Three-dimensional analysis of a prefabricated subway station during construction.

Partially assembled structures were used to replace earth-retaining struts during construction of a prefabricated subway station on the Shenzhen Metro in China. A three-dimensional numerical model was developed to investigate the interaction between the Pingxi station structure and the earth-retaining system for different assembly sequences. The results showed that the prefabricated structure performed satisfactorily during construction, and the sequence of assembly had a significant influence on the distribution of internal forces and stresses, especially in the substructure. The analytical approach applied here can be extended to assess other prefabricated underground structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]