Fundamental Investigation on Design of Tunnel Steel Arch Supports

Abstract

For the purpose of contributing to a proper design of tunnel supports with steel arches, it is necessary to clarify their behavior under earth pressure. As a first approach, the authors investigated a method to calculate the deformation of, and the stress in, steel supports subjected to earth pressure. Special attention was paid to the treatment of the passive forces induced, the mechanical characteristics of the ends of these supports, as well as the joints of the members. As a result of theoretical investigations followed by experiments, the authors obtained a method that may be used in practice.