Introduction:

As a Geo-structural Engineer deeply involved in the field of tunnel construction and soil mechanics, my recent webinar focused on an area of growing importance: the behavior of NATM (New Austrian Tunneling Method) tunnels in the porous clays of São Paulo. The rapid urbanization globally necessitates the expansion of underground spaces, and São Paulo's unique geotechnical conditions offer a rich study ground. This article, an extension of my webinar, aims to share key insights and research findings with engineering professionals worldwide on this global engineer knowledge-sharing platform.

Introduction

With the help of Tarcisio Barreto Celestino and Antonio Bobet, our MIDAS Expert Osvaldo Paiva Magalhães Vitali took on a new approach using midas GTS NX on tunnels with complex ground and loading conditions. In their recent publication in the Soils and Rocks Journal, we can see how they used the features in midas GTS NX to impose body forces to the 3D finite elements; this is done by providing components of the Cauchy stress tensor.