Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology

Volume 49, June 2015, Pages 218-229

Numerical simulation for the estimation the

jacking force of pipe jacking
J. Yen, K. Shou

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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tust.2015.04.018
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Highlights

• Numerical analysis was employed to estimate the jacking force.

• The displacement control jacking force estimation model was

established.

• This study focused on two pipe jacking cases in gravel formations.

• The monitoring data was used to establish and verify the model.

• The results suggest the applicability of developed model.

Abstract

For a pipe jacking construction, reducing the soil–pipe interface friction and providing
enough jacking force are the most common approach to optimize the construction
efficiency. In practice, jacking force is generally estimated by various empirical equations.
However, the estimations of empirical equations frequently deviate from the reality. In
this study, a model coupling finite element method and a displacement control method
were applied to estimate the required jacking force in pipe jacking. Two cases were
examined from Central Taiwan, where the primary geological foundation composed of
gravel formations. Case A pertained to pipe jacking construction during which sewage
pipes with a diameter of 2.4 m were utilized. The monitoring data from this case were
used to establish the jacking force estimation model. The jacking force history observed
in Case B, in which sewage pipes of 1.0 m diameter were used, was compared with those
obtained by the developed model to demonstrate the applicability of the model. The
results suggested the developed model can estimate the jacking force with a better
accuracy towards the middle and the final stage of the pipe jacking process.

Introduction

In engineering design, numerical analysis is commonly applied to the simulation of

engineering behavior. Through numerical simulation, the engineering behavior of soil–
pipe interaction can be rapidly determined for use as the basis of a better engineering
design. This is done by establishing the impact of the pipe jacking construction on
buildings and pipelines adjacent to the pipe jacking route. Most of the studies adopt the
force control method, in which the force boundary conditions are given (Barla, 2006,
Barla, 2013, Broere, 2007, Shou et al., 2010, Shou and Yen, 2010, Li, 2012).

In the force control method, after the jacking force is obtained by using various empirical
or theoretical equations, it is included as input data for the numerical model to simulate
pipe jacking. If the jacking force is insufficient, the pipes cannot be jacked to the
appropriate position. In contrast, the jacking force may be excessive, and causing
penetration through the excavation face, in which modifications will be required to
obtain the suitable jacking force. However, it will be required to carry out a trial-and-
error modification to obtain a suitable jacking force value (Shou et al., 2010, Shou and
Yen, 2010).

There have been numerous studies exploring and discussing the estimation of jacking
force (Chapman and Ichioka, 1999, Staheli, 2006, Beckmann, 2007, Jiang, 2008, Röhner,
2010). During construction, the jacking force may be excessively large to overcome the
excessive resistance, causing damage to the pipes, or overly small, resulting in inefficient
or failed pipe jacking operations. Numerical simulation can be conducted before the
actual pipe jacking construction to estimate the required jacking force employed in
various construction conditions and jacking distances. The results of simulation can help
construction workers in preparing lubricants and arranging intermediate jacking
stations, in order to prevent pipes from being damaged by excessive jacking force, and to
achieve the ultimate goal of improving pipe jacking efficiency.
In this study, the displacement control option in the numerical analysis software ABAQUS
(Abaqus Inc., 2012) was used to designate the displacement at the end cross section of
the pipe in the launch shaft. Accounting for the contact property and the contact range
between the pipes and the soil during the jacking process, the stresses exerted on the
pipes were used to back-calculate the jacking forces.

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Section snippets

Lubrication and jacking force estimation models

In a pipe-jacking construction, the functions of lubrication include supporting the

excavated face, reducing the radial effective stresses in the pipe, and conditioning the
excavated soil into a dischargeable mixture. However, new chemical additives have been
developed and applied. Their main purposes can be creating a protective layer to repel
surrounding water, reducing the permeability of the soil near the lubricant-soil
boundary, etc. (Milligan and Norris, 1994, Milligan, 2000, Borghi, 2006 …

Numerical models for the cases

The numerical software ABAQUS, a finite element software was used in this study. The
analyses focused on two construction cases in the Taichung Science Park. The inner
diameters of the pipes used in Cases A and B were 2.4 m and 1.0 m, respectively. For Case
A, because of its larger pipe diameter and longer jacking distance, lubricants were
applied to reduce the soil–pipe friction. On the other hand, no lubricant was applied in
Case B, because its pipe diameter is smaller and jacking distance is …

Stress distributions on the pipes

The stress in the pipe was a function of the normal and lateral pressure from the soil in
addition to the jacking. In order to simulate the pure component of stress caused by the
jacks alone, when using the displacement control method to push the pipe at the end of
the pipe series, the stress exerted on the pipe is mainly in the jacking direction, i.e. the
longitudinal direction. Therefore, this study only focused on the distribution of the
longitudinal component (σxx) of stress on the pipe, …
Conclusions and suggestions

Instead of time consuming trial-and error approach to estimate the jacking force, this
study shows that the displacement control model can estimate the jacking force in a
comparatively easier way. And the displacement control model can obtain reasonable
results for various contact conditions between pipe and soil. To ensure the simulation
was accurate, this study established a jacking force estimation model by employing the
pipe jacking cases A and B. The results suggest that the displacement …

Acknowledgments
This research was made possible by the Ministry of Science and Technology of Taiwan
(Project No. 102-2625-M-005-001). We also appreciate the CECI Engineering
Consultants, Inc. and the Fu-wei Technology Co. for their kind support in the
construction sites. …

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