Research on joints and gasket seismic response of deep-water long immersed tube tunnels

Abstract:

With China's economic and social development, a growing number of cross-harbor tunnels and cross-river tunnels are constructed for the need of transportations and economics. Immersed tube tunnel is a simple and easily-built tunnel and still less to the use in China, only Guangzhou Pearl River Tunnel, Ningbo Yongjiang tunnel, Ningbo Changhong tunnel and Shanghai outer ring tunnel. Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Cross-Harbor Tunnel which is being built is the world's longest immersed tube tunnel (length 5664m) and will be based in the depth of about 40 meters below sea level. This paper is based on Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Cross-Harbor Tunnel Project, and the three-dimensional continuous model is established to research joints’ forces and displacements and GINA gaskets’ deformation. It focuses on joints’ relative displacement (including pipe joints and segment joints), reducible seismic effect of segment joints and GINA gaskets’ deformation. There is an important guiding significance for design and construction of immersed tube tunnel.