Chapter 5 Water Tunnel Liner Design

Chapter 5 Water Tunnel Liner Design

When design a deep water tunnel in urban area, the tunnel structure is required to select firstly,
and the liner design is commonly the key issue. An example of urban water tunnel is presented
to illustrate the work, in which the tunnel structure selection and liner design is mainly
discussed. Also, the general design procedure for a water tunnel is described.

5.1 Design Conditions and Procedure

A water tunnel design can be carried out in general using the design chart as shown in Fig. 5.1.
However, as for the tunnel lining design, since it is considered by the other special literature1),2),
where the liner design is mainly focused in this study. Accordingly, only the related items in Fig.
5.1 are discussed.
In the current study, the steel liner design is discussed using an example. As shown in Fig. 5.2
a water tunnel is built under deep underground, the shield tunnel is adopted and the RC
segments is used for linings. Where, the water tunnel structure is considered in terms of
traditional integrated type and the separated type. The design conditions are listed as bellow,
Water supply line length:

3.0 km

Over burden Hs:

4060 m

Ground water table Hw:

3045 m

Necessary inner diameter (I.D.) Di:

2.5 m

Design Internal pressure Pi:

1.6 N/mm2

Steel liner material:

SM490 A

Yielding strength y:

315 N/mm2

Allowance stress a:

215 N/mm2

Youngs modus E:

2.1105 N/mm2

Poissons ratio :

0.3

Expansion coefficient:

1.210-5

As for the design external pressure Po, the special consideration is required. Generally for deep
water tunnel, the external pressure can use the hydrostatic pressure directly estimated from the
groundwater table. However, groundwater level change with reason should be taken into
account. Moreover, the non-uniform part of hydrostatic pressure can be disregarded based on
the discussed in Chapter 3. Therefore, the design external pressure can be obtained by using the
hydrostatic pressure at liner bottom. Where, the external pressure is obtained as 0.625 N/mm2.
Moreover, for bucking design, the safety factor Fs =1.5 is taken into account. As the result, the
design external pressure is obtained as Po=0.95 N/mm2.

- 145 -

Chapter 5 Water Tunnel Liner Design

1) Water tunnel structure selection and design conditions determination

Necessary inner diameter of water supply requirement
Loading conditions (internal pressure, external pressure, construction
load, etc.)
2) General design of tunnel linings (RC segments)

3) Estimation of steel liner thickness by design for internal pressure

4) Steel liner examination by buckling design for external pressure

5) Detailed design of tunnel linings (RC segments)

6) Seismic design of water tunnel

Fig. 5.1 Flow chart for water tunnel design

P0

3045 m

W.L.

O.D.

00
.25
I.D

4060 m

515 m

G.L.0.0

Fig. 5.2 Schematic view of water tunnel conditions

- 146 -

Chapter 5 Water Tunnel Liner Design

The tunnel structures are considered the conventional type and new type in terms of the
integrated-type structure and separated-type structure, as shown in Fig. 5.3. As for the steel
liner, only the plain steel pipe is considered for conventional type structure, whereas for the
separated-type structure, both plain steel pipe and the ring-stiffened pipe are investigated. In
addition, the gap of steel liner back is considered, the maximum gap 1.5mm is applied for
integrated-type structure on account of the material shrinkage due to temperature changing
during the backfill process, 10mm is for the separated-type structure on account of steel liner
construction capacity. Moreover, the stiffened liner is investigated as the free pipe and
restrained pipe, corresponding to the uniformly supported case and locally supported case. The
water tunnel structure can be obtained once the steel liner thickness is determined for plain steel
liner, the stiffeners for stiffened pipe.

