Cracked Equivalent Beam Models for Assessing Tunneling-Induced Damage in Masonry Buildings

Abstract

This paper proposes simple numerical models that simulate the influence of tunneling-induced ground movements on masonry buildings founded on shallow strip footings. The focus is on developing an improved understanding of the impact of structural discontinuities due to pre-existing cracks and joints between adjacent buildings. The soil–structure system is idealized with equivalent Timoshenko beams connected to a homogenous elastic half-space with rigid links. The flexibility of the equivalent beam at the location of the crack or building interface is determined using linear-elastic fracture mechanics. The proposed models are first applied to a generic numerical example. Then, they are used to interpret the detailed displacement and strain measurements gathered from a masonry church during nearby tunneling. The results show that pre-existing cracks can have variable influence on the soil–structure interaction depending on their extent and position relative to the building and settlement trough. For the investigated case study, the proposed models illustrate how pre-existing large cracks in the hogging zone localized deformations and how the interaction between adjacent buildings drastically altered response mechanisms.