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Urban Underground Space Design: Structural Stability and Mechanics Analysis—2nd Edition
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Urban Underground Space Design: Structural Stability and Mechanics Analysis—2nd Edition

A special issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309). This special issue belongs to the section "Building Structures".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 1015

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Zhehao Zhu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Civil Engineering, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai 200234, China
Interests: geotechnical earthquake engineering; macro and micro behaviour of granular material; conservation of cultural heritage; geotechnical computational mechanics; sand liquefaction
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Jun Wu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Civil Engineering, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai 200234, China
Interests: information and intelligence of geotechnical engineering; resource utilization of solid waste; in-situ resource utilization of lunar soil; impact and blast resistance of materials and structures
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Yi Rui

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Civil Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
Interests: energy underground engineering; intelligent perception of underground infrastructure; geotechnical computational mechanics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Peinan Li

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
Interests: construction mechanics of shield tunnel; underground space planning and development; spatiotemporal random field and geological modelling; geotechnical computational mechanics
Dr. Hao Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
Interests: offshore wind turbines; marine geotechnical engineering; pile foundations
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As cities globally grapple with the challenges of population growth and limited surface area, the use of underground spaces emerges as a solution with great potential. This necessitates a reasonable assessment of structural stability and a serious geotechnical analysis in order to ensure the safe and longevity of such spaces. From a structural stability standpoint, intricate networks of tunnels, subways, and other underground structures require meticulous design in order to withstand various loads, ground movements, and possible natural hazards. Geotechnical analysis is similarly important, involving the understanding of soil and rock mechanics, groundwater conditions, and the interaction between the subsurface and constructed elements. These two facets not only respond to the pressing requirement for efficient space utilization in densely populated urban areas but also underscore the academic pursuit of pioneering practical solutions. Several relevant studies have already been published in the first volume of this Special Issue. You can find them at the following link: [https://www.mdpi.com/journal/buildings/special_issues/6U5F547YLT].

Within this framework, this Special Issue ‘Urban Underground Space Design: Structural Stability and Geotechnical Analysis—2nd Edition’ proposes a series of research papers on the above areas that align with the broader goals of sustainable urban development. Topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Innovative approaches to urban underground space design;
  • Sustainable practices in underground construction;
  • Geotechnical analysis for urban underground projects;
  • Case studies and best

We look forward to receiving your submissions.

Dr. Zhehao Zhu
Prof. Dr. Jun Wu
Prof. Dr. Yi Rui
Prof. Dr. Peinan Li
Dr. Hao Zhang
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. Buildings 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 2600 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

  • subsurface engineering
  • geotechnical analysis
  • tunnel technologies
  • structural stability
  • underground construction
  • excavation methods
  • ground improvement
  • sustainable underground design

