Proceeding 20th SEAGC - 3rd AGSSEA Conference in conjunction with 22nd Annual Indonesian National

Conference on Geotechnical Engineering. Jakarta - INDONESIA, 6 -7 November 2018. ISBN No. 978-602-17221-6-9

Dynamic Analysis of Underwater Tunnels

Akhila Babu, S.D. Anitha Kumari and Nimmy Mariam Abraham
Department of Civil Engineering, M. S. Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences, Bangalore, India
E-mail: [email protected]

ABSTRACT: Tunnels have become an important mode of transportation due to increase in population and density of traffic all over the
world. An underwater tunnel is a tunnel which is partly or fully constructed under a body of water. Underwater structures are not absolutely
immune against dynamic waves and are prone to damages. Thus it is significant to perform the dynamic analysis of underwater tunnels. In
the present study, the dynamic behaviour of underwater single and twin tunnels are studied numerically with different tunnel materials. Study
includes static and dynamic analysis of twin tunnel models with varying overburden, varying position along depth and varying spacing. The
dynamic analysis is done adopting the load data of Kutch earthquake. It is observed that twin tunnels with varying overburden developed
maximum stresses when compared with uniform overburden.
Keywords: Underwater Twin tunnels, Dynamic analysis, Numerical modelling.

1. INTRODUCTION literature review indicates that the studies reported on dynamic

analysis of underwater tunnels especially twin tunnels are limited.
Tunnels are underground passageways, which is dug through the The study is focused to analyze the response of underwater single
surrounding soil/earth/rock. It can be for foot or vehicular road and twin tunnels subjected to seismic loading followed by a
traffic, rail traffic or a canal. An underwater tunnel is a tunnel which parametric study under different conditions including depth from
is partly or fully constructed under a body of water. They are often soil bed, spacing between tunnels, location of tunnels and materials
used where building a bridge or operating a ferry link is impossible, used for tunnel.
or to provide competition (or relief) for existing bridges or ferry
links. The underwater tunnels are of two types: (i) underwater tunnel
which is immersed under the water and is influenced only by 2. NUMERICAL MODELLING OF UNDERWATER
buoyancy and hydrostatic pressure (ii) underwater tunnel which TUNNELS
passes below the bed of the water body and is influenced by De et al. (2017) studied the response of a tunnel subjected to blast
hydrostatic pressure and overburden pressure. The underground loading through a combination of physical model tests utilizing a
systems help to reduce the cost and project completion time when geotechnical centrifuge and numerical model analyses. The model
the acquisition of land is nearly impossible or moving surface tunnel was 760 mm long with an outer diameter of 76 mm and wall
utilities are expensive. Generally underground structures are safer thickness of 2.5 mm. In all centrifuge tests the soil cover above the
than surface structures against dynamic waves. This is because tunnel crown was kept constant at 38 mm. The centrifuge model
surface structures are only connected to the ground from the lower consisted of a copper tunnel built to a 1:70 scale and it was tested at
surface and vibrate free whereas underground structures are 70g acceleration. This represents a prototype with a length of 53 m,
completely connected to the surrounding environment and thus are an outside diameter of 5.3 m, wall thickness of 0.133 m. The
more resistant to vibration. In spite of this, there are reports of flexural stiffness (EI) of the tunnel was 13 × 106 kNm2. The
damage to such structures due to dynamic waves. The long-term dimensions and the properties of water, soil and tunnel material for
stability of tunnels is one of the most important factors in the design the current study are taken from this reported study. The dimensions
and implementation of underground spaces. Since tunnels and of the tunnel model is shown in Table 1. Nevada soil properties is
underground spaces can be subjected to dynamic loads like used for the study and the same is tabulated in Table 2. Since the
earthquakes and explosions during construction and operation tunnel is below the soil bed, the overburden pressure is calculated
stages, dynamic stability analysis of such structures is of great with the saturated density of the soil bed. The relative density of the
importance. soil is reported as 60%.
Collapse of a number of underground structures has
occurred during various earthquakes (1995 Kobe, Japan earthquake, Table 1 Dimensions of the tunnel model (De et.al, 2017)
1999 Chi-Chi, Taiwan earthquake and 1999 Duzce, Turkey
Variable Value (m)
earthquake). During the 1999 Duzce earthquake in Turkey, Bolu
highway twin tunnels experienced a wide range of damage. Based Length 53
on these collected details, it is understood that the study on the Outer diameter 5.3
behavior of underground/underwater tunnels is of high significance. Wall thickness 0.133
Moreover, the recently inaugurated Mumbai-Ahmedabad Soil cover 2.7
Shinkansen high speed rail route has around 7km undersea tunnel. Water cover 2.7
Hence this study is focused on the dynamic behavior of twin tunnels
subjected to earthquake loading. Table 2 Properties of Nevada sand
Boldini et.al (2010) conducted one dimensional (1D) and
two dimensional (2D) fully coupled finite element simulation to Variable Value
investigate the dynamic behaviour of circular tunnels in the Maximum dry density 17.33 kN/m3
transverse direction. Tiwari et.al (2016) reported parametric Maximum dry density 13.87 kN/m3
sensitivity studies adopting coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian (CEL) Maximum void ratio 0.887
analysis tool in finite element software. Navarro (1992) reported Minimum void ratio 0.511
seismic design of tunnels adotping FEM analysis by using numerical Specific gravity 2.67
tool FLUSH. Anastasopoulos et.al (2007) used finite-element
method to perform nonlinear dynamic transient analysis of the After fixing the dimensions, numerical modelling was done by using
tunnel. Anitha Kumari et.al (2014) modeled twin tunnels with the CATIA software. The 3-D model developed in CATIA software
circular and horse-shoe cross sections to understand the effect of the was imported into Hyper mesh software for meshing. Models were
shape of the tunnel and varying shallow overburden on the developed for single and twin tunnels. The model is divided into a
mechanical response when subjected to seismic loading. The number of elements and nodes. 3-D hexahedral meshing was done

