Lowell Cabangon

• Email: l.t.cabangon1@ncl.ac.uk

Supervisors

• Dr Mohamed Rouainia
• Dr Gaetano Elia

Project title

Advanced numerical analysis of tunnel behaviour in structured clayey soils under seismic loading

Project description

Soil exhibits complex mechanical behaviours under earthquake loading. These behaviours are far different from those observed under monotonic loading. They include:

• strong non-linearity
• material anisotropy
• non-coaxiality
• structure degradation
• dependence on past stress-history
• decrease of nominal shear stiffness with consequent hysteretic energy dissipation during the cycles
• early irreversibility

We can only simulate some of these features by linear-visco-elastic assumption and elasto-plasticity theory. Thus, there is the need for an advanced and more appropriate constitutive model.

Seismic wave propagation has an arbitrary direction with respect to the axis of the structure. This causes multi-directional loading for the soil deposit and the tunnel lining. 3D representation is needed to capture this aspect. Also, 2D requires simplifications to capture 3D effects, ie longitudinal effects. This can have an impact on the response of the tunnel under seismic loads and may lead to un-conservative design.

The project will develop a new approach to improve the prediction of tunnel behaviour during earthquake. It will improve accuracy and reliability.

I will investigate the influence of an advanced non-linear kinematic hardening soil constitutive model on the results of two- and three-dimensional models. These are models of an ideal underground structure in natural clayey soils in earthquake condition.

I will investigate the effects of multi-directional application of earthquake ground motion using a 3D approach compared to traditional one-directional application.

I will examine the impact and relative merit of this new approach on the tunnel design.

Publications

• Cabangon LT, Elia G, Rouainia M. Modelling the transverse behaviour of circular tunnels in structured clayey soils during earthquakes. Acta Geotechnica 2019, 14(1), 163-178.
• Cabangon LT, Elia G, Rouainia M. Numerical analysis of tunnel behaviour in clayey soils under seismic loads. In: 16th European Conference on Earthquake Engineering (16ECEE). 2018, Thessaloniki, Greece.
• Cabangon LT, Elia G, Rouainia M. Advanced numerical modelling of the transverse behaviour of tunnels under seismic loading. In: Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Computational Methods in Tunneling and Subsurface Engineering (EURO:TUN 2017). 2017, Innsbruck, Austria. pp729-737.

Interests

• 2D and 3D numerical modelling
• geomechanics
• geotechnical and tunnel engineering
• soil-structure interaction
• soil dynamics

Qualifications

• BSc Civil Engineering
• MSc (Eng) International Construction Management and Engineering
• MAS in Tunnelling

Lowell Cabangon Lowell CabangonLinkedIn

Lowell’s profile on ResearchGate