Numerical Simulation of a Shed-Tunnel Structure’s Dynamic Response to Repeated Rockfall Impacts Using the Finite Element–Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics Method

In practical engineering, a shed-tunnel structure often encounters repeated impacts from rockfall during its whole service life; therefore, this research focuses on exploring the dynamic response characteristics of shed-tunnel structures under repeated impacts from rockfall with a numerical method. First of all, based on a model test of a shed tunnel under rockfall impacts as a reference, an FEM (finite element method)-SPH (Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics) coupled numerical calculation model is established based on the ANSYS/LS-DYNA finite element code. Numerical simulation of the dynamic response of the shed-tunnel structure under rockfall impacts is realized, and the rationality of the model is verified. Then, with this model and the full restart technology of the LS-DYNA code, the effects of four factors, e.g., rockfall mass, rockfall impact velocity, rockfall impact angle and rockfall shape, on the impact force and impact depth of the buffer layer, the maximum plastic strain and axial force of the rebar, the shed roof’s vertical displacement and plastic strain of the shed tunnel are studied. The results show that the impact force, impact depth, roof displacement and plastic strain of the shed tunnel are positively correlated with the rockfall mass, velocity and angle under multiple rockfall impacts. The impact force, roof displacement and plastic strain of the shed-tunnel structure generated by the impact of rockfall consisting of cuboids are all greater than those under spherical rockfall, and the impact depth generated by the impact of spherical rockfall is greater than that of rockfall consisting of cuboids. For rockfall consisting of cuboids, the impact depth, roof displacement and plastic strain are negatively correlated with the contact area. Under repeated rockfall impacts, the peak impact force usually increases first and then tends to be stable.