ABSTRACT
A Load and Resistance Factor Design approach is intended to be used to calculate the tunnels of the Buenos Aires Network of Regional Express Trains (RER) project. AASHTO’s Tunnel Design and Construction Guide Specifications (2017) is used as reference and a recalibration of the load/resistance factors is proposed, to analyze the influence of the local ground properties and their statistical distribution. To do so, a beam and spring finite element model was coupled with a structural reliability software to perform a FORM analysis. From this study importance factors were obtained for the involved parameters and load/resistance factors were calibrated for different limit state cases with an objective reliability. Finally, the RER definitive linings were analyzed using the classical Allowable Stress Design method, the latest AASHTO’s Tunnel Specification and the resulting limit state functions obtained from this study. A performance comparison was carried out for the three methods.