Cross section of liner

Steel liner

2500

O 2500

300

Gap 1.5mm

(33503353)+2t

t 300

125

Tunnel lining
(RC Segments)

125

Backfill layer

a) Conventional water tunnel structure -integrated-type structure

2500

Steel liner

Gap between lining

and liner (Max 8mm)

125

Gap between lining

and liner (Max 10mm)

b) New water tunnel structure separated-type structure

Fig. 5.3 Schematic profile of tunnel structure

- 147 -

(27502770)+2(t+tr)

t
O2500

Steel liner

Cross section of liner

t+tr

O2500

125

2500

Cross section of liner

(27502770)+2t

tr

t+tr

125

Tunnel lining
(RC Segments)

125

Tunnel lining
(RC Segments)

Chapter 5 Water Tunnel Liner Design

5.2 Steel Liner Design for Internal Pressure

5.2.1 Steel Liner Thickness Estimation
The steel liner is considered in terms of plain pipe and ring-stiffened pipe. However, the design
for internal pressure is carried out only considering the pipe itself, while the stiffener will be
ignored on account of the steel liner safety. The thickness of steel liner can be designed using
the conventional method (Eq. (5.1)) 3) based on the design internal pressure.

Pi Di
2 a

t=

(5.1)

Substituting the design internal pressure, inner diameter and allowance stress into Eq. (5.1), the
steel liner thickness is then obtained.

t=

1.6 2500
= 9.3 mm
2 215

Where, the thickness t=10mm is adopted for structural design of steel liner, considering the
industrial standard of steel plate. Moreover, the steel erosion for long time should take into
account, where, the extra 2mm is considered. As the result, the steel liner with thickness 12mm
is used for practical construction.
5.2.2 Expansion Deformation
The expansion of steel liner due to internal pressure is discussed based on the in-extensional
deformation consideration of cylinder shell. The deformation in steel liner is finally transferred
into the radius change.
The strains in steel liner produced by internal pressure can be calculated using the following
equation.

Pi Di
2tE

(5.2)

And the expansion in radius is given by the Eq. (5.3),

R =

Di
2

Then the expansion in radius is obtained as

R =

1.6 25002
=1.19mm.
4 10 2.1 105

- 148 -

(5.3)

Chapter 5 Water Tunnel Liner Design

5.3 Steel Liner Design for External Pressure

The tunnel structures are considered the integrated-type structure and separated-type structure
and the plain liner and stiffened liner. As for the buckling of liners, the theoretical equations
discussed in Chapter 2, 3 are used in terms of Amstutzs and Jacobsens buckling equations for
the liner encased in integratedtype structure and locally supported liner in separated-type
structure, two-stage method and new analytical solution for uniformly supported and locally
supported stiffened liner in separated-type structure, respectively.
5.3.1 Steel Liner of Integrated-type Structure
Based on the design conditions mentioned above, the critical pressures are calculated using
Eq. (3.2) and Eq. (3.3) corresponding to the Amustuz and Jacobsens buckling equations, with
respect to the various thicknesses. All the calculated results are described in Fig. 5.4, as well as

Critical pressure Pcr (N/mm )

the design external pressure, where, the maximum gap 1.5mm is applied.

2
1.8
1.6
1.4
1.2
1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0

Design external pressure

Jacobsen
Amustuz

14

5
10
15
Steel liner thickness t (mm)

20

Fig. 5.4 Design graph for estimating steel liner thickness

As discussed, the Jacobsens results is relative conservational can be found from Fig. 5.4.
Since the water tunnel is vital infrastructure, the conservational result is always used for
deciding the thickness of steel liner. From Fig. 5.4, the steel liner thickness should be larger
than 14mm if the steel liner buckling resistance capacity satisfies the design requirement of
beyond design external pressure. Here, the thickness takes 15mm taking into account some
un-predicated elements such as the underestimating gap, backfilling defaults etc..
In addition, some facts presented in buckling accident of Naka water tunnel4) have to be taken

- 149 -

Chapter 5 Water Tunnel Liner Design

into account. The defaults of backfilling for a horizontal water tunnel always occurs, and the
defect region formed at crown of steel liner vulnerably induce a fatal buckling problem. This
has been discussed in the report on buckling accident of Naka water tunnel. Therefore the defect
region should be investigated, where the schematic view and notations on defect region and the
relation between critical pressure of the designed steel pipe and the defect region are presented
as shown in Fig. 5.5 and Fig. 5.6, respectively.
As shown in Fig. 5.5, the defect region is inevitably formed when fill the void between the
liners and linings, particularly is easily formed in the vicinity of crown because of the
Tunnel lining
(RC Segments)

