Effect of elastic modulus on masonry buildings during tunnelling: a coupled centrifuge-numerical modelling study

In this study, a novel coupled centrifuge-numerical modelling (CCNM) approach of shallow strip foundations developed at the University of Nottingham Centre for Geomechanics (NCG) is used to study the response of masonry building behaviour during tunnelling. In the CCNM method, full-scale masonry walls are simulated using a concrete damage plasticity (CDP) constitutive model in Abaqus, while small-scale models of the strip foundation, tunnel, and soil are modelled in a geotechnical centrifuge at elevated gravity-levels (70 g); the foundation settlements in the centrifuge model are transferred in "real-time" to the base of the masonry wall in Abaqus, and subsequently, new loads at the building base (due to structural load redistribution) are fed back to the foundation model after the Abaqus calculation. This testing approach emphasises the crucial role of real-time redistribution of building stresses in tunnel-building interaction scenarios. The data presented in this paper focuses on the effect of the elastic modulus within the adopted CDP model. Initial test results provide valuable insights into how elastic modulus influences the deformation and damage patterns of masonry buildings, as well as the surface settlement profiles, during tunnelling activities.