In-situ experiment; Long-term monitoring; New Belchen tunnel; Opalinus clay shale; Swiss Jura mountains; THM coupled processes; Clay shale; Coupled process; In-situ experiments; Long term monitoring; New belchen tunnel; Opalinus clay; Swiss jurum mountain; THM coupled process; Tunnel tubes; Building and Construction; Geotechnical Engineering and Engineering Geology; In -situ experiment
Abstract :
[en] The old Belchen tunnel tubes in the Swiss Jura Mountains were excavated with drill-and-blast in swellable sedimentary rocks, i.e., anhydrite-rich marls (Gipskeuper) and Opalinus Clay shale (OPA). Already during construction in the 1960s both rock formations caused substantial damage to the tunnel support through high swelling pressures and heave, and in later years the tubes had to be refurbished again. Important maintenance and repair prompted the construction of a new, third Belchen tunnel tube (2016–2021) with a tunnel-boring machine (TBM). In this study we present in-situ datasets acquired to investigate the stress evolution and controlling mechanisms over more than four years at a monitoring section located in a strongly faulted OPA section of the new Belchen tunnel tube. The main datasets include time series of total radial pressure, radial strain, rock water content, rock and concrete temperatures, as well as details of the geological structures obtained from analyses of borehole logs and three-dimensional photogrammetric excavation face models. Finally, a series of idealised numerical simulations explore the impact of measured temperature variations on the measured total pressures, which confirm a strong temperature effect on radial pressures related to the setting of concrete and seasonal climatic variations. We find that in our monitoring section radial pressures on the tunnel support are very heterogeneous, i.e., they range between 0.5 MPa and 1.5 MPa, and still gently increasing 4 years after excavation. The measured pressures are 2–5 times greater than measured in the old Belchen tunnel tubes and similar in magnitude to swelling pressures obtained in laboratory tests. EDZ permeability measurements, water content evolution, and radial strain data from the tunnel invert suggest that swelling processes contribute to the long term radial pressure build-up. Thermo-elastic deformation and swelling might be superimposed by local reactivation of tectonic faults and gap grout cracking at crack-initiation stress levels.
Disciplines :
Civil engineering
Author, co-author :
Ziegler, Martin; Federal Office of Topography, Switzerland
ALIMARDANI LAVASAN, Arash ; University of Luxembourg > Faculty of Science, Technology and Medicine (FSTM) > Department of Engineering (DoE)
Loew, Simon; Department of Earth Sciences, ETH Zurich, Switzerland
External co-authors :
yes
Language :
English
Title :
Stress evolution around a TBM tunnel in swelling clay shale over four years after excavation
We thank all involved companies (Geosonic France Ltd., Diamantbohr AG, Smartec SA, Solexperts AG) for their works and for discussing technical details with us. ILF Beratende Ingenieure AG (R. Kummrow and S. Böheim), Marti AG (T. Heid and M. Hugentobler), Emch + Berger AG (G. Gnädiger), and Kellerhals und Haefeli AG (M. Diem) offered important support. The ETH Institutes for Geotechnical Engineering (Michael Plötze, Annette Röthlisberger, and Marion Rothaupt) and Mechanical Engineering (Giulio Molinari) provided laboratory assistance for the petrophysical tests of OPA and mechanical tests on gap grout. Important student works in this project were conducted by Fiona Nägeli, Brian Antonioli, Carlos Soares, and Tobias Renz (former ETH). We further acknowledge discussions with Basler & Hofmann AG (M. Ramoni, P. Jost and M. Sommer) at the beginning of the project. We greatly appreciate that the Swiss Federal Roads Office (FEDRO) allowed us to carry out these investigations and provided technical reports. Finally, we are grateful to the Swiss Nuclear Safety Inspectorate (ENSI) that provided the funding of the investigations in the new Belchen tunnel. The second author would like to gratefully acknowledge the financial support by the German Research Foundation (DFG) through the collaborative research centre (SFB-837) subproject A5.We thank all involved companies (Geosonic France Ltd. Diamantbohr AG, Smartec SA, Solexperts AG) for their works and for discussing technical details with us. ILF Beratende Ingenieure AG (R. Kummrow and S. Böheim), Marti AG (T. Heid and M. Hugentobler), Emch + Berger AG (G. Gnädiger), and Kellerhals und Haefeli AG (M. Diem) offered important support. The ETH Institutes for Geotechnical Engineering (Michael Plötze, Annette Röthlisberger, and Marion Rothaupt) and Mechanical Engineering (Giulio Molinari) provided laboratory assistance for the petrophysical tests of OPA and mechanical tests on gap grout. Important student works in this project were conducted by Fiona Nägeli, Brian Antonioli, Carlos Soares, and Tobias Renz (former ETH). We further acknowledge discussions with Basler & Hofmann AG (M. Ramoni, P. Jost and M. Sommer) at the beginning of the project. We greatly appreciate that the Swiss Federal Roads Office (FEDRO) allowed us to carry out these investigations and provided technical reports. Finally, we are grateful to the Swiss Nuclear Safety Inspectorate (ENSI) that provided the funding of the investigations in the new Belchen tunnel. The second author would like to gratefully acknowledge the financial support by the German Research Foundation (DFG) through the collaborative research centre (SFB-837) subproject A5.
