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Review: Impact of underground structures on the flow of urban groundwater

Revue: Impact des structures du sous-sol sur les écoulements des eaux souterraines en milieu urbain

Revisión: Impacto de las estructuras del subsuelo en el flujo del agua subterránea en zonas urbanas

评论:地下结构对城区地下水流的影响

Revisão: Impacto de estruturas subterrâneas no fluxo das águas subterrâneas urbanas

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Abstract

Property economics favours the vertical development of cities but flow of groundwater can be affected by the use of underground space in them. This review article presents the state of the art regarding the impact of disturbances caused by underground structures (tunnels, basements of buildings, deep foundations, etc.) on the groundwater flow in urban aquifers. The structures built in the underground levels of urban areas are presented and organised in terms of their impact on flow: obstacle to the flow or disturbance of the groundwater budget of the flow system. These two types of disturbance are described in relation to the structure area and the urban area. The work reviewed shows, on one hand, the individual impacts of different urban underground structures, and on the other, their cumulative impacts on flow, using real case studies. Lastly, the works are placed in perspective regarding the integration of underground structures with the aim of operational management of an urban aquifer. The literature presents deterministic numerical modelling as a tool capable of contributing to this aim, in that it helps to quantify the effect of an underground infrastructure project on groundwater flow, which is crucial for decision-making processes. It can also be an operational decision-aid tool for choosing construction techniques or for formulating strategies to manage the water resource.

Résumé

L’économie du foncier favorise le développement vertical des villes, mais l’écoulement des eaux souterraines peut être affecté par l’utilisation de l’espace souterrain. Cet article présente l’état de l’art en ce qui concerne l’impact et les perturbations causées par les ouvrages souterrains (tunnels, sous-sols de bâtiments, fondations profondes, etc.) sur l’écoulement des eaux souterraines dans les aquifères urbanisés. Les structures construites dans les niveaux souterrains des zones urbaines sont présentées et organisées en fonction de leur incidence sur les écoulements: obstacle à l’écoulement ou perturbation du bilan d’eau souterraine du système d’écoulement. Ces deux types de perturbations sont décrits à l'échelle de l'ouvrage et à l'échelle de l'aire urbaine. La revue des travaux présente, d’une part, les impacts individuels de différentes structures souterraines urbaines, et de l’autre, leurs effets cumulatifs sur les écoulements, à partir d’études de cas réels. Enfin, les travaux sont mis en perspective en ce qui concerne l’intégration des structures souterraines dans le but de la gestion opérationnelle d’un aquifère urbain. La littérature présente la modélisation numérique déterministe comme un outil capable de contribuer à cet objectif, en ce qu’elle permet de quantifier l’effet d’un projet d’infrastructure souterraine sur l’écoulement des eaux souterraines, ce qui est crucial pour les processus de prise de décision. La modélisation numérique peut constituer un outil opérationnel d’aide à la décision pour la sélection de techniques de construction ou pour formuler des stratégies de gestion de la ressource en eau.

Resumen

Las características económicas favorecen el desarrollo vertical de las ciudades pero el flujo del agua subterránea puede ser afectado por el uso del espacio subterráneo en ellas. Este artículo de revisión presenta el estado del arte en relación al impacto de las perturbaciones causadas por las estructuras de subsuelo (túneles, sótanos de edificios, fundaciones profundas, etc.) en el flujo de agua subterránea en los acuíferos de zonas urbanas. Se presentan las estructuras construidas en niveles del subsuelo de las zonas urbanas y se organizan en función de su impacto en el flujo: obstáculo para el flujo o perturbación del balance del agua subterránea en el sistema de flujo. Se describen estos dos tipos de perturbaciones en relación con el área de la estructura y la zona urbana. Los trabajos revisados muestran, por una parte, los impactos individuales de diferentes estructuras del subsuelo urbano, y por otro, su efecto acumulativo sobre el flujo, utilizando estudios de casos reales. Finalmente, las obras se sitúan en perspectiva con respecto a la integración de las estructuras del subsuelo con el objetivo de la gestión operativa de un acuífero urbano. La literatura presenta a la modelización numérica determinística como una herramienta capaz de contribuir a este objetivo, ya que ayuda a cuantificar el efecto de un proyecto de una infraestructura del subsuelo en el flujo de las aguas subterráneas, lo cual es crucial en los procesos de toma de decisiones. También puede ser una herramienta de ayuda en la operación de la elección de las técnicas de construcción o de la formulación de estrategias de la gestión del recurso hídrico.

摘要

产权经济有利于城市的纵向发展,但地下水流可能受到城市地下空间利用的影响。本篇论述文章展示了地下结构(隧道、建筑物地下室及深层地基等)对城区含水层地下水流造成的干扰影响现状。论述了城区地下建造的结构及其对水流的影响:成为水流的障碍或水流系统地下水平衡的干扰因素。描述了与结构区和城区有关的这两种类型的干扰。通过研究实例,论述的工作一方面显示了不同城区地下结构的单个影响,另一方面采用显示了对水流的积累影响。最后,正确安排地下水结构整合方面的工作,目的就是做好城区含水层的运行管理。文献展示了确定性的数值模拟作为工具能有利于实现这个目标,数值模拟有助于定量化地下基础设施对地下水流的影响,这种影响对决策过程至关重要。它还可以成为选择建设技术或指定水资源管理战略的经营决策支持工具。

Resumo

Economia de propriedade favorece o desenvolvimento vertical das cidades, mas o fluxo das águas subterrâneas pode ser afetado pela utilização do espaço subterrâneo. Este artigo apresenta o estado da arte sobre o impacto das perturbações causadas por estruturas subterrâneas (túneis, fundação de edifícios, fundações profundas, etc.) no fluxo das águas subterrâneas em aquíferos urbanos. As estruturas construídas nos níveis subterrâneos de áreas urbanas são apresentadas e organizadas em termos do seu impacto sobre o fluxo: obstáculo ao fluxo ou perturbação do balanço hídrico subterrâneo no sistema de fluxo. Esses dois tipos de perturbação são descritos em relação à área da estrutura e da área urbana. O estudo analisado mostra, por um lado, os impactos individuais de diferentes estruturas subterrâneas urbanas, e, por outro lado, os seus efeitos cumulativos sobre o fluxo, usando estudos de caso real. Por último, as obras são colocadas em perspectiva a respeito da integração das estruturas subterrâneas com o objetivo de gestão operacional de um aquífero urbano. A literatura apresenta modelagem numérica determinística como uma ferramenta capaz de contribuir para este objetivo, na medida em que ajuda a quantificar o efeito de um projeto de infraestruturas subterrâneas no fluxo de águas subterrâneas, o que é crucial para os processos de tomada de decisão. Isso também pode ser uma ferramenta de apoio à decisão operacional para a escolha de técnicas de construção ou para a formulação de estratégias para gerir o recurso hídrico.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the Ministère de l’Ecologie, du Développement Durable et de l’Energie (the French Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy) for financial support. Finally, we would like to thank the four anonymous reviewers for their relevant comments and suggestions.

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Attard, G., Winiarski, T., Rossier, Y. et al. Review: Impact of underground structures on the flow of urban groundwater. Hydrogeol J 24, 5–19 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-015-1317-3

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