To examine how cracks interact with each other in tunnel linings, the fracture test of a tunnel specimen is studied numerically to obtain the coefficient of interaction, which is derived based on the ex- tended fictitious crack model (EFCM). Under…
To examine how cracks interact with each other in tunnel linings, the fracture test of a tunnel specimen is studied numerically to obtain the coefficient of interaction, which is derived based on the ex- tended fictitious crack model (EFCM). Under the test conditions, five cracks propagate in five separate ten- sion zones from the initial notches that are preset in the numerical model. Unlike the bending tests of beams where all the cracks originate from the same tension side, crack interaction and localization in tunnel linings exhibit characteristics that are unique to structures with several tension zones when subjected to loading.