Abstract: Due to its large rigidity of the tunnel shielding segment using the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) excavation construction, the segment structure might experience an excessive stress concentration in the highly stressed zone of deeply buried soft rock mass. In the TBM excavation of the Taigemiao Inclined Shaft of Shehua Xinjie project, the deformation characteristics of the shielding segment in the highly stressed zone of soft rock mass is evaluated. A new evaluation method which is the combination of characteristic curve method and load structure method is proposed for the conservative and more realistic analysis.

Key words: Shielded Tunnel, Highly Stressed Zone, Soft Rock, Characteristic Curve Method, LoadStructure Method