SEE Tunnel:Promoting Tunneling in SEE Region

ITA WTC 2015 Congress and 41st General Assembly

May 22-28, 2015, Lacroma Valamar Congress Center, Dubrovnik, Croatia

Evaluation of applied SFRC as a steel replacement in the design

stage in a part of Cairo Metro line No. 4
Taher ELSAMNI, Nippon Civic Consulting Engineers Co. LTd., Tokyo, Japan, taher-el@nccnet.co.jp
Ashraf ABU-KRISHA, National Authority for Tunnels, Cairo, Egypt, ashamk66@hotmail.com
Takayoshi OTSUKA, Nippon Civic Consulting Engineers Co. LTd., Tokyo, Japan, otsuka@nccnet.co.jp
Kazuto FUJII, Nippon Civic Consulting Engineers Co. LTd., Tokyo, Japan, fujii@nccnet.co.jp
Topic: Planning and Designing Tunnels and Underground Structures

KEYWORDS: Steel Fiber, lining, Tunnel, Concrete, Crack, Ductility

1. Introduction
Apart from development in machine technology and other cross sectional tunnel shapes, the
alternative lining systems. It has carried out as well, in early sixties in the former Soviet Republic
experiments were carried out with tunnel lining without any joints [1] after excavation; the soil was
replaced by in site poured concrete lining. At the end of the seventies and beginning of the eighties
German and Japanese contractors further development the principle with idea to improve the
following points [2]:
1 No secondary lining any more
2 Reducing the settlements
3 Improve the quality and behavior of the tunnel lining
4 Reduction of the construction cost by increase in construction speed
5 Developing the lining material. That which our aim of this technical paper

2. Paper aims and objectives

The main goal of this paper is to describe a design approach and evaluate the steel fiber reinforced
segment for application in a part the underground of line No. 4, Cairo, Egypt. Background of the
study that the Greater Cairo Metro line No. 4 phases 1 running
from a depot/workshop via the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM)
to Elmalek Elsaleh Station with a length of 17.0 km, in a very
dense sand soil, the designer propose to extend phase 1 by
approximately 1.0km to solve some problem in the alignment
and land acquisition, the area which is proposed to construct
locate at the Muqattam Plateau, which is line stone, the cross
section shown in Figure No.1. In addition, the feasibility study
of phase 2 of the same line is almost rest in lime stone ground
condition, that leads the designer to think of apply steel fiber
reinforcement in the extended length which is about 600.0m.
On the other hand, to reach a higher mechanical strength in
terms of toughness, flexural and shear design stresses.
Improved damage resistance during transportation and
placing, improve durability in aggressive environments.

Figure 1: Tunnel through the Lime Stone

Section 17k960m [1]

3. Design of section

3.1 The groundwater level

Fluctuations of Nile River; the maximum probable water level (17.33m), the minimum probable
water level (15.55m) =1.8m, thus, the applied level in design is 25.07m-1.8m = 23.27m [1] .
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SEE Tunnel:Promoting Tunneling in SEE Region

ITA WTC 2015 Congress and 41st General Assembly
May 22-28, 2015, Lacroma Valamar Congress Center, Dubrovnik, Croatia

3.2 Soil properties

Soil properties in the design are shown in the Table 1 [1], it is proposed to carry out design using
nearest borehole data, which was carried out to collect soil layer information of cross section.
Table 1: Soil properties [1]
Soil layer
FILL
Top Clay
Sand1
Sand2
Sand3
Bottom Clay
Limestone
(yellowish gray)
Limestone
(Bluish gray)
Mudstone

