Network-Based Upscaling of Pore Connectivity in Conditioned EPB Soil
Keywords:
Earth Pressure Balance, Soil Conditioning, Pore Network Modeling, Upscaling, Micro-Computed TomographyAbstract
The application of Earth Pressure Balance shield tunneling in complex geological environments relies heavily on the effective conditioning of the excavated soil. Soil conditioning transforms the raw geological material into a plastic, workable paste that can maintain face support pressure and facilitate smooth extraction. However, the microstructural mechanisms governing the macro-scale behavior of this multiphase mixture remain poorly understood. This paper presents a comprehensive network-based upscaling framework designed to quantify and predict the pore connectivity and macroscopic permeability of foam-conditioned soil. By utilizing high-resolution X-ray micro-computed tomography, the three-dimensional internal structure of the conditioned soil is digitized and segmented. The void space, comprising entrained air bubbles, liquid phases, and natural soil pores, is abstracted into a topologically equivalent pore network model consisting of pore bodies connected by narrow pore throats. Through the application of volume conservation principles and local flow conductance approximations at the microscopic level, the network model upscales these localized fluid transport properties to predict the global, macroscopic permeability of the bulk mixture. The results indicate that the coordination number and pore throat size distribution are critically dependent on the foam injection ratio and ambient pressure. This study bridges the gap between microstructural topology and macroscopic hydro-mechanical behavior, offering a rigorous predictive tool for optimizing soil conditioning parameters in mechanized tunneling operations.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Francesco Gentile
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