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 Proceeding 20th SEAGC - 3rd AGSSEA Conference in conjunction with 22nd Annual Indonesian National
Conference on Geotechnical Engineering. Jakarta - INDONESIA, 6 -7 November 2018. ISBN No. 978-602-17221-6-9

using the software. Hexahedral or brick elements are solid elements

which are extracted from 2D Quad elements. Hyper mesh builds
around 8 to 20 noded hexa elements. The 3-D view of the twin
tunnels modeled is shown in Figure 1. For the general cases, the
optimum spacing between the tunnels is taken as 4 times diameter
(4d) of the single tunnel. Soil is modeled using an eight noded
element with three degrees of freedom at each node including
translations in nodal x, y and z. This element type is referred to
SOLID 185. There are two forms of SOLID 185 elements which
are classified as homogeneous structural solid and layered structural
solid. Since soil is considered as homogeneous, the element Figure 3 Stresses in concrete twin tunnels
considered is homogeneous structural solid. 3.2 Dynamic analysis of underwater tunnels
Kutch earthquake data, shown in Figure 4 was considered as the
load for dynamic analysis.

Figure 4 Kutch earthquake data (M. Shrikhande et.al, 2001)

In order to analyse the twin tunnel for seismic load,

Figure 1 3-D view of the twin tunnel model
random vibration analysis was adopted. Through a Fourier analysis,
3. ANALYSIS OF UNDERWATER TUNNELS the non-periodic acceleration data can be converted into a series of
many overlapping sine waves, with each curve cycling at its own
The CATIA model was imported into ANSYS WORKBENCH for frequency and amplitude. Even though, acceleration amplitude
static and dynamic analysis. The model is confined from all the five constantly changes in the time-history data, the average value of all
directions and the pressures due to soil and water is applied onto the the amplitudes within a given frequency range can be determined to
model corresponding to the depth of soil cover and water obtain the power spectral density (PSD) function. The PSD function
respectively. was given as input to finite element software and the stress values
3.1 Static analysis of underwater tunnels on the twin tunnel were obtained with its probability of occurrence
in a linear elastic framework.
A static structural analysis determines the displacements, stresses, Figure 5 shows the stresses developed in the twin tunnels
strains, and forces in structures or components caused by loads that when subjected to the given earthquake load. The probability of
do not induce significant inertia and damping effects. Steady loading occurrence is 68.3%. The results of analysis of different cases with
and response conditions are assumed. After applying the overburden various materials indicate that the maximum deformation occurs
pressure, static analysis is performed on the underwater tunnel along the spring line whereas the maximum stresses are observed at
model made of copper, steel and concrete. In this case, the spacing the crown of the tunnel.
between the tunnels is maintained as 4 times the diameter of the
tunnel and the soil overburden is kept uniform. Figure 2 and 3 show
the deformation and stress in concrete twin tunnels respectively
when subjected to static loading. The material property of the tunnel
model was changed to copper and steel and the analysis was done
for the same boundary conditions and loading conditions.

