A semi-analytical solution for shallow tunnels with radius-iterative-approach in semi-infinite space

This study presents a semi-analytical elastic-plastic solution for a shallow tunnel subjected to ground loss in the strain-softening surrounding rock. The most important contribution is the radius-iterative-approach in which the initial plastic radius is first determined by the strain continuity boundary condition on the elastic-plastic interface and then corrected to the precise one. The corrected approach follows three steps: (1) Applying the radius increment technique to semi-infinite space (2) Carrying out the plastic radius correction by using iteration method from the elastic-plastic interface to the tunnel wall. (3) If the calculated convergence value is equal to the convergence value on the tunnel wall, the accurate determination of the plastic region, stresses, and displacements, of the whole half plane, can be derived consequently. All the results compare favorably with numerical simulation results. The study completes the theoretical framework for addressing the fundamental problem of shallow tunnels excavated in the semi-infinite space and also provides a useful theoretical tool for potential application on the tunnel and underground engineering problems.