C (kN/m2)
--68
------269

Internal
Friction
angle
()
33.0
--37.0
38.0
41.0
---

(kN/m2)
25,000
11,400
92,500
143,300
250,000
37,400

0.35
0.48
0.35
0.32
0.30
0.45

22.0

300

40.0

300,000

0.30

23.0

300

40.0

300,000

0.30

22.0

100

30.0

150,000

0.40

N
value

Unit
weight

Cohesion

10
10
37
57
100
63

(kN/m3)
19.0
19.0
19.0
21.0
22.0
19.0

Youngs
modulus

Poissons
ratio

4. Tunnel lining properties

-

Segment lining, Type of segment reinforced concrete segment

tenon type segment as shown in the Figure No. 2, outer
diameter of segment lining=6.40 m, thickness of segment
=0.3 m, width of segment =1.50 m, No. of Division of segment
ring=6 (=3A-type+2B-type+K segment inserted in longitudinal
direction), Concrete joint with inclined 2 bolts per joint, Elastic
modulus of segment =3.15107 kN/m2
Concrete specifications according to ECP203/2007, design
basic strength fck = 40 N/mm2, Modulus of elasticity Ec
31.5 kN/mm2, sulphate resistance cement
Normal black hooked steel fiber, L=30mm
diameter=0.5mm, Material satisfied the standard JIS G
3505[2], Mix rate of a steel fibre 0.4vol.%
Shear spring constant between segment rings in
Beam-spring model is calculated using the compressive
rigidity of share strip material. Shear strip material is
setting at ring joint. Figure 2, shows the details of shear
strip position. Radial direction shear spring constant (ksr) of
this segment lining is ksr = 34,500kN/m. For there is no
restraint between segment rings, the tangential shear
spring constant (kst) of this segment lining is 0.0 kN/m.
Figure 2: Ring joint of segment
(Circumferential joint)

5. Loadings

300

Spreader

Loadings of segment lining are carried out in

accordance with the Standard Specifications
for Tunneling [3]. Load combination between
the earth pressures (effective stress method),
dead weight of lining, effective of
surcharge, soil reaction*, earthquake,
effective of multiple parallel tunnel construction
as shown in Figure 1, influence of vicinal
construction, and the extra moment generated

Segment
Thrust jack

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Skin plate of TBM

Figure 3: Ring joint of segment

SEE Tunnel:Promoting Tunneling in SEE Region

ITA WTC 2015 Congress and 41st General Assembly
May 22-28, 2015, Lacroma Valamar Congress Center, Dubrovnik, Croatia
from the jack thrust (P=2500kN) as a construction load as shown in Figure 3. Coefficient of soil
reaction, k, at lime stone to be set up k=10MN/m3 as the max value of past records, because of
youngs module at lime stone is E=300,000kN/m2, and Mudstone which is E=150,000N/m2.
*Soil reaction, in this case, N-value at lime stone is over 50. The coefficient of soil reaction (k) which
is over 50 N-value is calculated by the following equation which is adapted from Japan Road
Association, [4]

K H K Ho (

BH 3 / 4
4.525 3 / 4
)
a 1000000 (
)
1.3 100MN / m3
0.3
0.3

Where, shape factor a is 1.3 and

BH

Do 6.4

4.525m
2
2

K Ho

Eo
300000
1
1000000kN / m3
0.3
0.3

As a result, the coefficient of soil reaction (k) =100MN/m3.

6. Relationship between stress of the tensile side and strain of SFRC

component
The stress-strain curve, which is usually obtained by dividing the load by original cross section, and
displacement by original length, can neither be classified as perfectly elastic-brittle, nor as perfectly
elastic- plastic, thus leads to utilized an elastic softening formulating [5], Figures 4 and 5 shown the
tensile softening curve plots the relation between tensile stress and opening width of crack.

Figure 4: Fracture processing zone[5]

Figure 5: Tension softening curve[5]

In this design, the opening width of crack was

converted to strain [6]. The conversion of
1.31
tensile stress to strain is defined the proportion
to Young's modulus before occasion of crack of
concrete, and after occasion of crack, the
relation between strain and the opening
width of crack is defined based on equivalent
length Leq and converted to the relation
between tensile stress and strain. Hereby,
strain=, opening width of crack=w, and
equivalent length=Leq are shown as =w/ Leq.
The equivalent length Leq taken as average
crack spacing and it is relevant to the high,
shape. Where the tensile softening curve of
segment based on the curve of the Figure 4,
therefore, the equivalent length Leg is based
Figure 6: Relationship between height of segment
on the curve of the Figure 6 [6]. With the
and Leq[6]
height of segemnt equal to 300mm, the
Leg/h= 1.31, this value will be used in the following equation to check the maxium allowabe strain
not be cxceed to ultimate strain of concrete which is = 0.002 as shown in the Figure 7 [6].