Figure 5 Stresses along the twin tunnels during dynamic loading

3.3 Parametric study on the behaviour of twin underground
Figure 2 Deformation in concrete twin tunnels tunnels
In real situations, the height of soil cover or water depth need not be
uniform. To understand the effect of these variations, different cases
are studied. The effect of free water depth and the thickness of soil
cover on the seismic behaviour of tunnels is studied. In addition to

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Proceeding 20th SEAGC - 3rd AGSSEA Conference in conjunction with 22nd Annual Indonesian National
Conference on Geotechnical Engineering. Jakarta - INDONESIA, 6 -7 November 2018. ISBN No. 978-602-17221-6-9

this, the effect of spacing between the tunnels in the lateral direction
as well as in the vertical direction is also analysed.

Figures 6 and 7 represent the models for different overburden cases.

It can be seen that the depth of soil cover and the depth of water
above the tunnels are different. In twin tunnel model with varying
overburden, the spacing between the tunnels is maintained as 4
times the diameter of the tunnel. The stresses around the tunnels are
calculated by considering the varying depth of the soil as well as
water.

Figure 8 Stress in twin tunnel with constant and varying overburden:

Static analysis

Figure 6 Twin tunnels subjected to varying overburden

Figure 9 Stress in twin tunnel with constant and varying overburden:

Dynamic analysis

Figure 7 Twin tunnels located at different vertical depths

4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The results of the static and dynamic analyses of twin tunnels with
constant and varying overburden are shown in Figures 8 and 9. The
maximum stress values in the twin tunnel model with varied
overburden increased by about 7.3% when compared with tunnels
subjected to uniform overburden. Deformation in copper twin tunnel Figure 10 Stress in twin tunnels with 2d and 4d spacing: Dynamic
analysis
model with varied overburden tunnel is 19.6% less than that of
concrete twin model with uniform overburden. The dynamic
response was studied for three different materials and the maximum
stress values were seen in copper twin tunnels. When compared the
behaviour between concrete and steel, stresses developed in tunnels
made of concrete is found to be marginally less compared to steel
when uniform overburden is considered.
The influence of lateral spacing between the tunnels was studied by
applying earthquake load. Figure 10 shows the variation of stress
when the spacing between the tunnels is 2d and 4d. There is an
increase in stress by 4.2% for the copper twin tunnel model with 2d
spacing in comparison with the twin tunnel model with 4d spacing.

When the tunnels are located at two different depth levels from the
uniform soil bed, it was observed that the increase in stress was
Figure 11. Stress in twin tunnels when located at same depth
around 40.89% for the copper twin tunnel model as shown in Figure
from uniform soil bed and at different depths: Dynamic analysis
11. The stress increase was found to be in the range of 40% for the
tunnels with 2d spacing compared to 4d spacing.
5. CONCLUSION
In this study, the behaviour of single and twin tunnels buried below
the water bed is analysed under static and dynamic loading

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 Proceeding 20th SEAGC - 3rd AGSSEA Conference in conjunction with 22nd Annual Indonesian National
Conference on Geotechnical Engineering. Jakarta - INDONESIA, 6 -7 November 2018. ISBN No. 978-602-17221-6-9

conditions. Parametric studies involving the effect of varying Anirban De, Anthony Niemiec, S.M., and Thomas F. Zimmie.
overburden, spacing in lateral direction and depth of tunnels on the (2017), “Physical and Numerical modelling to study
seismic response of twin tunnel models are carried out. Twin tunnels effects of an underwater explosion on a buried tunnel”,
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