Allan, M.L., Kavanaugh, S.P., Thermal conductivity of cementitious grouts and impact on heat exchanger length design for ground source heat pumps. HVAC&R Res. 5:2 (1999), 85–96.
Amann, F., Uenduel, Oe., Loew, S., Kaiser, P. 2013. Fracture processes and in-situ fracture observations in Gipskeuper. Published Report Bundesamt für Strassen (ASTRA) Nr. 1422, Chair of Engineering Geology, ETH Zurich. http://www.mobilityplattform.ch.
Amstad, C., Kovári, K., 2001. Untertagbau in quellfähigem Fels. Research report 52/94, 5408.01, Geotechnical Institute, ETH Zurich. 226 pp.
Anagnostou, G., Pimentel, E., Serafeimidis, K., Swelling of sulphatic claystones — some fundamental questions and their practical relevance. Geomech. Tunnel. 3:5 (2010), 567–572, 10.1002/geot.201000033.
Antonioli, B., 2018. Mechanical properties of gap grout installed in the TBM-excavated new Belchen A2 highway tunnel. B.Sc. thesis, Department of Earth Sciences, ETH Zurich. 63 pp.
Barla, M., 2008. Numerical simulation of swelling behaviour around tunnels based on special triaxial tests. Tunn. Undergr. Space Technol. 23, 508–521. https://doi:10.1016/j.tust.2007.09.002.
Becker, A., The Jura Mountains: an active foreland fold-and-thrust belt?. Tectonophysics 321 (2000), 381–406, 10.1016/S0040-1951(00)00089-5.
Bossart, P., Bernier, F., Birkholzer, J., Bruggeman, C., et al. Mont Terri Rock Laboratory, 20 years of research: introduction, site characteristics and overview of experiments. Swiss J. Geosci. 110 (2017), 3–22, 10.1007/s00015-016-0236-1.
Bossart, P., Meier, P.M., Moeri, A., Trick, T., Mayor, J.-C., Geological and hydraulic characterisation of the excavation disturbed zone in Opalinus Clay of the Mont Terri Rock Laboratory. Eng. Geol. 66 (2002), 19–38.
Bossart, P., Thury, M., Mont Terri Rock Laboratory − Project, 2008, 194 pp. program 1996 to 2007.
Brinkgreve, R.B.J., Engin, E., Swolfs, W.M., PLAXIS 2D 2015, Thermal and thermo-hydro-mechanical analysis. 2015, Plaxis bv, Delft.
Butscher, C., Mutschler, T., Blum, P., Swelling of clay-sulfate rocks: a review of processes and controls. Rock Mech. Rock Eng. 49 (2016), 1533–1549, 10.1007/s00603-015-0827-6.
