ABSTRACT
This paper studies the effect of rockmass conditions, in the tunnel face deformation (extrusion) for deep tunnels (overburden height H ≥ 100m) via three-dimensional (3D) numerical analyses in the commercial Finite Element Code RS3 Rocscience. The numerical investigation focuses on tunnel face stability in cases of unsupported tunnel face and reinforced tunnel face by fiberglass dowels, through the tunnel face deformation. The paper produces a non – dimensional ground factor (Λο) working on the rockmass conditions as a function of the tunnel face extrusion (Ωh). In cases of reinforced tunnel face fronts by fiberglass dowels, the reduction of the tunnel face extrusion (ΔΩh) is correlated with the tunnel face support characteristics.
