Geotechnical Stability Analysis of Underground Structures

Geotechnical stability analysis of underground structures encompasses the assessment of earth and rock support systems for tunnels, shafts, caissons and subterranean chambers. Central to this field is the evaluation of the factor of safety against collapse or excessive deformation under complex loading conditions, including in-situ stresses, groundwater pressures and construction-induced disturbances. Practitioners employ a spectrum of analytical and numerical techniques, ranging from limit equilibrium and limit analysis methods to advanced finite element and discrete element simulations. Constitutive models capture the non-linear, anisotropic and strain-softening behaviour of soils and rock masses, while empirical criteria, such as the Hoek–Brown failure criterion, remain widely used for rock support design. Recent advances integrate real-time monitoring data with predictive algorithms to refine support pressures and lining design in shield-driven and slurry-shield tunnelling. Global applications span urban metro networks, underground storage caverns and deep mining operations, where ground conditions vary from soft clays to jointed rock. Emerging trends include data-driven machine learning approaches for rapid stability assessment, coupled hydro-mechanical modelling to account for seepage and filter cake formation at tunnel faces, and multi-scale studies linking laboratory measurements to full-scale site performance. This holistic framework ensures the safe, economic and sustainable execution of underground works in diverse geological settings.

Research from Nature Portfolio

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Research from all publishers

Recent work has demonstrated the power of artificial intelligence in tunnel stability assessment. One study developed an artificial neural network model trained on finite element limit analysis solutions using the Hoek–Brown failure criterion. The model predicts stability of rectangular tunnels in heterogeneous rock masses with high accuracy, offering rapid preliminary design guidance for practitioners. Another investigation focused on the monitored performance of a large-diameter caisson sunk through sand strata. Instrumentation of settlement, tilt and contact stresses revealed complex soil–structure interactions during sinking, leading to recommendations for real-time feedback systems that refine support fluid pressures and maintain verticality. A further contribution examined the stability of surface-subsurface discontinuities known as trapdoors in cohesive soils. Through undrained finite-difference simulations and upper- and lower-bound limit analysis, the study mapped factors of safety as functions of trapdoor geometry and pressure conditions, yielding design charts applicable to sinkhole risk management in urban environments.

Geotechnical Stability Analysis of Underground Structures publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in geotechnical stability analysis of underground structures across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Finite element analysis (FEA): A numerical method that discretises a domain into elements to solve complex stress–strain and pore-pressure interactions in soils and rock.

Factor of safety (FOS): A dimensionless ratio of resisting forces or moments to mobilising forces, used to quantify stability margin against failure.

Filter cake: A thin layer of fine particles deposited on a tunnel face during slurry-shield tunnelling, which contributes to support pressure and water cut-off.

Trapdoor problem: A stability scenario involving a superficial block of soil or rock that may collapse into a subterranean void, assessed via limit-equilibrium or numerical methods.

Hoek–Brown failure criterion: An empirical strength criterion for fractured rock masses that relates major and minor principal stresses through material constants reflecting rock quality.

References

1. Application of Artificial Neural Networks for Predicting the Stability of Rectangular Tunnels in Hoek–Brown Rock Masses. Frontiers in Built Environment (2022).
2. Monitoring the construction of a large-diameter caisson in sand. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Geotechnical Engineering (2020).
3. Undrained Stability of Active and Passive Trapdoors. Geotechnical Research (2019).
4. A Coupled CFD–DEM Simulation of Slurry Infiltration and Filter Cake Formation during Slurry Shield Tunneling. Infrastructures (2018).