Review of Tunnel Fire Damage Assessment Methods and Techniques

Abstract

Major tunnel fires can have catastrophic consequences, including loss of life, property damage, and long-term service disruptions. The rapid rise of gas temperature in excess of 1,000°C (1,832°F) inside a confined tunnel space as well as long fire duration because of limited emergency responder access necessitate special design considerations when evaluating the structural response to fire. Although tunnel stability is not challenged in most cases, severe damage to the concrete lining is observed after major fire events. This paper provides a detailed review of assessment methodologies and techniques of fire damage in concrete tunnel linings, including guidance on the determination of fire scenarios, concrete spalling, and tunnel safety from existing codes and guidelines, experiments, and numerical models. Based on the review, the need to develop relevant guidelines is emphasized, the knowledge gaps in the existing research are identified, and future research directions are proposed.

Study on Risks and Countermeasures of Shallow Biogas during Construction of Metro Tunnels by Shield Boring Machine

“…The condition of segment linings was also checked by workers every day. A quick grouting method was used between the segments and strata (15,16). As shown in Figure 11, a and b, the slurry was piped to fill the space between the segment and strata.…”

Evaluating Tunnel Users’ Literacy on Expressway Tunnel Fire Safety: Questionnaire Analysis and Policy Decisions

“…The tunnel fires can cause catastrophic consequences, including loss of life, property damage, and prolonged service disruption [7][8][9]. The gas temperature inside a narrow and semi-enclosed tunnel can quickly reach over 1000 • C, causing rapid spread of fire and smoke that can last a long time [10,11]. Evacuation and rescue team intervention for tunnel users is not convenient [12,13].…”

The Efficiency of Non-Destructive Testing to Estimate the Damage Level of Fiber-Reinforced Concrete Exposed to High Temperatures

“…Although fire damage of concrete structures is a subject that has been considered for decades, the research community is still extensively investigating the different aspects of this complex phenomenon [1,2]. Indeed, fire can have a destructive effect on the residual properties of concrete structures at any time during their service life.…”

“…Damage assessment of concrete is the task of providing evidence to decide the right action needed after fire exposure (repair, reinforcement, demolition …) [2,3,22]. This includes different ranges of damage since the severity of fire is related to the degree and duration of thermal exposure in addition to the concrete conditions.…”

“…This includes different ranges of damage since the severity of fire is related to the degree and duration of thermal exposure in addition to the concrete conditions. Moreover, since the effect of temperature is not equal in a concrete member, the resulting thermal gradient can cause layered damage that adds more complexity to the damage assessment task [2]. The global diagnosis strategy of the extent of deterioration can be divided into two major approaches, comprising on-site and laboratory techniques with non-destructive (NDT) and destructive (DT) testing [23].…”