Predicted tunnel-induced settlement and damage to Findlaters church with respect to freefield and constructed side considerations

Abstract

Dublin, Ireland is scheduled to constructing its first metro in 2010, with a pair of tunnels connecting the city center to the airport. This study presents first-order predictions of the anticipated soil settlement and related building damage for a single structure on the route. The structure is a 19th century, stone church on glacial till situated almost directly above the shallowest portion of one of the tunnel crowns and immediately adjacent to a station box. To assess potential damage, a settlement trough is predicted based on another recent Dublin tunnel and the anticipated settlement is applied to the church. Damage predictions based on these freefield predictions are made and then revised as to the anticipated impact of the structure itself based on building stiffness, which significantly reduces the maximum differential settlement from 63mm to 36mm resulting in minimal predicted damage.