Open Access

ARTICLE

An Investigation into Dust Migration Patterns in Small-Section Tunnels and Large Steep-Sloped Inclined Shafts

Baoli Zang¹, Liyang Shao¹, Yang Li¹, Hao Ran², Liangwen Wei^2,*

1 China Railway Tunnel Bureau Group Road & Bridge Engineering Co., Tianjin, 300300, China
2 School of Civil Engineering, Chongqing Jiaotong University, Chongqing, 400074, China

* Corresponding Author: Liangwen Wei. Email:

Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing 2025, 21(3), 555-571. https://doi.org/10.32604/fdmp.2024.054275

Received 23 May 2024; Accepted 12 November 2024; Issue published 01 April 2025

Abstract

This study focuses on addressing ventilation and dust removal challenges during the construction of small-section tunnels using drilling and blasting techniques. Specifically, the research examines the shale gas gathering and transmission trunk line project in the Weiyuan and Luzhou blocks. To gain deeper insights into dust migration patterns, numerical simulations were conducted. The study further analyzed dust migration behavior in small-section tunnels and large steep-sloped shafts, taking into account various factors such as ventilation distance, tunnel slope, and section size. The results indicate that optimal ventilation occurs at distances of 15 and 13 m. Additionally, dust concentration was notably lower when the tunnel slope was 0°, suggesting that a flat slope is more advantageous for construction projects where the outlet wind speed remains constant. Moreover, as the tunnel’s cross-sectional size increases, dust concentration decreases significantly, further underscoring the benefits of larger tunnel sections in mitigating dust accumulation.

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Keywords

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