Butscher, C., Scheidler, S., Farhadian, H., Dresmann, H., Huggenberger, P., Swelling potential of clay-sulfate rocks in tunneling in complex geological settings and impact of hydraulic measures assessed by 3D groundwater modelling. Eng. Geol. 221 (2017), 143–153, 10.1016/j.enggeo.2017.03.010.
Buxtorf, A., Zur Tektonik des Kettenjura. Berichte über die Versammlungen des Oberrheinischen Geologischen Vereins 40 (1907), 29–38.
Cataldo, A., De Benedetto, E., Cannazza, G., Broadband reflectometry for enhanced diagnostics and monitoring applications. 2011, Springer, Berlin, 148.
Chenevert, M.E., Shale alteration by water adsorption. J. Pet. Technol. 22:09 (1970), 1141–1148, 10.2118/2401-PA.
Choquet, P., Juneau, F., Debreuille, P.J., Bessette, J., Reliability, long-term stability and gage performance of vibrating wire sensors with reference to case histories. Proceedings of the 5th International Symposium on field measurements in geomechanics, 1999, pp.
Cruz, C.R., Gillen, M., Thermal expansion of Portland cement paste, mortar and concrete at high temperatures. Fire Mater. 4:2 (1980), 66–70.
Duris, L., Aldorf, J., Geryk, J., Thermal load of the final lining of traffic tunnels. IOP Conf. Series. Mater. Sci. Eng., 236, 2017, 8 pp, 10.1088/1757-899X/236/1/012073.
Egger, P., Mathier, J.F., Descoeudres, F., Kohler, P., Einschränkung des Baugrundrisikos durch Auffahren eines Probestollens, Beispiel Mont Terri Tunnel. Proc. Symp. 1991, on Safety and Risk in Underground Construction, Zurich, 15–23.
Einstein, H.H., Tunneling in swelling rock. Undergr. Space 4 (1979), 51–61.
Einstein, H.H., Tunnelling in difficult ground — Swelling behaviour and identification of swelling rocks. Rock Mech. Rock Eng. 29:3 (1996), 113–124.
Einstein, H.H., Tunnels in Opalinus Clayshale – A review of case histories and new developments. Tunn. Undergr. Space Technol. 15:1 (2000), 13–29.
Einstein, H.H, Bischoff, N., 1975. Design of tunnels in swelling rock. 16th U.S. National Symposium on Rock Mechanics, September 22–24, Minneapolis, pp. 185–197.
Eurocode 2, 2005. Design of concrete structure (part 1–2: general rules—structural fire design); BSEN 1992-1-2; British Standards Institution: London, Great Britain.
Fernández, A.M., Leon, F.J., Nieto, P., Pore water chemistry obtained by squeezing from Opalinus Clay core samples belonging to the Belchen tunnel (Switzerland). 2021, Internal report, Ciemat, Madrid (Spain), 33.
Fernández, A.M., Bath, A., Waber, H.N., Oyama, T., 2003. Water sampling by squeezing drillcores, in: Pearson, F.J. et al. (Eds.), Mont Terri project – Geochemistry of water in the Opalinus Clay formation at the Mont Terri Rock Laboratory. Swiss Federal Office for Water and Geology (FOWG), Geology Series 5, 171–199.
Fritz, S.J., Marine, I.W., Experimental support for a predictive osmotic model of clay membranes. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 47:8 (1983), 1515–1522.
Fröhlich, B., Anisotropes Quellverhalten diagenetisch verfestigter Tonsteine. Ph.D. dissertation at the Chair of Rock Mechanics. 1986, University of Karlsruhe, 130 pp.
Gaich, A., Pötsch, M., 3D images for digital tunnel face documentation at TBM headings – Application at Koralmtunnel lot KAT2. Geomech. Tunnel. 9:3 (2016), 210–221, 10.1002/geot.201600018.
Giger, S.B., Marschall, P., Lanyon, B., Martin, C.D., Hydro-mechanical response of Opalinus Clay during excavation works – a synopsis from the Mont Terri URL. Geomech. Tunnel. 8:5 (2015), 421–425, 10.1002/geot.201500021.
Grob, H., Swelling pressure illustrated with the example of the Belchen tunnel, in. Proceedings Internationales Symposium für Untertagbau, 1972, 99–119.
