Available online at www.sciencedirect.

com

ScienceDirect
Procedia Engineering 165 (2016) 40 48

15th International scientific conference Underground Urbanisation as a Prerequisite for

Sustainable Development

Risk caused by construction of the metro shaft adjacent to building

and its control measure
Liyun Li a,*, Zhongwang Qiu a, Yingying Dong a, Xiuli Du a
a
Beijing University of Technology, 100 Ping Le Yuan, Beijing, 100124, China

Abstract

Abstract: Before the construction of Metro station, many accessory structures need to be constructed firstly, including shaft,
Cross channel, and metro station pilot tunnel, etc. Many Engineering cases show that the risks of the circumstances around the
Metro station caused by the excavation of these accessory structures are the major component of the metro construction risk. In
this paper, the risk caused by construction of the metro shaft adjacent to building was studied, which located at the crossings of
ziyou Road and Renmin Street, Changchun, China. Firstly, the major risk was introduced and the construction mechanic behavior
was researched by using MIDAS/GTS finite element software package. Then, a control method was proposed to eliminate this
risk, which was verified by using finite element software. Finally, the proposed measure was also validated with the result of
construction monitoring for this project. This works focus on studying the excavation mechanics behavior of metro shaft and its
influence on the around environment, and these conclusions are useful for providing a basis for similar project construction in the
future.
2016
2016Published by Elsevier
The Authors. Ltd. This
Published is an openLtd.
by Elsevier access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the 15th International scientific conference Underground
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Peer-review
Urbanisation under
as aresponsibility
Prerequisiteoffor
theSustainable
scientific committee of the 15th International scientific conference Underground Urbanisation as a
Development.
Prerequisite for Sustainable Development
Keywords: metro shaft; construction mechanics; numerical simulation; control measure;

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +86-13810424353.

E-mail address: llyun5921@163.com

1877-7058 2016 Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the 15th International scientific conference Underground Urbanisation as a
Prerequisite for Sustainable Development
doi:10.1016/j.proeng.2016.11.733
 Liyun Li et al. / Procedia Engineering 165 (2016) 40 48 41

1. Introduction

With the increasing in economy of China and the advance of the Urbanization processing, the subway is more
and more important for peoples life, which is being constructed widely and widely in many major cities of China,
such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, etc. It is well known that many risks will be faced during the construction of
metro because the excavation of metro will take great influence on its surrounding environment, especially the
excavation of the accessory structure, such as shaft, cross channel, and metro station pilot tunnel, etc. Many
Engineering cases show that the risks of the circumstances around the Metro station caused by the excavation of
these accessory structures are the major component of the metro construction risk. We have discussed these
problems during the excavation of cross channel and pilot tunnel in our previous papers (Li, et al. [1], 2014; Li, et
al.[2], 2015; Wang[3], 2015). In this paper, based on an excavation of metro shaft, located at the crossings of Zi-you
Road and Ren-min Street, built in the special "soil rock composite" geological situation of Changchun area, we will
study the major risks caused by excavation of shaft, and proposed a measures to alleviate the construction risks.

2. Project overview

The project studied in the paper is a metro shaft engineering of the Changchun Subway Line 1, located at the
Northeast crossings of Zi-you Road and Ren-min Street, adjacent to an existing building on the east of the metro
shaft with 4.79m distance. The existing building is a masonry-concrete structure with rubble-mound foundation. The
sectional dimension of the metro shaft is 13.5m7.5m, and the excavation depth is 28.0m. Figure1 shows the
relationship between the metro shaft and the adjacent building and the layout of the monitoring points. From Figure1
and the investigation result, the major risks in this engineering are the safety of the metro shaft and the adjacent
building during the construction. Figure 2 is the Geological profile in construction area which shows that the strata
on the construction area include Miscellaneous fill, Silty clay, Completely weathered mudstone, Strong weathered
mudstone, and Moderately weathered mudstone sequentially from top to bottom. Table1 lists the physical and
mechanical parameters of rock and soil for numerical simulations. And the calculation parameters of supporting
structure are listed in Table 2.

Fig. 1. Layout of the monitoring points.

42 Liyun Li et al. / Procedia Engineering 165 (2016) 40 48

Fig. 2. Geological profile of construction area.

Table 1. Physical and mechanical parameters of rock and soil.