Ec

cr And,

f 0 w

cr
Ec
Leq

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SEE Tunnel:Promoting Tunneling in SEE Region

ITA WTC 2015 Congress and 41st General Assembly
May 22-28, 2015, Lacroma Valamar Congress Center, Dubrovnik, Croatia
The relation of tensile stress and strain
which was used in verification of ultimate
limit state in this design is shown as
Figure 7.

Figure 7: Actual tensile stress-strain

curve

7. Design methodology for

segment lining
Structural calculation in the transverse direction of segment lining is assumed to the Beam-spring
model as shown Figure 8. The Beam-spring method has a current method and features for
calculating member forces as follows:
- Reasonable modeling of the performance of staggered arrangement using rotational rigidity
for segment joints and shear rigidity for ring joints
- Modeling of realistic behavior is possible compared to the other calculation method.
- Member forces at ring joints can be obtained from this pseudo three-dimensional analysis.

Beam(EI,E

A)

Soil

reaction

Rotational

spring
spring

Shear
spring

Ring

Ring

Figure 8: Beam-spring Model (Joint stiffness reduced)

Design condition of Segment lining
E
: elastic modulus of segment (kN/m2)
I
: moment of inertia of segment (m4)
A
: area of cross section of segment (m2)
k
: rotational spring between segment pieces
ksr
: radial shear spring between segment rings
kst
: tangential shear spring between segment rings
k
: coefficient of sub grade reaction

8. Rotational spring constant between segments

Figure 9 shows the rotational spring constant model with inclined bolt between segments is
calculated based on the theoretical equation for concrete coupling [7].

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SEE Tunnel:Promoting Tunneling in SEE Region

ITA WTC 2015 Congress and 41st General Assembly
May 22-28, 2015, Lacroma Valamar Congress Center, Dubrovnik, Croatia

Section stress
distribution

Deformation segment joint

Thickness
segment
Figure 9: Model of segment joint as
concrete joint

9a 2 b E C
K
m(1 2m)2

8
Where,
K: Rotational spring constant (kNm/rad), a: Width of coupling contact surface (m) 0.140
Ec: Modulus of elasticity of concrete (kN/m2) 3.15107
m:=Mj / (Nja) Eccentricity rate, Mj: Bending Moment of coupling (kNm)
Nj: Axial force of coupling (kN)

9. Verification items
Table 2 gathers all items that must be verified before allowing to apply the SFRC in lining tunnel in
the project.
Table 2: Check points at the ultimate and serviceability limit state
Part

Action force

Segment
body

Axial force and/or

Bending moment

Ring joint

Shear force

Shear capacity at shear plane of concrete.

Segment
joint

Axial force

Splitting stress (tensile stress) caused by axial force

get to the tensile strength of SFRC member.

Segment
body

Axial force and/or

bending moment

Compressive stress of SFRC member shall be limited

not to exceed 0.4fck. Tensile stress of SFRC shall be
limited not to exceed flexural cracking strength.

Segment
joint

Axial force and/or

bending moment

Compressive stress of concrete shall be limited not to

exceed 0.4fck. *

Ultimate
limit state

Serviceability
limit state

Limit state
1) Acting axial force only, compressive stress at the
compression gets to the ultimate compressive
strain of SFRC member
2) Acting axial force and bending moment
- Depth of cracks is under 0.7h,
- Depth of cracks gets to 0.7h
Where h represents height of the member.

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SEE Tunnel:Promoting Tunneling in SEE Region

ITA WTC 2015 Congress and 41st General Assembly
May 22-28, 2015, Lacroma Valamar Congress Center, Dubrovnik, Croatia

10.

