Analysis of Water Leakage Through Tunnel Lining During Subway Construction

During constructing metro tunnels using tunnel boring machines in the city of Moscow, groundwater leaks regularly occur either directly through the support structures or shortly after their construction. This circumstance necessitates the organization of labour-intensive and costly work to eliminate leaks by subsequent grouting. In this study, a field investigation was conducted to determine the causes of water manifestations in metro tunnels. As a result of a comprehensive examination of 1580 tunnel lining rings on four sections, various types of leaks were identified, allowing for the development of a classification of water manifestations. Data analysis revealed that most of the water manifestations are associated with the locking tunnel lining ring segment. The likely causes of a significant number of such leaks are defects in the design of waterproofing seals and technological errors during the construction of the support rings. This research represents the first step towards a comprehensive understanding of the causes of water manifestations and the development of comprehensive solutions for addressing them.