Advances in Tunnel Excavation and Underground Construction
A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Civil Engineering".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 February 2026 | Viewed by 754
Special Issue Editors
Interests: intelligent construction and operation of tunnels; design and construction of mountain tunnel; safety and environmental control of subway construction
Interests: intelligent construction of TBM/shield tunnel; new technology for tunnel excavation; innovative materials for tunnel construction
Interests: fluid flow; Fractal; nonlinear flow; rock fracture networks
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Driven by rapid urbanization and the escalating demand for sustainable infrastructure, tunnel excavation and underground construction are encountering unprecedented opportunities and challenges. Efficient, safe, and intelligent techniques for tunneling and underground structure development are pivotal to advancing modern transportation networks, building resilient cities, and optimizing land use.
This Special Issue seeks to collate cutting-edge research and practical advancements in the field of tunnel and underground engineering.
We cordially invite contributions from experts worldwide with a focus on the following (but not limited to) topics: mechanized tunneling (TBM/shield), optimization and innovation in drilling and blasting, excavation stability control under complex geological conditions, rock/soil–structure interaction mechanisms, advanced monitoring and non-destructive testing, numerical simulation and intelligent prediction methods, seismic performance and long-term behavior of underground structures, green construction technologies and sustainability assessment, innovative technology and materials for tunnel construction, and construction safety and risk management.
This collection will showcase groundbreaking technologies, innovative methodologies, and best practices that are pushing the boundaries of tunnel engineering. It aims to provide invaluable insights and solutions for engineers, researchers, and policymakers tackling the intricate challenges of future underground space development.
We therefore invite investigators to contribute to this Special Issue with original research papers. High-quality case studies and critical literature reviews are also welcome.
Dr. Wangping Qian
Dr. Zeen Wan
Dr. Richeng Liu
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- tunnel excavation
- underground construction
- mechanized tunneling
- ground stability
- support systems
- artificial intelligence applications, numerical modeling
- construction safety
- construction monitoring
- risk management
- sustainability
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
