Sidewall Collapse of Underground Structures Due to Loss of Lateral Support Under Internal Blast Loading

The structural integrity of immersed-tube tunnels that have a cross-section depends on the lining, the center wall and the horizontal slab. If a train running in tunnel-section I or II were subjected to an explosion, which then failed large area of the horizontal slab and also significantly weakened the sidewall, the sidewall might collapse under the lateral earth and water pressures. In this study, a sophisticated three-dimensional Finite Element (FE) model will be established to analyze the problem. It will identify the failure mechanism of such tunnels under the aforementioned scenario. Structure protection using fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) wrapping will also be investigated. Outcome of this study may not only serve the infrastructure protection in New York City area, it may also contribute to the general tunnel security literature, as the investigations on sidewall collapse due to loss of lateral support are very limited.

Language

  • English

Project

  • Status: Completed
  • Funding: $11630.00
  • Contract Numbers:

    49997-60-24

  • Sponsor Organizations:

    University Transportation Research Center

    City College of New York
    Marshak Hall, Suite 910, 160 Convent Avenue
    New York, NY  United States  10031
  • Project Managers:

    Eickemeyer, Penny

  • Performing Organizations:

    City College of New York

    Civil Engineering, Steinman T-127
    140th Street and Convent Avenue
    New York, NY  United States  10031
  • Principal Investigators:

    Liu, Huabei

  • Start Date: 20120901
  • Expected Completion Date: 0
  • Actual Completion Date: 20130831
  • Source Data: RiP Project 33486

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 01471046
  • Record Type: Research project
  • Source Agency: University Transportation Research Center
  • Contract Numbers: 49997-60-24
  • Files: UTC, RIP
  • Created Date: Jan 31 2013 1:01AM