Defect region

15

O2500

Steel liner
Backfill layer

Critical pressure Pcr (N/mm )

Fig. 5.5 schematic view and notions of backfill defect region

2
1.8
1.6
1.4
1.2
1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0

Design external pressure

Jacobsen

10

20

30 40 50 60 70 80
Backfilling defect region ()

90

100

Fig. 5.6 Relation between critical pressure and defect region (t=15mm)

- 150 -

Chapter 5 Water Tunnel Liner Design

downward flowability of backfill material. The mortar will flow down when the backfill
material is poured into the void, and only the aggregate will left at the crown. The quality of
backfill work may be improved if use the multi-step pouring procedure. However, the backfill
in tunnel is rather difficult, the completely backfill is impossible for overall long water tunnel,
even using the present high backfilling technology. Figure 5.5 shows that the buckling of steel
liner is affected by the defect range greatly. Also the steel pipe can be considered the safety if
the radial angle of backfilling region is not beyond about 50 degrees, or the single-lobe buckling
can be considered possible. However, as the surveyed results of Naka water tunnel accident, the
largest radial angle of defect region is about 60 degrees, and the backfill region with about 120
degrees at crown has relative little stiffness. How to predicate the defect region may be a vital
subjective for study on buckling of steel liner encased in integrated-type structure. In the current
study, the designed thickness is adopted without considering the defect region, because the
exact region can not be known at present.
5.3.2 Steel Liner of Separated-type Structure
As for the separated-type water tunnel structure, the buckling design of steel liner should be
carried out with respect to the supported conditions. According to the discussion above, any of
free buckling and restrained buckling has possibility to happen. Which buckling will occurs is
determined by the liners support conditions. Also as discussed in former chapters, it is
considered as the free buckling for a liner installed with rubber plate set around tunnel, namely
uniformly supported liner, whereas restrained buckling for a liner just supported at invert by
tunnel lining self or sand media, briefly locally supported liner. As for design, the free buckling
equations are used for design of a uniformly supported liner, while the single lobe buckling
equations are used for design of a locally supported liner.
Uniformly Supported Liner
The uniformly supported liner can be regarded as a free pipe since the gap uniformly
distributes around liner and its magnitude is far larger than the radial displacement of free
buckling. Moreover, since water supply line is built in rather long-distance, its liner is usually
considered as an infinite length pipes. Accordingly the buckling of infinite long pipe should be
applied in design. The detailed design for steel liner buckling is discussed with respect to the
plain liner and stiffened liner as follows.
1) Plain steel liner
Since the buckling of free plain pipe has been studied and the corresponding buckling equation
has been presented, here the existing buckling equation (Eq. (2.3)) is just applied for design.
Substituting the design external pressure and radius in Eq. (2.3),

- 151 -

Chapter 5 Water Tunnel Liner Design

0.95 =

2.1 105 t 3
4(1 0.32 )12503

The thickness of steel liner can be obtained as t=31.8mm. Herein, the steel liner with thickness
32mm is adopted.
2) Stiffened steel liner
For buckling of stiffened liner, the design should be conducted considering the second moment
of inertia and the configuration of ring stiffeners. The two stages method presented in Chapter 2
is applied, since this method can provide an accurate critical pressure of stiffened pipes. As for
the two stages method, the buckling pressures are calculated using the general buckling and
local buckling formulas, respectively in the first stage. Since the local buckling is considered the
ultimate state providing maximum resistance to external pressure, in the second stage the
buckling types can therefore be judged through comparing the buckling pressures. If the critical
pressure of local buckling is larger than that of general buckling, the buckling can be judges as a
general buckling, and the corresponding critical pressure is used as the critical pressure of
investigated pipe. As the result, the buckling type can be predicated, and the accurate buckling
pressure can be estimated. However considering water supply line is usually built in a
long-distance, the steel liner design should use buckling equations for infinite length pipe.
In addition, as for the design for buckling of stiffened liner, the new design method namely
local buckling design method is used referring the existing researcher5) and design codes6),7),8),9)
such as ASME, BS5500 and DNV. The local buckling design method is a method to design the
stiffened pipe only buckling locally by ensuring enough stiffness of stiffener. Where the local
bucking design method is conducted using the two-stage method, and respective equation of
general and local buckling of infinite pipe are discussed as follows.
For a infinite long stiffened liner, considering the buckling wave n=2 and =

