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Mechanics of Underground Structures

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Course Unit Code224-0220/01
Number of ECTS Credits Allocated5 ECTS credits
Type of Course Unit *Compulsory
Level of Course Unit *Second Cycle
Year of Study *First Year
Semester when the Course Unit is deliveredWinter Semester
Mode of DeliveryFace-to-face
Language of InstructionCzech
Prerequisites and Co-Requisites
PrerequisitiesCourse Unit CodeCourse Unit Title
221-0036Concrete and Masonry Structures
224-0207Underground Engineering
224-0226Geotechnical Constructions
228-0202Statics of Building Structures I
228-0203Statics of Building Structures II
228-0204Elasticity and Plasticity
Name of Lecturer(s)Personal IDName
HRU30doc. RNDr. Eva Hrubešová, Ph.D.
Summary
The course deals in detail with the problems of structural assessment and design of underground structures that ensure stability, uptime and security of underground workings. On the basis of evaluation the stress-strain state around the underground working the basic calculation procedure for determining load reinforcement (lining) is defined, additionally deals with classification of computational methods and their usability and devotes considerable attention to static underground structures all types, incl. anchoring rock and rock mass improvement.

Knowledge and skills obtained by students completing the course:
By completing the course students acquire a detailed knowledge of the stability of underground works, their statics and reinforcement methods of design and assessment of structures. They learn to solve basic problems of stability underground works and assessment of structures by a systematic approach to the evaluation of computational methods and the quality of rock mass. Student will be able to use some software and evaluate the reliability of the results.
Learning Outcomes of the Course Unit
The aim is to teach students to synthesize knowledge from different areas of the wider focus (rock and soil mechanics, the theory of elasticity and strength, marking underground structures, structural analysis, concrete and steel structures), design and safe cost-effective underground design, analyze and interpret correctly real behavior of underground structures and compare the results obtained in-situ with the theoretical calculations based on various calculation methods and with the results obtained by mathematical modeling. One of the most important skills is also carried out predicting the behavior of some underground structures in the geological environment and
local conditions.
Course Contents
Lectures:
1. The meaning and content of the discipline, the stress state in the body section.
2. Stress-strain state of the body, math. equations of continuum mechanics, Airy´s function.
3. Rheology of rocks, strength conditions of materials, constitutive models.
4. Stress state around the working.
5. Strain around the unsupported underground workings, method of stabilizing stresses
6. Classification of computation methods for the solution stability and support loading.
7. Static solution of the supports of underground workings.
8. Design of sprayed concrete lining, SB bolts and combinations with other types.
9. Dimensioning of reinforcement according to limit states.
10. Wooden reinforcement construction, steel, concrete and reinforced concrete support.
11. Spatial construction- construction of crosses, branches etc.
12. Critical depth of underground workings and its importance for the design of reinforcement.
13. Reserve - invited lecture by an expert.

Exercise:
1. Practicing basic problems of statics and elasticity - characteristics
sections.
2. Calculation of deformation of statically determinate structures.
3. The three joints arc, internal forces and deformations - 1 task.
4. Strength of rocks.
5. Stress state around the underground workings.
6. Method of stabilizing stress - 2 task.
7. Calculation of loading on support according to the principles of classification methods.
8. Statically indeterminate construction.
9. Static solution of the tunnel lining.
10. Software VYZTUZ.
11. Software MUSCH, TUNKOT - determination of the failure around the working.
12. Final project - 3 task.
13 to 14 Consultation and solving tasks.

Recommended or Required Reading
Required Reading:
Aldorf, J., Exner. K. Mine openings: Stability and support. Elsevier, 1986. ISBN 0-444-99525-0.
Kolymbas, D. Tunnel and Tunnel Mechanics.Springer,2008.ISBN 978-3-540-25196-5.
Szechy J.: The Art of Tunelling. Akademia Kiado Budapest.
Hoek, E., 2007. Practical rock engineering, 2nd ed. Rocscience Inc.
Hoek, E., P.K. Kaiser and W.F. Bawden, 1995. Rock Support for Underground Excavations in Hard Rock. A.A.Balkema, Rotterdam, 215 p.
Aldorf,J.:Mechanika podzemních konstrukcí, VSB-TU Ostrava, 1999.
Recommended Reading:
Szechy J.: The Art of Tunelling. Akademia Kiado Budapest
Aldorf a kol.: Podzemní stavby a zakládání staveb - vybrané kapitoly. ES VŠB-TU Ostrava.
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
Lectures, Tutorials, Project work
Assesment methods and criteria
Task TitleTask TypeMaximum Number of Points
(Act. for Subtasks)
Minimum Number of Points for Task Passing
Exercises evaluation and ExaminationCredit and Examination100 (100)51
        Exercises evaluationCredit35 18
        ExaminationExamination65 33