• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.22-31
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• 2012

In this study, scaled model tests were performed to investigate the stability of an asymmetrical twin tunnels constructed in rock mass comprising alternating layers of sandstone and shale. Each of tunnels had a differently shaped section, where the one was already constructed tunnel including lining structure but the other was planned to be under construction. Four types of test models which had respectively different pillar widths and loading conditions were experimented, where both crack initiating pressures and deformation behaviors around tunnels were investigated. The cracks of pillar mainly began to appear at the interfaces of alternating layers, following additional shear displacement between layers was confirmed as one of the most important factors of pillar failure in case of the model of pillar width 0.5D. The models with shallower pillar widths proved to be unstable because of lower crack initiating pressures and more tunnel convergences than the models with thicker pillar widths. The failure and deformation behaviors of tunnels were also dependent on the loading conditions, where the model of coefficient of lateral pressure 1.0 was more stable than the other model. Futhermore, the results of FLAC analysis were qualitatively coincident with the experimental results.