R
L

0 , the

equation of general buckling can be obtained.

Et 3
3EI r
+
P =
2
3
4(1 ) R
SR 3
G
cr

(5.4)

On the other hand, the buckling equation of local buckling can just use the existing forms
presented in Chapter 2. The design procedure is shown as follows, where the design external
pressure Po is used, and the safe factor is taken into account for the imperfection of pipe and
hydrostatic pressure.
a) Estimate the stiffened spacing S using local buckling equation (Eq. (2.45)) and the
evaluated steel liner thickness from the design for internal pressure.

- 152 -

Chapter 5 Water Tunnel Liner Design

Po =

Et t 2 ( 2 + n2 1)2
4
+

(n2 1)R 12(1 2 )R2

2 + n2

(5.5)

b) Calculate the critical pressure of local buckling with respect to the evaluated stiffener
spacing S and pipe thickness designed for internal pressure.

PcrL =

Et t 2 ( 2 + n2 1)2
4
+

(n2 1)R 12(1 2 )R2

2 + n2

(5.6)

c) Determine the size of stiffener by estimation of the limit flexural stiffness using the general
buckling equation of infinite pipe,

PcrL =

Et 3
3EI r
+
2
3
4(1 ) R
SR 3

(5.7)

Where, the evaluated flexural stiffness should be enlarged a little to ensure the local buckling.
Substituting the estimated thickness t=10 mm and the design variations into Eq. (5.5), the
stiffener spacing S can be obtained as about 1500 mm, where the buckling waves is calculated
by Eq. (2.46) as n=8. The corresponding critical pressure is calculated as PLcr=1.01 N/mm2
through Eq. (5.7), hence the flexural stiffness is estimated and the corresponding size of
stiffener is obtained. However, the stiffener size should be calculated using Eq. (2.24), because
the estimated flexural stiffness is effective flexural stiffness. As the result, the stiffener used for
the steel liner has the cross section with thickness tr=20mm and height hr=85mm, and the
spacing S is 1500mm. The pipe designed for internal pressure is used with the thickness
t=10mm.
Locally Supported Liner
Since the buckling of locally supported liner is considered the single-lobe buckling, the
buckling design should use the buckling equations of single-lobe buckling. In Chapter 4, the
single-lobe buckling of plain pipe and stiffened pipe was discussed in terms of existing
theoretical buckling equations. For plain pipe, both Amstutz and Jacobsens buckling equations
were examined and their validation has been confirmed. However, the application of Amstuzs
equations should ensure the introduction coefficient in the range of 5 to 20, while the
Jacobsens equations can provide a consistent and conservative critical pressure. The Jacobsens
equation is finally recommended considering the safety of water tunnel, although the two
theoretical equations can be applied for design. However, as for the stiffened pipe, the new
analytical solutions are used.

