20

Stability problems in tunnelling

Leaving aside a precise definition of mechanical stability we only need to

mention that a loss of stability occurs if in the course of a loading process a
mechanical system becomes suddenly (often the term ’spontaneously’ is used)
softer, so that large deformations appear. These can cause serious damage.
The most widespread known stability problem is the buckling of a rod. Here
we consider the buckling of a tunnel lining or, equivalently, a pipe.

20.1 Rockburst

Rockburst can occur in deep tunnelling and mining and is manifested by

spalling of the cavity walls. Large amounts of stored elastic energy are released
and transformed into kinetic energy so that rock plates of several dm thickness
are accelerated into the cavity causing worldwide many casualties per year.
The mechanism of rockburst is not yet completely understood. The thickness
df of the spalled rock can be estimated according to the following empirical
formula:1
df σmax
= 1.25 − 0.51 ± 0.1 (20.1)
r qu
where r is the tunnel radius, σmax is the maximum circumferential stress at
the tunnel wall and qu is the unconfined strength of the rock.

20.2 Buckling of buried pipes

The buckling under consideration is caused by external forces acting upon

the pipe (or tunnel lining). We should distinguish between forces exerted by a
fluid and forces exerted by the ground. The latter depend on the deformation
1
P.K. Kaiser et al., Underground works in hard rock tunnelling and mining.
GeoEng 2000, Melbourne
352 20 Stability problems in tunnelling

of the pipe, whereas fluid loads are independent of deformation and always
normal to the pipe surface.

20.2.1 Buckling of pipes loaded by fluid

We consider the pipe as a beam with initial curvature, where the differential
equations of bending can be applied. Plane deformation (i.e. displacements
ur = 0, uθ = 0, uz ≡ 0) implies that the Young’s modulus E usually applied
in bending theory of beams has to be replaced by E ∗ := E/(1 − ν 2 ). The
differential equation follows from the known relation ΔM = EJ · Δκ, where
Δκ is the change of the beam curvature and J is the moment of inertia of
the area shown in Fig. 20.3. With r := r0 + u, ṙ := dr/dθ = r0 dr/ds and
r := dr/ds we can express the curvature as

r2 + 2ṙ2 − rr̈
κ=
(r2 + ṙ2 )3/2
Introducing r = r0 + u and neglecting terms quadratic in u and u as well as
the product uu we obtain:
1 u
κ≈ − 2 − u .
r0 r0
With κ0 = 1/r0 for the initially prevailing circular form we finally obtain
u
Δκ = κ − κ0 ≈ − − u ,
r02
and the differential equation
u M
u + 2
=− ∗ (20.2)
r E J
or
M
ü + u = −r2 . (20.3)
E∗J
We now assume that the buckled shape of the pipe is symmetric with respect
to the x and y axes, i.e.

u(ϑ) = u(−ϑ) (20.4)

π  π 
u −ϑ = u +ϑ (20.5)
2 2
Referring to Fig. 20.2 we can express the bending moment M in dependence
of ϑ:

M (ϑ) = M0 − N0 [r0 + u0 − (r0 + u) cos ϑ]

1 2 1
− p [r0 + u0 − (r0 + u) cos ϑ] − p(r0 + u)2 sin2 ϑ . (20.6)
2 2
 20.2 Buckling of buried pipes 353

Fig. 20.1. Buckled pipe

Fig. 20.2. Deriving the bending moment as function of ϑ

Taking into account that N0 = p(r0 + u0 ) and neglecting small terms2 yields
from (20.6):

M ≈ M0 − pr0 (u0 − u) . (20.7)

Introducing (20.7) into (20.3) yields

.. r02
u +k 2 u = − (M0 − pr0 u0 ) (20.8)
E∗J
with
r02
k 2 := 1 + p . (20.9)
E∗J
The solution of (20.8) reads

(M0 − pr0 u0 )r02

u = A cos kϑ + B sin kϑ − . (20.10)
E ∗ Jk 2
From (20.4) follows B = 0 and from (20.5) follow
2
i.e. terms of the order of u2
354 20 Stability problems in tunnelling
 π   π   π
cos k( − ϑ) = cos k( + ϑ) , sin k sin(kϑ) = 0
2 2 2
or
 π
sin k =0 .
2
It follows k = 2n with n = 1, 2, 3, . . . . Thus, the smallest (critical) buckling
load pcr is obtained (Grashof, 1859) from (20.9) for k = 2 as

E∗J
pcr = 3 .
r03

20.2.2 Buckling of elastically embedded pipes

We consider a pipe embedded within a material in such a way that the inter-
action is governed by the subgrade modulus Kr . According to Nicolai3 , the
buckling load is obtained as
E∗I r
p = (k 2 − 1) + Kr 2 , (20.11)
r3 k −1
with k = 2, 3, 4, . . .. If we introduce into Equ. 20.11 the number k which
minimises p 4 , we obtain the critical buckling load according to Domke and
Timoshenko:
2
pcr = Kr E ∗ J . (20.12)
r

Fig. 20.3. Area referring to moment of inertia J

3
E.L. Nicolai, Stabilitätsprobleme der Elastizitätstheorie, Zeitschrift für Ange-
wandte Mathematik und Mechanik, 3, 1923, 227-229
4 dp
This can be obtained by formal differentiation, dk = 0.