Rock at depth is subjected to stresses resulting from the weight of the overlying strata and from locked-in stresses of tectonic origin. When an opening is excavated in this rock, the stress field is locally disrupted and a new set of stresses are induced in the rock surrounding the opening. A knowledge of the magnitudes and directions of these in situ and induced stresses is an essential component of underground excavation design since, in many cases, the strength of the rock is exceeded and the resulting instability can have serious consequences on the behavior of the excavations.

he Convergence-Confinement Method is a basic and commonly used tool for underground support structures in conventional tunneling during the preliminary stage of design.

The Rock Your Analysis with PLAXIS series will discuss rock engineering applications, their challenges, and the resources that numerical modelers and geotechnical engineers can use to solve these problems by using PLAXIS geotechnical analysis software.

Le Port de Tanger est constitué de caissons en béton armé posés sur un remblai en fond de mer. Les terrains d’assise sont des sables silteux à graveleux épais d’une trentaine de mètres reposant sur le substratum.

In the context of model calibration and validation, conducting a sensitivity analysis is very important. This can determine the key factors which govern the system and efficiently characterize the geotechnical variability for any considered design problem.