Natural unit Cohesive Internal friction Elastic
Thickness Poisson
Soil name weight strength angle modulus
(m) ration
(kN/m3) (kPa) () (MPa)
Miscellaneous fill 3 18 5 10 0.3 10
Silty clay 2 19.9 30 15 0.32 25
Completely weathered
6 18.8 70 20 0.24 50
mudstone
Strong weathered mudstone 16 19.2 80 20 0.23 70
Moderately weathered
28 22.9 100 25 0.23 120
mudstone

Table 2. Calculation parameters of supporting structure.

Natural unit weight Elastic modulus

No. Name Poisson ration
(kN/m3) (GPa)
1 Lock ring beam 25.0 31.5 0.2
2 Initial lining 23.0 25 0.2
3 Steel timbering 78.5 200 0.25

3. Numerical Simulation

3.1. FEM Numerical model

Firstly, numerical simulation was employed to analyze the mechanic behavior and deformation of the metro shaft
and its surrounding circumstances. Figure 3 is the FEM mesh of calculation model by using the MIDAS/GTS
software package, where the adjacent building was also considered. In order to simplify the computational process,
only the foundation was built in the calculation model, where the upper load calculated with PKPM software
package has been imposed. The calculation sizes are 100m100m48m in width, length, and Height, and the mesh
number is 37456. In simulation, the Mohr-Coulomb model was selected to simulate the constitutive relation of the
rock and soil, the supporting structure was assumed as elastic material. At the same time, solids element was used
 Liyun Li et al. / Procedia Engineering 165 (2016) 40 48 43

for lock ring, rock and soil mass, beam element was employed for steel timbering, and plate element was used for
initial lining. Because the ground water lowering has been completed prior to construction, the effect of ground
water was not considered. The element birth and death technology was employed to simulate the excavation and
support of shaft, and the calculation steps include (1) the crustal stress simulation, (2) construction of lock ring, (3)
excavation of 1# pit for 3.0m depth, (4) excavation of 2# pit for 3.0m depth, (5) excavation of 1# pit for 7.0m depth,
(6) construction of initial lining and steel timbering in 1# pit, (7) excavation of 2# pit for 7.0m depth, (8)
construction of initial lining and steel timbering in 2# pit, (9) excavation of 1# and 2# in turn for 6.0m, 4.0m, 4.0m,
4.0m, and supporting simultaneously, until 28.0m depth where the base was casted. In calculation, the horizontal
and vertical displacements were free at top boundary, but the horizontal displacement is restricted at the lateral
boundary and the vertical displacement was restricted at the bottom boundary.

Fig. 3. MIDAS mesh model.

3.2. Analysis of simulation result

Figure 4 are the contour pictures of vertical displacement and effective plastic strain during construction of the
metro shaft. From the vertical displacement column, we find that there are some rises at the bottom of shaft, and
settlement appears around the shaft, due to the excavation unloading. When excavating depth reached 3.0m, there is
a ground bump in the limited area around the shaft, where the lock ring beam is pushed by the rise of shaft bottom.
With the increasing in excavating depth, the pressure on initial lining is growing which cause the lateral movement
of soil mass around shaft, the settlement of upper soil mass is increasing, but the uplift zone is only limited around
the bottom of shaft. The contour pictures of effective plastic strain indicate that the plastic strain zone become larger
and larger with the increasing in excavation depth. When excavating depth is to 3.0m, the plastic strain zone appears
at the area along the foundation near the shaft. Then, besides the area along the foundation, other plastic strain zone
emerges on the initial lining at the bottom of shaft with the excavation advancing.
44 Liyun Li et al. / Procedia Engineering 165 (2016) 40 48

Excavating
Vertical displacement Effective plastic strain
depth

3m

10m

16m

20m

28m

Fig. 4. Contour picture of Vertical displacement and Effective plastic strain.

It is well known that a major risk is the safety of the adjacent building in this project, so, the response of the
adjacent building should be studied. Figure 5 is the settlement curve of the adjacent Building, and Figure 6 is the
differential settlement curve of the adjacent building. Figure 5 shows that the maximum settlement of the building
is about 9.0mm, but Figure 6 indicates that the maximum differential settlement will be to 6.0mm, and some
treatment measures must be employed to control the damage risk of the adjacent building. So, some retaining piles,
 Liyun Li et al. / Procedia Engineering 165 (2016) 40 48 45

with800@1000, are set up at the east side of the shaft at a distance of 3.55m in this case, which length is 20.0m.
The calculate results are presented in the following.