- 153 -

Chapter 5 Water Tunnel Liner Design

1) Plain steel liner

The single-lobe buckling equations (3.2) and (3.3) are used to calculate the critical pressure, in
terms of Amstutz and Jacobsens buckling equations. Where, three cases of gap including the
case of maximum gap are considered for Jacobsens equations, only the case of maximum gap
is discussed for Amstutzs equations in order to compare each other. Based on the design
conditions, all the critical pressures are estimated and the design result is shown in Fig. 5.7.
The results calculated from Amstutzs and Jacobsens equations are general identical with each
other can be found from the Fig. 5.7. As for the thickness of steel liner, the necessary thickness
can be obtained about 21mm, 18mm and 13mm for the case of gaps 10mm, 5mm and 1mm,
respectively. As discussed in Chapter 4, the larger the gap, the smaller the critical pressure and
the thicker the steel liner is demonstrated once again. Although the installation technology can
install a liner with only the gap of 8mm at present and smaller gap if improved in the future, the
thickness for maximum gap 10mm is used here, considering the high safety requirement for
water supply liner. As the result, the design thickness is obtained as 21mm.

Critical pressure Pcr (N/mm )

3.5

Design external pressure

Jacobsen (=10mm)

Amustuz(=10mm)

2.5

Jacobsen (=5mm)

Jacobsen (=1mm)

1.5
1
0.5
0
0

10
15
20
Steel liner thickness t (mm)

25

30

Fig.5.7 Relationship between critical pressure and thickness of steel liner

2) Stiffened steel liner
The three cases of gap including the case of maximum gap are considered, and the presented
new analytical solution is applied to design the steel liner. As for the existing theories, since the
Amstutzs and Jacobsens buckling equations for stiffened pipe are not reasonable, they are only
used to calculate the critical pressure for the case with the maximum gap of 10mm for
comparison. Using the design conditions, the critical pressures are estimated and the design
results are given as shown in Fig. 5.8. Where, the local buckling design method for stiffened
liner is considered, and the necessary thickness for internal pressure t=10mm and the stiffener

- 154 -

Chapter 5 Water Tunnel Liner Design

spacing S=1500mm are adopted. The stiffened steel liner is designed only to ensure the
single-lobe buckling occurs after the local buckling of inter-stiffener shells. Similarly to the
design for uniformly supported liner, only the size of stiffener is required to determine, where
the thickness of stiffener is considered 20mm based on the requirement of stiffener size defined
by Eq. (2.11).
From Fig. 5.8, the abnormal behavior happened for results calculated by the Amstutzs and
Jacobsens bucking equations can be found. For the identical gap of 10mm, the decreasing
incline and a sharp increasing incline are expressed in the relationship of critical pressure and
stiffener height. On the other hand, the relation of critical pressure and stiffener height obtained
by presented solution are expressed with a gentle incline for all cases of gaps. This may identify
the invalidation of the existing buckling equations for stiffened steel liner again. Therefore, the
estimation of the stiffener thickness uses the results of presented solutions. Similarly to the
design of plain liner above, the different value is available with respect to the gap, here, the
most conservational result is used, as the hr=100mm. As the result, the designed stiffened steel
liner has the pipe thickness t=10mm, and the stiffener with the spacing 1500mm and the cross
section 20100 mm in terms of the thickness and height.

Design external pressure

Presented solution (=10mm)
Amustuz(=10mm)
Jacobsen(=10mm)
Presented solution (=5mm)
Presented solution (=1mm)

Critical pressure Pcr (N/mm )

2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
0

20

40
60
80
100
Stiffener height h r (mm)

120

140

Fig. 5.8 Relationship between critical pressure and stiffener height (t=10mm, S=1500mm)

- 155 -

Chapter 5 Water Tunnel Liner Design

5.4 Summary and Discussion

The steel liner design for water tunnel has been carried out through an example. The design
result is summarized in Table 5.1, where the equivalent thickness for stiffened pipe is given in
bracket. In the following paragraphs, the water tunnel structure and steel liners are discussed in
terms of its functional and economical requirements through the example.
Table.5.1 Design results summary
Design conditions
Inner diameter (I.D.) Di:
Yielding strength y:
Youngs modus E:
Internal pressure Pi :

2.5 m

Overall Length:
2

315 N/mm

3 km

Allowance stress a:

2.1x105 N/mm2

Poissons ratio :

