Shaking table tests of the seismic response of a utility tunnel with a joint connection

Abstract A utility tunnel is characterized by a large span and segmental underground structure, which will produce many joint connections in the practical engineering. The existence of joints will reduce the stiffness and integrity of the structure, and eventually influence the safety of the structure. In this paper, a series of shaking table tests of utility tunnels with and without a joint connection were conducted to assess the effects of a joint on the seismic behavior. Three types of earthquake waves under uniform excitation (the same excitation at different points of the ground) in the transverse direction were input. The results show that the structure without a joint connection presented a more significant acceleration response and horizontal soil pressure response than that with a joint connection. The peak strain and bending moment would be reduced with a joint connection. The relative displacement at two sides of the joints was very small under various types of earthquake waves, and only a small value of rotation angle was produced, indicating the insignificant response of joint deformation.