Input data

Table 3 shows the all input data with the applied safety factor, for the ultimate limit state and
serviceability limit sate.
Table 3: Input data
Items
Elastic Modulus
of Segment
Area of Cross
Section of
Segment
Moment of
Inertia of
Segment
Diameter of
central line of
Segment
Rotational
Spring Value
Radial shear
spring between
segment rings
Tangential
shear spring
between
segment rings
Vertical earth
pressure
Lateral earth
pressure at
tunnel crown
Lateral earth
pressure at
tunnel bottom
Water pressure
at tunnel crown
Water pressure
at tunnel
bottom
Dead weight
Coefficient of
subgrade
reaction
Coefficient of
lateral earth
pressure

Input Data
Ultimate Limit State
Serviceability Limit State
Main
Safety
Applied
Main
Safety
Applied
value
Factor
value
value
Factor
value

Symbol
Unit
E
kN/m2

3.15107

--

3.15107

3.15107

--

3.15107

A
m2

0.45

--

0.45

0.45

--

0.45

I
m4

3.37510-3

--

3.37510-3

3.37510-3

--

3.37510-3

Dc
m

3.05

--

3.05

3.05

--

3.05

k
kN X m/rad

63,100
33,900
0

--

63,100
33,900
0

63,100
33,900
0

--

63,100
33,900
0

kr
kN/m/Ring

34,500

--

34,500

34,500

--

34,500

kt
kN/m/Ring

--

--

pvc
kN/m/Ring

124.32

1.0

124.32

124.32

1.0

124.32

qe1
kN/m/Ring

44.47

1.0

44.47

44.47

1.0

44.47

qe2
kN/m/Ring

86.00

1.0

86.00

86.00

1.0

86.00

pw1
kN/m/Ring

281.55

0.9

253.40

281.55

1.0

281.55

pw2
kN/m2/Ring

373.05

0.9

33.75

373.05

1.0

373.05

g1
KN

11.70

1.0

11.70

11.70

1.0

11.70

k
kN/m/Ring

150000

0.9

135000

150000

1.0

150000

kN/m/Ring

0.35

1.0

0.35

0.35

1.0

0.35

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SEE Tunnel:Promoting Tunneling in SEE Region

ITA WTC 2015 Congress and 41st General Assembly
May 22-28, 2015, Lacroma Valamar Congress Center, Dubrovnik, Croatia

11.

Result of verification at ultimate limit state

The result of verification of the flexural capacity of main part of segment of an ultimate limit state is
shown in Figure 10, as well as from the data in the Table 3, it is clear that the value obtained by
multiplying the ratio of the structure factor to the design force is not greater than 1.0, therefore, it is
confirmed that tunnel lining for Greater Cairo Metro Line No.4 can be satisfied by the SFRC instead of
normal steel reinforcements.
12000

Axial force, N (kN)

10000
8000
6000
4000
2000
0
-2000
-600

-400

-200

200

400

600

Bending moment, M (kNm)

Figure 10: Bending moment and axial force diagram in ultimate limit state

Table 3: Result of reviews of segment body in ultimate limit state

Design bending moment, Md
Design axial force, N'd

kN

Structure factor, i
Positive bending
moment

kNm
-

1092.69
1.2

iMd

kNm

45.86

Ultimate moment, Mud

kNm

152.224

kNm

0.30
O.K.
-33.73

Result, iMd/Mud<1
Design bending moment, Md
Negative
bending moment

38.22

Design axial force, N'd

kN

1214.73

Structure factor, i
iMd
Ultimate moment, Mud

kNm
kNm

1.2
-40.48
165.310

Result, iMd/Mud<1

0.24

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May 22-28, 2015, Lacroma Valamar Congress Center, Dubrovnik, Croatia

Result of verification at serviceability limit state

Verification is carried out by the

confirmation that cracks the
serviceability limit state are below
generating flexural capacity by
drawing of N-M interaction curve.
N-M interaction curve is shown in.
Figure 11, the verification result at
serviceability limit state is shown in
Table 4.
However, considering the accident
such as dropping of segment, the
minimum reinforcement bar shall
be installed in SFRC segment
lining.

8000
7000
6000

Axial force, N (kN)

12.

5000
4000
3000
2000
1000
0
-1000
-2000
-300

-200

Figure 11: Bending moment and

-100

100

200

300

Bending moment, M (kNm)

axial force diagram of segment body in serviceability limit state

Table 4: Result of review of segment body in serviceability limit state

Positive bending
moment

Design bending moment, Md

kN m

37.72

Design axial force, N'd

kN

1179.52

Structure factor, i
iMd
Bending moment, Msd

kNm
kNm

1.0
37.72
117.57

Result,

Negative bending
moment

O.K.

