Abstract
A sub-ground tunnel connecting two concourses of a terminal at Chicago O’Hare International Airport suffered from water leakage. The airport engineers suspected that the problem was caused by high stresses impinging on the tunnel structure by the pavement sections above the tunnel, acting to damage joints and waterproofing membranes that should have prevented such leakage. To provide a fundamental solution to this problem while minimizing the interference with airport operation, a repair strategy needs to be determined based on a clear understanding of the root cause. A preliminary field inspection confirmed that the concrete pavement slabs moved significantly when ambient temperature changes caused concrete contraction or expansion. This study used finite element modeling to infer the slab displacements and stresses driven by the daily and seasonal thermal changes based on actual temperature statistics. We proposed a reasonable 3D model configuration for the entire pavement section. The simulated slab displacements agree with the results of actual manual measurements. Subsequent analysis predicts the stresses applied to the tunnel structure, whereby insightful data are obtained for preparing the repair plan.
Original language | English (US) |
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State | Published - 2022 |
Event | 7th International Conference on Durability of Concrete Structure, ICDCS 2022 - Jinan, China Duration: May 20 2022 → May 22 2022 |
Conference
Conference | 7th International Conference on Durability of Concrete Structure, ICDCS 2022 |
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Country/Territory | China |
City | Jinan |
Period | 5/20/22 → 5/22/22 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Mechanics of Materials
- Safety, Risk, Reliability and Quality
- Building and Construction
- General Materials Science