Haxaire, A., Galavi, V., Brinkgreve, R.B.J., Definition and implementation of a fully coupled THM model for unsaturated rocks. ISRM International Symposium -, 2013.
Homand, F., Pepa, S., Henry, J.P., 1996. Laboratory measurements on Opalinus Clay samples. Mont Terri Project, Technical Note 1996-22, 16 pp.
Huder, J., Amberg, G., Quellung in Mergel, Opalinuston und Anhydrit. Schweizerische Bauzeitung 88 (1970), 975–980.
ISRM, Suggested methods for determining water content, porosity, density, absorption and related properties and swelling and slake-durability index properties. Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci. Geomech. Abstr. 16:2 (1979), 141–156.
Jones, B.D., Clayton, C.R.I., Interpretation of tangential and radial pressure cells in and on sprayed concrete tunnel linings. Undergr. Space. 6:5 (2020), 516–527, 10.1016/j.undsp.2020.12.001.
Laubscher, H.P., Die Fernschubhypothese der Jurafaltung. Eclogae Geol. Helv. 54 (1961), 221–280.
Laubscher, H.P., Jura kinematics and the Molasse Basin. Eclogae Geol. Helv. 85 (1992), 653–675.
Lavasan, A.A., Zhao, C., Barciaga, T., Schaufler, A., Steeb, H., Schanz, T., Numerical investigation of tunneling in saturated soil: the role of construction and operation periods. Acta Geotech. 13 (2018), 671–691, 10.1007/s11440-017-0595-4.
Leucker, R., Breidenstein, M., Wirtz, C., Stresses measured in the tunnel lining of the new Schlüchtern tunnel: Current status and experience. Proceedings World Tunnel Congress 2008 – Underground Facilities for Better Environment and Safety, September 22–24, 2008, Agra, India, 743–751.
Madsen, F.T., Flückiger, A., Hauber, L., Jordan, P., Voegtli, B., New investigations on swelling rocks in the Belchen tunnel, Switzerland. Proceedings 8th ISRM Congress, September 25–29, 1995, Tokyo, Japan, 263–267.
Madsen, F.T., Müller-Vonmoos, M., The swelling behaviour of clays. Appl. Clay Sci. 4:2 (1989), 143–156.
Martin, C.D., Lanyon, G.W., Measurement of in-situ stress in weak rocks at Mont Terri Rock Laboratory, Switzerland. Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci. 40 (2003), 1077–1088, 10.1016/S1365-1609(03)00113-8.
Mikulić, D., Milovanović, B., Gabrijel, I., Nondestructive Testing of Materials and Structures, 2013, Springer Netherlands, Dordrecht, 465–471.
Mindess, S., Young, J.F., Darwin, D., Concrete. 2nd edition, 2002, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ, USA, Prentice Hall, Pearson Education, 644.
Müller, H., Leupin, O., 2012. WS-H (Investigation of wet spots): Observation, first experimental results, and a short presentation of possible hypotheses regarding the origin of these waters. Mont Terri Project, Technical Note 2012-96, 49 pp.
NAGRA, ENSI-Nachforderung zum Indikator «Tiefenlage im Hinblick auf bautechnische Machbarkeit» in SGT Etappe 2. Projektkonzepte für die Lagerkammern und Versiegelungsstrecken und deren Bewertung. Wettingen, 2016, 197 pp.
Naegeli, F., 2018. Investigation of in-situ and laboratory water content of Opalinus Clay shale from a borehole drilled at the new Belchen highway tunnel. B.Sc. thesis at the Department of Earth Science, Chair of Engineering Geology, ETH Zurich, 51 pp.
Norrish, K., The swelling of montmorillonite. Discuss. Faraday Soc. 18 (1954), 120–134.
Pimentel, E., Quellverhalten von diagenetisch verfestigtem Tonstein. Ph.D. dissertation at the Chair of Rock Mechanics. 1996, University of Karlsruhe, 184 pp.
