Assessment on the mechanical stability of underground excavations

; Taniguchi, Wataru; Koo, Shigeru*; Hasegawa, Hiroshi; Sugino, Hiroyuki; Kubota, Shigeru*; Dewa, Katsuyuki*

JNC TN8400 99-037, 281 Pages, 1999/11

JNC-TN8400-99-037.pdf:15.51MB

It is planned to construct the tunnels and emplace waste packages at several hundred meters to 1,000 meters under the ground for the repository of high-level radioactive waste based on a policy to assure the safe life environment. It is required to be mechanically stable for the tunnels to assure the work safety throughout the construction, operation and closure phase. In this report, the mechanical stability of tunnels, that is a factor of design requisites, was evaluated by the analyses to present an outline of the technical reliability of geological disposal. To put it concretely, the tunnel sections were determined to have the required areas and shapes, and the analyses on the mechanical stability at tunnel excavations and earthquake, at tunnel intersections were conducted by the theoretical analysis and finite element method. The results obtained by these investigations are shown below: (1)It will be able to construct the tunnels with present techniques. The mechanical stability of tunnels will be assured if proper supports are given, and adequate tunnel spacing and disposal-pit pitches are set. (2)The mechanical stability will be assured at the tunnels intersections if proper reinforcement measures are taken. The reinforcement will be required for the intersection areas over the distance of 1D (D: diameter of tunnels) on the obtuse angle side, and 4D on the acute angle side, when intersection angle is set at 30 degrees. (3)The investigations were conducted on the assumption that the experienced big earthquake occurred. The results show that the effect of earthquake on the mechanical stability of tunnels is small, and tunnels are stable at the earthquake when the mechanical stability at tunnel excavations is assured.