ABSTRACT
The current trend of intense urban growth around the world has brought an increase in the demand for underground infrastructures including urban tunnels. In many cities, tropical residual soils are the main ground type in which tunnels are driven. Therefore, a thorough understanding of the residual soil engineering behaviour is crucial for planning and design. Considering the large increase in the use of tunnel boring machines, such as the Earth Pressure Balance (EPB), the need for more studies related to this type of construction method when applied to tropical residual soils is undeniable. To characterize the variability of tropical residual soil properties, a database of worldwide published data on laboratory and in-situ testing has been elaborated. This paper presents the results of this compilation together with statistical analyses of its content.
