Initial excess pore water pressures induced by tunnelling in soft ground

Tunnelling-induced long-term consolidation settlement attracts a great interest of engineering practice. The distribution and magnitude of tunnelling-induced initial excess pore water pressure have significant effects on the long-term consolidation settlement. A simple and reliable method for predicting the tunnel-induced initial excess pore water pressure calculation in soft clay is proposed. This method is based on the theory of elasticity and SKEMPTON’s excess pore water pressure theory. Compared with the previously published field measurements and the finite-element modelling results, it is found that the suggested initial excess pore water pressure theory is in a good agreement with the measurements and the FE results. A series of parametric analyses are also carried out to investigate the influences of different factors on the distribution and magnitude of the initial excess pore water pressure in soft ground.