ABSTRACT
The development of longitudinal stresses in a tunnel tube is often neglected in the structural design of a bored tunnel. The common assumption is that equilibrium is derived for each tunnel ring embedded in the surrounding soil. In this paper an analytical model was developed to analyze the longitudinal stresses in a tunnel tube, which unquestionably are developing. The model is derived according to the theory of Winkler, for a beam on elastic foundation. The model constitutes a summation of partial solutions, related to the staged construction of the tunnel; i.e. adding tunnel segments between the erected tunnel and the Tunnel Bore Machine. The analytical model was verified comparing the results with a staged construction calculation with the Finite Element Code PLAXIS. Finally the model was compared with measurements from the construction of the Second Heinenoord Tunnel in the Netherlands.