Design bending moment, Md

kNm

-34.62

Design axial force, N'd

kN

1301.70

Structure factor, i

1.0

iMd

kNm

34.62

Bending moment, Msd

kNm

123.68
0.28

Result,

13.

0.32

Md/Msd<1

iMd/Msd<1

O.K.

Deformation of segment ring

0

The deformation of segment rings is less than D/200 by high

margin of factor of safety. The vlues are gathered in Table 5.

270

90

180

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Table 5:

Result of the review of examination for deformation of segment rings

Inner area deformation

Unit

Value

D
0
180
Total
90
270
Total

()
(mm)
(mm)
(mm)
(mm)
(mm)
(mm)
(mm)

2.81 182.81
-2.3
-1.8
0.5
2.3
0.4
-0.4
0.8

D/200

(mm)

32.0

Maximum deformation
Vertical deformation

Horizontal deformation
Maximum Permissible
deformation
Result

14.

OK

Summary of the results

The design service life is designed to be 100 years, and the shield segment require to maintain their
function without maintenance during the service life, to achieve this, it is required to adopt
maintenance free, even if initial construction costs rise due to material price, the final life cycle cost
(LCC) can be reduced by eliminating the necessity of coating, however the price of production one
segment with steel fiber in the local market in Egypt same as steel reinforcement, moreover, steel
fiber provide a resistance to stress in all directions and as the steel fibers present close to the surface,
ensure excellent reinforcement at the joints of the segments, furthermore, steel fiber provide a
substantial increase in load capacity to first cracks and the joint also good control of shrinkage cracks,
as well as, steel fibers prevent a crack from growing by transferring the tension across the crack.
At the construction stage, it is expected to achieve the piratical advantage such as increase
productivity in the precast operation by about 10%. Eliminate fabrication storage and positioning of
reinforcement cages, no increase in batch mixing time; reduce the repaired and rejected segments.
Table 6: Summary of safety verification for the SFRC Segmental lining
Segment
Body

Ultimate limit
state

Segment
Joint

Ring Joint

Serviceability
limit state

Segment
Body

Flexural capacity

iMd/Mud<1

0.30

Splitting capacity

itd/(ftd/b)<1

0.69

Bearing capacity

ibNd/F<1

0.28

Shearing capacity
(concave section)

iSd/Vcd < 1

0.01

Shearing capacity
(convex section)

i x Sjd/Vcwd<1

0.04

Deformation

<32.0 mm

2.3 mm

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SEE Tunnel:Promoting Tunneling in SEE Region

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15.

References

1- National Authority for Tunnels, Geotechnical Investigation Report, Greater Cairo Metro - Line No.
4, Egypt, 2012.
2- Japanese Industrial Standards (G 3505), Non-alloy steel wire rod for conversion to wire-Part 2:
Specific requirements for general purpose wire rod. Japan, 2013.
3- Standard Specifications for Tunneling-:Shield Tunnels, Japan Society of Civil Engineer. Japan,
2006.
4- Specifications for Highway Bridges Part IV Substructures, Japan Road Association, Japan, 2005.
5- Bazan, Z.P. and Oh, B. H. Crack bond theory for fracture of concrete, Rilem Mater, Construct.,
Paris, 1983.
6- Technical evaluation report of A design and fabrication method of Steel Fibre Reinforced
concrete segment, Japan Society of Civil Engineers (JSCE), 2010.
7- Tunnel Lining Design Report, SFRC 10, Steel Fibre Reinforced Concrete Segment, Section 10:
17km960m Tunnel through the Lime Stone Section, NAT, Egypt, 2013.
8- F. Leonhardt and H. Reimann: Betongelenke, Der Bauingenieur, 41, pp.49-56, 1966, Germany.
9- Tunnels with in-Situ Pressed Concrete Lining Author: Ya I. Marennyi,Ryszard B. Zeidler (Editor)
Publisher: Ashgate Publishing Company, 1997, Madrid.
10- Waal, R.GA. de. Thrust Jack forces on a tunneling. Stevin report 25.5-97-10, 1996, Deft
University of technology in Dutch, Germany.

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