. Although the residual bearing capacity coefficient generally satisfied safety requirements throughout the construction process, it decreased to a minimum of 0.88 in Stage V, a 7% reduction relative to Stage IV, necessitating close monitoring. This study not only confirmed the safety of using temporary segments made of lower-grade concrete (C30) in tunnel–station synchronous construction but also provided valuable insights for optimizing construction schemes and controlling key risks, such as structural deformation, in similarly complex urban environments.

Source: Processes

DOI: 10.3390/pr13123968