Influence of Mesh Geometry on Three-Dimensional Finite-Element Analysis of Tunnel Excavation

Finite element (FE) analysis has become an important tool for predicting building response to tunnel-induced ground movement. Because tunnel construction is a three-dimensional (3D) process, the trend is to apply 3D FE analysis to tunnel-soil-building interaction problems instead of applying the plane-strain models that are commonly used in engineering practice. Since 3D FE analyses require large amounts of computational resources, the geometric dimensions of the 3D models are often kept to a minimum to reduce calculation time. There is, however, a lack of published information concerning appropriate mesh dimensions. This paper investigates the influence of the geometry and the dimension of a 3D FE model on tunnel-induced surface settlement predictions. The paper shows how the vertical boundaries can influence the results. It demonstrates that reasonable results can be obtained by increasing the length of incremental tunnel excavation and by scaling back the settlement values to give a required tunnel volume loss. This study therefore not only highlights the limitations of 3D modeling but also shows its potential for engineering practice.