Rauh, F., Thuro, K., 2007. Investigations on the swelling behavior of pure anhydrites. In: Proceedings 1st Canada — U.S. Rock Mechanics Symposium, May 27–31, Vancouver, Canada, 7 pp.
Renz, T., Ziegler, M., Loew, S., 2019. Investigations in the new TBM-excavated Belchen highway tunnel. In-situ and laboratory data analyses (Part 3). ENSI Research and Experience Report 2018. ENSI-AN-10577, pp. 315–325.
Sass, I., Burbaum, U., Damage to the historic town of Staufen (Germany) caused by geothermal drillings through anhydrite-bearing formations. Acta Carsologica 39:2 (2010), 233–245, 10.3986/ac.v39i2.96.
SGK, Bericht über Klimamessungen Belchen, Röhre Mitte. Auftrag 150001/000516, Bundesamt für Strassen. Zofingen., 111, 2020, p.
Soares, C., 2017. Investigations of Opalinus clay structural geology and tunnel face stability along the new Belchen N2 highway tunnel, folded Jura. M.Sc. thesis, Department of Earth Sciences, ETH Zurich. 74 pp.
Steiner, W., Swelling rock in tunnels: rock characterization, effect of horizontal stresses and construction procedures. Int. J. Rock. Mech. Min. Sci. Geomech. Abstr. 30:4 (1993), 361–380.
Steiner, W., Rossi, P.P., Devin, P., Flatjack measurements in the lining of the Hauenstein-Tunnel as a design base for the new Wisenberg-Tunnel. Proceedings International Congress on Progress and Innovation in Tunnelling, 1989, pp.
Steiner, W., Kaiser, P.K., Spaun, G., Role of brittle fracture on swelling behaviour: evidence from tunnelling case histories. Geomech. Tunnel. 4:2 (2011), 17–32, 10.1002/geot.201100005.
Thoeny, R., 2014. Geomechanical analysis of excavation-induced rock mass behaviour of faulted Opalinus Clay at the Mont Terri Underground Rock Laboratory (Switzerland). Ph.D. dissertation, Department of Earth Sciences, ETH Zurich. 182 pp.
Vögtli, B., Bossart, P., 1998. DT Experiment: Swelling experiment on Opalinus Clay drillcores. Mont Terri Project, Technical Note 1997-06 (revised), 13 pp.
Waber, H.N., Rufer, D., 2017. Porewater geochemistry, method comparison and Opalinus Clay – Passwang formation interface study at the Mont Terri URL. Mont Terri Project, Technical Report 2017-02.
Wüst, R.A.J., McLane, J., Rock deterioration in the royal tomb of Seti I, Valley of the Kings, Luxor. Egypt. Eng. Geol. 58:2 (2000), 163–190, 10.1016/S0013-7952(00)00057-0.
Zhang, C.L., Rothfuchs, T., Jockwer, N., Wieczorek, K., Dittrich, J., Mueller, J., Hartwig, L., Komischke, M., 2007. Thermal effects on the Opalinus Clay. Mont-Terri Project, Technical Report 2007-02. Final Report on a Joint Heating Experiment of ANDRA and GRS at the Mont Terri URL (HE-D Project), 197 pp.
Zhao, S.B., Yang, S., Feng, X.Z., Lu, M.J., Study on thermal conductivity of reinforced concrete plate. Appl. Mech. Mater. 438-439 (2013), 321–328, 10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.438-439.321.
Ziegler, M., Loew, S., 2017. Investigations in the new TBM-excavated Belchen highway tunnel. Program, design and installations (Part 1). ENSI Research and Experience Report 2016. ENSI-AN-9961, pp. 281–288.
Ziegler, M., Loew, S., 2018. Investigations in the new TBM-excavated Belchen highway tunnel. Final installations and first results (Part 2). ENSI Research and Experience Report 2017. ENSI-AN-10294, pp. 317–324.
Ziegler, M., Lukovic, M., Lavasan, A.A., Christ, F., Schoen, M., Loew, S., 2021. Investigations in the new TBM-excavated Belchen highway tunnel. Status update (Part 5). ENSI Research and Experience Report 2020. ENSI-AN-11061, pp. 313–320.