2
5

4
0
3
Cumulative Settlement (mm)

Differential settlement(mm)
-2
1

0
-4
-1
JCJ-KX-6 -2
-6 JCJ-KX-11
JCJ-KX-12 -3
JCJ-KX-10 JCJ-KX-6-JCJ-KX-12
-4 JCJ-KX-9-JCJ-KX-12
-8 JCJ-KX-1
JCJ-KX-9 -5 JCJ-KX-12-JCJ-KX-10
JCJ-KX-10-JCJ-KX-1
-6
-10
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 0 4 8 12 16 20 24 28
Excavating depth (m) Excavating depth (m)

Fig. 5. Settlement curve of the adjacent building. Fig. 6. Differential settlement curve of the adjacent building.

Figure 7 indicates that the cross-sectional view of surface settlement like a scoop, the influence of the excavation
of shaft on the near monitor position is more prominent than that on the far monitor position to the shaft, and the
scoop appear more and more obvious with the increasing in excavating depth of shaft. From Figure 7, we know that
the influence scope is about once of the excavating depth. Figure 8 is the differential settlement curve of the adjacent
building with retaining piles. Compared Figure 6 to Figure 8, we know that the variation trend of the differential
settlement are different with/without retaining piles, that one without retaining piles is about linear increase, with
the maximum differential settlement value is 4.6-10.2 times of that with retaining piles. So, the employing of
retaining piles can reduce the construction risk for the shaft and enhance the safety of the adjacent building.

2
1
0
-1
-2
-3
Settlement (mm)

-4
-5 3.0m of excavation
-6 10.0m of excavation
-7 16.0m of excavation
20.0m of excavation
-8
24.0m of excavation
-9 28.0m of excavation
-10
-11
-12
-35 -30 -25 -20 -15 -10 -5
Distance to shaft (m)

Fig. 7. Cross-sectional view of surface settlement.

46 Liyun Li et al. / Procedia Engineering 165 (2016) 40 48

1.0

0.8

0.6

0.4

Differential settlement(mm)
0.2

0.0

-0.2

-0.4

-0.6
JCJ-KX-6-JCJ-KX-12
-0.8 JCJ-KX-9-JCJ-KX-12
JCJ-KX-12-JCJ-KX-10
-1.0
JCJ-KX-10-JCJ-KX-1
-1.2

-1.4
0 4 8 12 16 20 24 28
Excavation depth (m)

Fig. 8. Differential settlement curve of the adjacent building with retaining piles.

4. Field monitoring result

In order to verify the effect of retaining piles further, we will check the calculate result with the field monitoring
data in this section. Figure 9 and Figure 10 are all obtained from the field monitoring data, where Figure 9 show the
ground settlement on the surrounding area with the excavating date, and Figure 10 is the Settlement of the adjacent
building. Figure 9 and Figure 10 indicate that the ground settlement and the settlement of the adjacent building are
growing with the increasing in excavating depth until to stable. Figure 11 shows the comparison of the calculate
results to the monitor data, which indicate that the calculate results are agreed to the monitor data and the effect of
the retaining piles is obvious to reduce the deformation of the ground mass and the adjacent building.

3
2
1.5
1.0 1
0.5 0
Cumulative Settlement (mm)

0.0
-0.5 -1
Cumulative Settlement (mm)

-1.0 -2
-1.5
-2.0 -3
-2.5 -4
-3.0
-3.5 -5
-4.0 DB-1-1
DB-1-1 -6
-4.5 DB-1-2
-5.0 DB-1-2 -7 DB-1-3
-5.5 DB-1-3
-8 DB-1-4
-6.0 DB-1-4
-6.5 -9
-7.0
-7.5 -10
27/10 01/11 06/11 11/11 16/11 21/11 26/11 27/10 01/11 06/11 11/11 16/11 21/11 26/11

Date(Day/Month) Date(Day/Month)

(b) NS (b) EW

Fig. 9. Surface settlement curve of the surrounding area.

