Seepage Actions and Their Consequences on the Support Scheme of Deep-Buried Tunnels Constructed in Soft Rock Strata

The stability of deep soft rock tunnels under seepage conditions is of particular concern. Aiming at thoroughly discussing seepage actions and their consequences on the support schemes of such structures, the host rocks of the Weilai Tunnel situated in the Guangxi province of China are used as the research subject. Emphasis is placed on adequately examining the seepage conditions, stresses, displacements and plastic zone radii along the surrounding rocks of such tunnels, taking into consideration the Mogi–Coulomb strength criterion and the elastic-plastic theory. Explicitly, this article proposes analytical solutions for stresses, displacements and plastic radii around deep tunnels in soft rocks under seepage conditions by considering the aforesaid criterion and nonlinear elastoplastic approaches. Subsequently, based on the strain-softening model, the coupled actions of seepage and softening on the rocks surrounding the tunnel are studied. In order to investigate the effects of relevant influencing factors on tunnel stability, parametric studies are thoroughly examined. According to the results, it is revealed that the support scheme of deep soft rock tunnels must be of the highest resistance possible to better decrease the plastic zone and the tangential stress along the host rocks. Moreover, throughout the surrounding rocks, the dissemination of pore water pressure is strongly affected by the uneven permeability coefficient under anisotropic seepage states. The combined effects of softening and seepage are very dangerous for the surrounding rocks of deep-buried tunnels. It is also shown that the seepage pressure substantially affects the plastic radii and tunnel displacements. Under high seepage pressure, the surface displacements of the tunnel are excessive, easily exceeding 400 mm. To better guarantee the reasonable longevity of such tunnels, the long-term monitoring of their support structures with reliable remote sensors is strongly recommended.