Numerical Studies on the Cumulative Damage Effects and Safety Criterion of a Large Cross-section Tunnel Induced by Single and Multiple Full-Scale Blasting

The cumulative damage effects of surrounding rock under single full-face blasting and multiple full-face blasting of a large cross-section tunnel are comparatively studied in this paper. The damage processes of the single and multiple full-face blasting of the tunnel are simulated by the established rock damage model embedded into the LS-DYNA computer code through its user subroutines and a cumulative damage simulation technology in the LS-DYNA. The simulation results are verified against field test data. The results demonstrate that the numerically predicted peak particle velocity (PPV) of the surrounding rock under multiple full-face blasting is more consistent with field test data than that under single full-face blasting, which indicates the advantages of multiple full-face blasting in comparison to single full-face blasting in simulating the blasting process of a tunnel. The maximum damage depth in the middle of the tunnel invert is mostly affected by multiple full-face blasting. Both the maximum damage depth and the maximum PPV occur in the middle of the tunnel invert under single and multiple full-face blasting. Based on the defined damage threshold D-cr and the modeled maximum damage depth of the surrounding rock, the influence of initiation sequence on the critical PPV for rock damage is analyzed, and a critical PPV of rock damage is proposed to provide a safety criterion for tunnel blasting excavation.

Automated summary

The study reveals that multiple full-face blasting provides more accurate simulation of tunnel blasting process and has a significant impact on the maximum damage depth in the middle of the tunnel invert.