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 2664 KiB  
Article
Analysis of Heat Exchange Efficiency and Influencing Factors of Energy Tunnels: A Case Study of the Torino Metro in Italy
by Mei Yin, Pengcheng Liu and Zhenhuang Wu
Buildings 2025, 15(15), 2704; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15152704 - 31 Jul 2025
Viewed by 231
Abstract
Both ground source heat pumps (GSHPs) and energy underground structures are engineered systems that utilize shallow geothermal energy. However, due to the construction complexity and associated costs of energy tunnels, their heat exchange efficiency relative to GSHPs remains a topic worthy of in-depth [...] Read more.
Both ground source heat pumps (GSHPs) and energy underground structures are engineered systems that utilize shallow geothermal energy. However, due to the construction complexity and associated costs of energy tunnels, their heat exchange efficiency relative to GSHPs remains a topic worthy of in-depth investigation. In this study, a thermal–hydraulic (TH) coupled finite element model was developed based on a section of the Torino Metro Line in Italy to analyze the differences in and influencing factors of heat transfer performance between energy tunnels and GSHPs. The model was validated by comparing the outlet temperature curves under both winter and summer loading conditions. Based on this validated model, a parametric analysis was conducted to examine the effects of the tunnel air velocity, heat carrier fluid velocity, and fluid type. The results indicate that, under identical environmental conditions, energy tunnels exhibit higher heat exchange efficiency than conventional GSHP systems and are less sensitive to external factors such as fluid velocity. Furthermore, a comparison of different heat carrier fluids, including alcohol-based fluids, refrigerants, and water, revealed that the fluid type significantly affects thermal performance, with the refrigerant R-134a outperforming ethylene glycol and water in both heating and cooling efficiency. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Underground Space Design: Structural Stability and Mechanics Analysis—2nd Edition)
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27 pages, 19505 KiB  
Article
Analysis on the Ductility of One-Part Geopolymer-Stabilized Soil with PET Fibers: A Deep Learning Neural Network Approach
by Guo Hu, Junyi Zhang, Ying Tang and Jun Wu
Buildings 2025, 15(15), 2645; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15152645 - 27 Jul 2025
Viewed by 316
Abstract
Geopolymers, as an eco-friendly alternative construction material to ordinary Portland cement (OPC), exhibit superior performance in soil stabilization. However, their inherent brittleness limits engineering applications. To address this, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibers can be incorporated into a one-part geopolymer (OPG) binder to enhance [...] Read more.
Geopolymers, as an eco-friendly alternative construction material to ordinary Portland cement (OPC), exhibit superior performance in soil stabilization. However, their inherent brittleness limits engineering applications. To address this, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibers can be incorporated into a one-part geopolymer (OPG) binder to enhance ductility while promoting plastic waste recycling. However, the evaluation of ductile behavior of OPG-stabilized soil with PET fiber normally demands extensive laboratory and field experiments. Leveraging artificial intelligence, a predictive model can be developed for this purpose. In this study, data were collected from compressive and tensile tests performed on the OPG-stabilized soil with PET fiber. Four deep learning neural network models, namely ANN, BPNN, CNN, and LSTM, were then used to construct prediction models. The input parameters in the model included the fly ash (FA) dosage, dosage and length of the PET fiber, and the Curing Time. Results revealed that the LSTM model had the best performance in predicting the three ductile properties (i.e., the compressive strength index [UCS], strain energy index [CSE], and tensile strength index [TES]). The SHAP and 2D-PDP methods were further used to verify the rationality of the LSTM model. It is found that the Curing Time was the most important factor for the strength and ductile behavior. The appropriate addition of PET fiber of a certain length had a positive impact on the ductility index. Thus, for the OPG-stabilized soil, the optimal dosage and length of PET fiber were found to be 1.5% and 9 mm, respectively. Additionally, there was a synergistic effect between FA and PET on the ductility metric. This research provides theoretical support for the application of geopolymer and PET fiber in enhancing the ductility of the stabilized soil. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Underground Space Design: Structural Stability and Mechanics Analysis—2nd Edition)
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22 pages, 8296 KiB  
Article
Flexural Behavior of Shield Tunnel Joints with Auto-Lock Connectors: A Theoretical and Numerical Investigation with Parametric Analysis
by Lina Luo, Weidong Lin, Haibo Hu, Gang Lei and Hui Liu
Buildings 2025, 15(13), 2182; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15132182 - 23 Jun 2025
Viewed by 310
Abstract
Rapid connectors for shield tunnels represent a critical advancement in underground engineering construction. This study proposes a novel auto-lock connector, detailing its structure and working principle. The flexural behavior of the auto-lock joint is investigated through theoretical analysis and numerical simulation, with a [...] Read more.
Rapid connectors for shield tunnels represent a critical advancement in underground engineering construction. This study proposes a novel auto-lock connector, detailing its structure and working principle. The flexural behavior of the auto-lock joint is investigated through theoretical analysis and numerical simulation, with a comprehensive evaluation of influencing factors. The results indicate that joint opening increases with reduced axial force, peaking at 24.1 mm under negative bending under a 100 kN axial load. The ultimate bending moment demonstrates a nonlinear variation with axial force. At low axial forces, increasing material strength or dimensions enhances joint flexural capacity, with more pronounced improvements under lower loads. This research establishes a theoretical foundation for the practical application of auto-lock connectors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Underground Space Design: Structural Stability and Mechanics Analysis—2nd Edition)
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