Building deformation caused by tunnelling: centrifuge modelling

This paper investigates the deformation of buildings due to tunnelling-induced soil displacements. Centrifuge model tests of 3D printed building models subject to a plane-strain tunnel excavation in dense, dry sand are discussed. The small-scale structures replicate important building characteristics including brittle material properties similar to masonry, a realistic building layout, façade openings, strip footings and a rough soil-structure interface. Digital images were captured during the experiments, enabling image-based measurements of the building response. Results demonstrate the essential role of the building-to-tunnel position and structural details (i.e. opening percentage and building length). The onset of building cracking and cracking patterns confirms the importance of the building-to-tunnel position and structural details. The tests illustrate that an increase in the façade opening area leads to increased shear deformations while longer buildings caused an increase in b...