Abstract

Excavation of tunnels below the groundwater table changes the hydraulic boundary conditions, causing flow towards the excavation face. Inflow into a tunnel is generally influenced by pre-excavation grouting, shotcrete lining, drainage system implemen- tation, and the hydraulic deterioration of the drainage system. From the perspective of continuum theory, the groundwater inflow behavior due to excavation is very similar to the tunnel excavation behavior known as the convergence-confinement method. The groundwater inflow behavior due to tunnel excavation can be explained by the hydraulic convergence, while the behavior of shotcrete lining in limiting inflow can be inferred as hydraulic confinement. This study investigates the hydraulic convergence and confinement behavior using theoretical and numerical methods due to tunnelling. It is confirmed that the hydraulic convergence-confinement is exactly the same as the mechanical convergence-confinement concept. It is identified that the behavior is governed by the tunnel geometry, grout thickness and permeability, as well as the thickness and permeability of the support materials, such as shotcrete.