Tunnel Engineering and Mechanical Response Analysis
Summary
Tunnel engineering encompasses the planning, design, construction and maintenance of underground passages through diverse geological conditions, from soft soils to hard rock. Central to this discipline is the analysis of mechanical response, which examines how excavations and support systems interact with the surrounding rock mass under changing stress fields. Advances in numerical modelling, field monitoring and sensor technology have deepened understanding of deformation patterns, stress redistribution and failure mechanisms. Construction methods such as top heading and benching, centre diaphragm, sequential excavation and tunnel-boring machines are selected according to span, ground conditions and safety requirements. Practical applications range from urban metro networks and high-speed rail links to highway and water conveyance tunnels, with global projects demonstrating the importance of optimised support, real-time monitoring and adaptive construction strategies to ensure long-term stability and minimise environmental impact.
Research from Nature Portfolio
Recent studies have focused on the optimisation of staged excavation in large-section tunnels passing through challenging ground. Numerical simulations based on a water-rich fault zone demonstrate that adjusting the height ratios of sequential excavation steps can significantly influence vault settlement, peripheral convergence and support safety factors. By analysing the effects of varying upper, middle and lower step heights, an optimal ratio of 0.45 H:0.35 H:0.20 H was identified for top heading and benching, while a balanced split of 0.5 H:0.5 H was recommended for the centre diaphragm method. Findings reveal that increased step heights lead to greater deformation and reduced safety margins, emphasising the need to tailor excavation sequences to local geology and support capacity.
Tunnel Engineering and Mechanical Response Analysis publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in tunnel engineering and mechanical response analysis across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Top heading and benching (HB) method: a staged excavation technique dividing the tunnel profile into an upper heading and a lower bench to control deformation and facilitate support installation.
Centre diaphragm (CD) method: a tunnelling approach using a central partition to reduce effective span and enhance stability during excavation.
Convergence: the inward movement of tunnel walls or surrounding rock resulting from stress redistribution after excavation.
Plastic zone: the region around a tunnel where rock has yielded beyond its elastic limit and undergone permanent deformation.
Prestressed anchor cable: a high-strength steel cable tensioned and installed ahead of the tunnel face to reinforce surrounding rock and limit deformation.
References
- Exploring the feasibility of prestressed anchor cables as an alternative to temporary support in the excavation of super-large-span tunnel. Railway Engineering Science (2024).
- Development of a Mobile Laser Measurement System for Subway Tunnel Deformation Detection. Sensors (2025).
- Evaluating construction parameters of HB and CD methods for super large section tunnel: a case study. Scientific Reports (2023).
- Research on the Stability of Shallow-Buried Large Cross-Section Tunnel by Construction Method Conversion. Frontiers in Earth Science (2022).
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