 Liyun Li et al. / Procedia Engineering 165 (2016) 40 48 47

2.0

1.5

1.0

0.5

Cumulative Settlement (mm)

0.0

-0.5

-1.0

-1.5

-2.0
-&-.;
-&-.;
-2.5 -&-.;
-3.0 -&-.;
-3.5
-&-.;
-&-.;
-4.0

     

Date (Day/Month)

Fig. 10. Settlement curve of the adjacent building.

1 1 1.5

0 1.0
0
Cumulative settlement (mm)

0.5
Cumulative settlement (mm)

-1
-1
0.0

Settlement (mm)
-2
-2 -0.5
-3
-1.0
-4
-3
-1.5 Monitor data of JCJ-KX-6
Calculate result of DB1-2 Calculate result of DB1-3
-5 -4 Monitor data of JCJ-KX-12
Calculate result of DB1-1 Calculate result of DB1-4 -2.0
Calculate result of JCJ-KX-12
-6 Monitor data of DB1-1 Monitor data of DB1-3
-5 -2.5 Calculate result of JCJ-KX-6
Monitor data of DB1-2 Monitor data of DB1-4
-7 -3.0
-6
0 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 0 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 0 4 8 12 16 20 24 28
Excavating depth (m) Excavating depth (m) Excavating depth (m)

(a)Ground settlement I (b) Ground settlement II (c) settlement of the adjacent building

Fig. 11. Contrasting curves on surface settlement and the adjacent Building.

Now, let us discuss the faction of retaining piles to reduce the construction risk of the subway shaft.
In the engineering, the retaining piles and the soil mass between them can constitute an isolation wall, which can
be look as a cantilever pile fixed to the soil mass. The balance of force between two sides of the retaining piles will
be broken due to the excavation of subway shaft, and the additional force will emerge. When the excavating depth
less than the length of the retaining piles, the additional force will be delivered to the lower force bearing layer and
the deformation of upper foundation will be blocked, then, the effect of the excavation of metro shaft on cumulative
settlement and differential settlement will be decreased. With the increasing in the excavating depth of metro shaft,
the embedded depth of cantilever pile is reduced, and the blocking effect will be weakened. Finally, when the
excavating depth exceeds the length of the retaining piles, the blocking effect of the lower bearing layer disappear,
and the differential settlement will increase significantly. Figure 12 reveal the above mechanism.

(a)excavating depth< pile length (b) excavation depth pile length

Fig. 12. Distribution of force on cantilever pile.

48 Liyun Li et al. / Procedia Engineering 165 (2016) 40 48

5. Summary and Conclusions

In this paper, the major risks caused by construction of the metro shaft adjacent to building were made clear,
which located at the crossings of zi-you Road and Ren-min Street, Changchun, China. The construction mechanic
behavior was researched by using MIDAS/GTS finite element software package firstly. In order to eliminate the
damage risk of the adjacent building, a control method of using retaining piles was proposed, which was verified by
using finite element software. The operating principle of the retaining piles to reduce the construction risk of the
subway shaft was analyzed. Finally, the result of construction monitoring for this project proved that the proposed
method was effective. Meanwhile, some conclusions were gained as following.
x The safety of the adjacent building is influenced by the construction of the metro shaft, because the distance
between shaft and the adjacent building is so close.
x The cross-sectional view of surface settlement like a scoop, the influence of the excavation of shaft on the
near monitor position is more prominent than that on the far monitor position to the shaft, and the scoop
appear more and more obvious with the increasing in excavating depth of shaft.
x The influence scope of excavation is about once of the excavating depth.
x The retaining piles are effective to reduce the construction risk of the metro shaft.

Acknowledgments

This paper has been funded by grants from the national science Foundation of P.R. China (No: 51538001).

References

[1] L.Y. Li, Z.H. Wang, H.M. Zhang, and T.Z. Wang, Study on settlement induced by excavation of metro station pilot tunnel with PBA method,
Journal of Engineering Geology. 22 (2014) 130-135.
[2] L.Y. Li, Z.H. Wang, X.L. Du, and A.J. Yao, Study on the construction of subway Cross-channel and its influence factors, The 3rd
International Conference on Geotechnical and Earthquake Engineering (IACGE2015), May 14 - 16, Los Angeles, 2015.
[3] Z.H. Wang, Response of the surrounding site during the construction process of metro holes in complex formation with soil-rock, Masters
thesis. Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 2015.