ABSTRACT
With intensive underground infrastructures accompanying the rapid development and urbanization worldwide, the shield tunneling method has been widely adopted for fast and safe construction where traditional methods cannot be implemented. However, the occurrence of ground movements during tunnel construction is inevitable. In this study, a finite element model simulating a shield tunnel in Macau is established by the software PLAXIS 2D to investigate the ground settlement induced by tunnel construction. After a series of analyses, the numerical results obtained from the software are compared with the field measurements. Though a slight difference exists between the results due to the limitations of simulating the intricate conditions of the actual site, the numerical simulation is considered to be acceptable. The analysis reveals that the settlement trough observed in the field exhibits a distribution resembling a normal curve; however, it demonstrates asymmetrical characteristics. The maximum settlement trough might not always lie on the center of the tunnel axis.
