Analysis of TBM parameters during tunnelling in adverse conditions - The case study of the Frejus Safety Tunnel, Western Alps

One of the main hazards during tunnel boring machine (TBM) excavation in hard rock is related to the occurrence of unforeseen adverse conditions, leading to unfavourable rock mass behaviour during tunnel boring. In this respect, the continuous analyses of TBM excavation parameters may represent an interesting tool for a continuous monitoring of geotechnical conditions at the tunnel face and for early detection of changing ground conditions in the rock mass. This work provides a back-analysis of TBM data recorded during the excavation of the Frejus Safety Tunnel, bored across the French-Italian border in the Western Alps. It is a 13 km-long tunnel excavated by a 9.4 m diameter, single-shield TBM through strongly anisotropic calcareous schist, with cover up to 1800 m. Main problems faced during TBM excavation were related to the local occurrence of buckling-related convergence and consequent asymmetrical loading on the precast segment rings. Correlating TBM performance parameters to the encountered geological and geomechanical conditions provides the possibility to identify which parameters are most affected by geomechanical properties of the rock mass at the tunnel face and by rock mass behaviour. Conversely, the analysis indicates which parameters can be adopted as monitoring tool of ground conditions during TBM advance. In addition, this work highlights how buckling phenomena can be distinguished, in terms of TBM operation and performance, from other adverse conditions as, e.g., blocky ground or squeezing.