Performance evaluation of pin-holed pipe anchor for fractured zone in subsea tunnel

What is it about?

The presence of a fractured zone at a tunnel face can threaten the stability of the tunnel by causing water leakage and degradation of the soil strength. In this case, to stabilize the tunnel face, the pore water pressure is generally reduced and the loss of soil particles is prevented by installing drainpipes. The installation of drainpipes, however, can cause the concentration of flow channels and other ground instability problems. In this paper, a novel pin-holed pipe anchor is proposed to overcome the problems occurring in subsea tunnels. The pin-holed pipe anchor is a pipe-type support member designed to reinforce the ground while simultaneously enabling flow into the tunnel. Here, the design requirements of the pin-holed pipe anchor were examined through material tests, and the structural–hydraulic characteristics of the pin-holed pipe anchor were investigated through a model test. Furthermore, the applicability of the pin-holed pipe anchor to an actual tunnel was evaluated by numerical analysis of actual tunnels. Through selection of an appropriate perforated drainage area and bonded length, the pin-holed pipe anchor contributed to the improvement of the structural and hydraulic stabilities of the tunnel.

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