Robust segmental lining design - Potentials of advanced numerical simulations for the design of TBM driven tunnels

Loading assumptions used for the structural design of segmental linings often improperly reflect the complex load combinations that develop during the construction of a bored tunnel. Therefore segment designs used in practice tend to be on the safe side and often rely on conventional reinforcement methods instead of including other reinforcement concepts, such as steel fibres. In this contribution, a multi-scale computational modelling framework is proposed to investigate the response of steel-fibre reinforced, traditionally reinforced, and hybrid-reinforced lining segments to radial loadings with an emphasis on the longitudinal joints. This modelling approach offers an opportunity to directly investigate the influence of type and content of steel fibres on the performance of segmented linings at the structural scale. Using this framework, a method for robust optimization is applied in order to generate damage-tolerant hybrid segment designs.