1.6 N/mm

External pressure Po

Design for Internal pressure

215 N/mm2
0.3
0.95 N/mm2

Design for external pressure

Conventional water tunnel structure
(integrated-type) :
Design gap: =1.5mm
Plain liner t=15mm

Necessary thickness:
t=10mm

New water tunnel structure (separated- type):

Design gap: =10mm
Uniformly

supported:

Plain liner:

t=32mm

Stiffened liner: t=10mm, S=1500mm

trhr=2085mm
( Equivalent thickness: 11.1mm )
Locally

supported:

Plain liner:

t=21mm

Stiffened liner: t=10mm, S=1500mm

trhr=20100mm
( Equivalent thickness: 11.3mm )

From Table 5.1, it is found that the thickness of a steel liner is always determined by the
design for external pressure if use the plain pipe, no matter for which tunnel structure and
support condition. The thickness determined by internal pressure is only 10mm, while the
thickness 15mm for liner of conventional integrated-type structure, 32mm for uniformly

- 156 -

Chapter 5 Water Tunnel Liner Design

supported liner and 21mm for the locally supported liner of new separated-type structure, are
required from the design for liner buckling under the external pressure. If someone want to use
the thinner steel pipe designed for internal pressure, the pipe must be stiffened. The stiffened
liner cannot only meet the requirement of buckling under external pressure, but also can bring
great economical effects. The equivalent thickness of stiffened liner used for uniformly
supported and locally supported liners are only 11.1mm and 11.3mm respectively. Meanwhile,
the stiffened pipe can be designed using the local buckling design method, by which the steel
liner only buckles in inter-stiffener shells locally.
As for water tunnel structure, since the stiffened liner is difficult to use for the conventional
integrated-type structure because of the backfill work, while can easily be used for the new
separated structure, the application of conventional structure for deep urban water tunnel should
not be recommended. Moreover, the inevitable defect region in backfill layer is also another
great limit to utilize the conventional structure because of its unpredicted feature and the
decisive effect on the buckling resistance capacity of a steel liner. Therefore, the construction of
deep water tunnel should use the separated-type structure on account of the safety and other
advantages mentioned in Chapter 1.
However, for new separated type water tunnel, the steel liner should be discussed in terms of
installation method and liner type. From the designed results as shown in Table 1, for plain liner
the locally supported liner is rather prevail over the uniformly supported liner in terms of the
economic reasons, the thickness of former one is only 21mm, while 32mm for the later one. On
the other hand, for stiffened liner, there is no distinctive difference between the uniformly
supported and locally supported liner, both the equivalent thickness is about 11mm.
Accordingly, the installation should use the locally support if use a plain liner, the same
recommendation is also given to stiffened liner considering the extra work of setting supports
around the liner in the case of uniformly support.
Conclusively, the deep water tunnel should adopt the new separated-type structure, and the
stiffened pipe should be used and installed with locally support.

- 157 -

Chapter 5 Water Tunnel Liner Design

References
1) Tunnel Engineering Committee (TEC): Standard Specifications for Tunneling: Shield Tunnel,
2006 Ed., Tunnel Engineering Committee, JSCE, Tokyo, 2007.
2) JSCE: Design Standard for Steel structurePART B

Special structureJSCE Pub. 1987

3) Japan Water Research Center: Rep. Study on the cost reduction of deep water tunnel
construction2003
4) Kanto Regional Development Bureau: Rep. Investigation of Naka Water Convey Tunnel,
2004.
5) Kendrick, S.: Design for external pressure using general criteria, Int. Jour. of Mech. Sci., Vol.
24, Issue 4, pp. 209-218, 1982.
6) ASME: Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Nuclear components, Code Case N-284, New
York, 1980.
7) British Standards Institution: BS 5500, Specification for unfired fusion welded pressure
vessels, London, 1997.
8) DNV: Recommended practice DNV-RP-C202, Buckling Strength of Shells, Hvik, Norway,
2002.
9) DNV: Rules for the Design, Construction and Inspection of Offshore Structures, Appendix C:
Steel Structures, Hvik, Norway, 1982.

- 158 -