Mechanical Analysis of the Circular Tunnel considering the Interaction between the Ground Response Curve and Support Response Curve

The viewpoint that the ground initial elastic displacement and the interaction between the ground response curve (GRC) and support response curve (SRC) in the surrounding rock should be considered at the same time in the mechanical analysis of the circular tunnel is proposed, and its solution method is also established. Meanwhile, in order to consider the effect of the intermediate principle stress, Drucker-Prager criterion is introduced to describe the yield property of the surrounding rock. The calculation example indicates that the final radial displacement of the tunnel circumference will increase when the ground initial elastic displacement in the surrounding rock is considered before the support structure is applied, which indicates that it is necessary to consider the ground initial elastic displacement in the surrounding rock before the support structure is applied. With increasing the support resistance force and the initial field stress, the plastic zone radius in the surrounding rock and the radial displacement of the tunnel circumference will decrease and increase, respectively, while with increasing the rock internal friction angle and cohesion, the plastic zone radius in the surrounding rock and the radial displacement of the tunnel circumference both decrease. Meanwhile, with the stress Lode parameter increasing from −1 to 1, the plastic zone radius in the surrounding rock and the radial displacement of the tunnel circumference both greatly decrease and then slightly increase. It indicates that the intermediate principle stress has some effect on the calculation results.