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Updated: May 23, 2026

The Diffusion of Passive Tracers in Laminar Shear Flow
Published on: May 1, 2018
Stress Transfer Around Cross Passages in Shallow Tunnels: Effects of Volume Loss and Cross Passage Shape
Ahsan Saif1, Munawar Hussain2, Enrico Soranzo1
1Institut Für Geotechnik, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Feistmantelstraße 4, 1180 Vienna, Austria.
Abstract:
This study investigates the response of a parent tunnel (PT) lining to volume loss and cross-passage (CP) shape and how it affects the stress redistribution and deformation of the PT lining around the opening for shallow tunnels in cohesionless soils. Three-dimensional finite-element parametric analyses were carried out using the Hardening Soil with Small Strain constitutive model simulated varying soil densities, CP/PT size ratios (0.25-0.90), PT volume-loss values (0.25-1.0%) and four CP geometries (circular, square, modified horseshoe, inverted-D). Results show that increasing PT volume loss generally reduces residual hoop stresses at CP springlines and crown/invert while producing higher longitudinal stresses at the springlines. CP shape controls stress arching: circular openings concentrate hoop stresses at the springlines, whereas square, inverted-D and modified-horseshoe shapes transfer higher stresses to crown/invert regions. CP deformations decrease with increasing PT volume loss. Among the shapes considered, square openings exhibit the largest vertical deformations, while circular openings show the least. Normalised force-moment plots are developed to guide lining reinforcement around CPs and to inform shape-specific reinforcement detailing aimed at mitigating localised stress concentrations.
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