Influence of pipe jacking bentonite mud performance on stratum disturbance: an experimental centrifugal study

With widespread use of pipe jacking in recent years, requirements for disturbance control of pipe jacking method are increasing．Bentonite mud is the main disturbance reduction measure of pipe jacking method, but little is known about the influence of its own performance on disturbance control．Here we conducted a theoretical analysis of frictional resistance and formation settlement in the pipe jacking process．We did geotechnical centrifuge experiment．In a self-developed pipe jacking engineering grouting simulation system, different types of mud were used．We discovered the phenomenon of “friction reduction mud screen” and examined influence of mud viscosity and mud water loss on frictional resistance and formation settlement．