Ricerc@Sapienza

This paper deals with the interpretation of the damage originated by the 2016 Norcia earthquake, Italy, in a deep tunnel excavated in a calcareous rock mass. A careful investigation of the damage pattern, together with the availability of seismic signals recorded in the vicinity of the tunnel during the earthquake, prompted a back-analysis of the observed phenomenon. The study hinged on a combination of site response analyses, simulation of the tunnel construction, and computation of the effect of the earthquake on the tunnel lining.

The paper focuses on the response of framed structures to tunnel excavation in sand. Standard 3D Finite Element analyses, in which the structural elements are explicitly detailed, as well as simplified equivalent beam models were adopted to simulate the influence of the frame and that of the masonry infills. Both approaches well captured the main soil-structure interaction mechanisms. The presence of stiff masonry infills was found to reduce the angular distortions of the frame bays and, as such, to reduce the tunnelling induced damage.

The expansion of cities often involves tunnel construction, which may result in detrimental effects on existing structures. This paper considers the interaction between tunnelling-induced ground deformations and framed buildings on raft foundations. The aim of the paper is to study the differences between scenarios where an equivalent plate and a real frame are used in the tunnel-building interaction problem. The paper includes experimental data obtained from geotechnical centrifuge tests and predictions of building response based on numerical analyses.