Subsoil movements due to boring of shallow tunnels with shield machines - application of finite elements in connection with a universally formulated material model

Many infrastructure projects at the moment include the planning of shallow tunnels to be bored with a shield machine. The extent of the settlement trough with the resulting settlement and inclination of buildings often represent an important problem. Calculations of these deformations are based on an empirical approximation process or finite element methods.
The reliability of a FE calculation relies significantly on the quality and calibration of the material model used. A material model with a universal approach for all soils, whose parameters can be determined very simply from standardised laboratory tests, has been developed as a contribution to this problem in the consultancy of Dr. Binnewies. The practicality of the material model has been demonstrated in a multitude of specialised civil engineering projects where no damage occurred, and where the calculations performed at the design stage were confirmed by measurements during the construction phase.
The process is illustrated through the example of construction projects in Hamburg. The geology there is characterised by Pleistocene and Holocene sands as well as mica silt, illite and till of varying consolidation resulting from preloading during ice ages.