Seismic Design of Tunnels

1. Applicable to lined tunnels.

2. As ground deformed because of seismic waves, ductility and flexibility is the necessary
requirements from structure point of view. However, tunnel should also carry other loads
safely.
3. No damage occurs to tunnels because of earthquake having 0.19g PGA at surface. Minor
damage for 0.25g to 0.4g PGA. Collapse occurs above 0.5g PGA. (Dowding and Rozen)
4. Cut and cover tunnels suffered from large lateral forces from surrounding soil. Duration
of strong seismic motion is important. (Owen and Scholl)
5. Damage to underground facilities decreases exponentially with depth. (Wang)
6. Factors affecting the vulnerability of tunnels

Overburden
Rock/Soil type
Peak ground acceleration

Earthquake magnitude
Epicentre distance
Type of support

7. Seismic loads cannot be calculated accurately. Probability of exceedance is associated

with it. It transient and reversing.
8. The response of surface and sub-surface structure is different. Force method is used for
surface structure. Deformation method is used for underground structures.
9. Two level design criteria is used for design of many civil engineering structures.
Operating Design Earthquake (ODE): Little to no damage
Maximum Design Earthquake (MDE): Public safety (5% exceedance).
10. Force reduction factor can be assumed equal to the ductility provided.
11. Inelastic shear deformation may result in strength degradation. Sufficient shear strength
should be provided members.
12. Analyse the structure by assuming the formation of plastic hinges. Because of it moment
redistribution takes place. Repeat it till all potential plastic hinges are formed.
13. Condition for zero live should also be checked.
14. Deformation in tunnels are of three types: Axial, Curvature, ovaling or racking.
15. Tunnel is modelled as elastic beam for axial and curvature deformation.
16. Tunnel should be simulated as buried structure with plain strain condition for racking or
ovaling. May be caused by vertically, horizontally or obliquely propagating waves.
17. Strike slip earthquake, horizontal motion predominates.
18. Thrust faults vertical effects may equal or exceed the horizontal ones.
19. Peak ground acceleration is not a good parameter for earthquake design of underground
structures.
20. Rayleigh wave may govern the design, if site is at greater distance from epicentre and at
shallow depth.
21. Peak velocity and acceleration can be determined from empirical methods. The effective
wave propagation velocity can be determined from in-situ or laboratory tests.
22. Because of deformation compatibility the prediction of velocity in overburden depth is
difficult. It is greatly affected by the velocity in underlying rock. Thick soil stratum are
less affected.
23. Stiff tunnels in soft soil rarely experience strains that are equal to soil strains.
24. When tunnel goes through the soft soil. Tunnel ground interaction approach should be
used.
25. The tunnel ground system is simulated as an elastic beam on an elastic foundation, with
the theory of wave propagating in an infinite, homogeneous, isotropic medium.
26. Maximum axial force is generated when shear wave is travelling at 45 O to tunnel axis.
Maximum bending moment occurs when travels parallel to tunnel axis.
27. Ground displacement response generally decreases with the wavelength.
28. Increasing the strength of tunnel does not mean a safe design. Tunnel will attract more
loads. So, ductility should increase instead of stiffness.