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Research on Key Technologies for Green Construction and Safe Operation...
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Research on Key Technologies for Green Construction and Safe Operation and Maintenance of Tunnels and Underground Engineering

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2026 | Viewed by 2517

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Heng Zhang

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Guest Editor
School of Civil Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China
Interests: tunnel and underground engineering; construction mechanics of large and complex underground structures; research and development of underground engineering construction machinery and equipment; selection and intelligent control of tunnel construction equipment in extreme environments; application of renewable fiber materials in concrete lining structures
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Huayun Li

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Guest Editor
School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Xihua University, Chengdu 610039, China
Interests: structure system and deformation control of tunnels in complex and unfavorable geological environments with weak surrounding rocks; foundation pit support structures
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

With the continuous acceleration of urbanization, the requirements for rapid and green transportation are increasing. The superiority of tunnels in transportation construction is receiving increasing attention, and the number and scale of constructions are growing explosively. Traditional construction and operation concepts struggle to meet the safety and comfort needs of transportation. Driven by multiple composite factors such as the "dual carbon" target, national land space, urban renewal, resilient cities, smart infrastructure, and new quality productivity, the importance and challenges of tunnel and underground space planning, construction, operation safety, and energy conservation and environmental protection are increasingly prominent.

This Special Issue encourages all professionals, researchers, managers, and planners engaged in the construction, operation, and maintenance of civil engineering, tunnels, and corresponding underground engineering to share their work.

Dr. Heng Zhang
Dr. Huayun Li
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

  • tunnel engineering
  • underground engineering
  • green construction
  • safe operation and maintenance
  • energy saving
  • environmental protection
  • low carbon development

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

25 pages, 9930 KiB  
Article
Study of Structural Deterioration Behavior of Mining Method Tunnels Under Steel Reinforcement Corrosion
by Gang Liu, Xingyu Zhu, Jiayong Yang, Zhiqiang Zhang, Jilin Song and Yuda Yang
Buildings 2025, 15(11), 1902; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15111902 - 31 May 2025
Viewed by 327
Abstract
Tunnel lining structures, which are subjected to the combined effects of water and soil pressure as well as a water-rich erosion environment, undergo a corrosion-induced damage and degradation process in the reinforced concrete, gradually leading to structural failure and a significant decline in [...] Read more.
Tunnel lining structures, which are subjected to the combined effects of water and soil pressure as well as a water-rich erosion environment, undergo a corrosion-induced damage and degradation process in the reinforced concrete, gradually leading to structural failure and a significant decline in service performance. By introducing the Cohesive Zone Model (CZM) and the concrete damage plastic model (CDP), a three-dimensional numerical model of the tunnel lining structure in mining method tunnels was established. This model takes into account the multiple effects caused by steel reinforcement corrosion, including the degradation of the reinforcement’s performance, the loss of an effective concrete cross section, and the deterioration of the bond between the steel reinforcement and the concrete. Through this model, the deformation, internal forces, damage evolution, and degradation characteristics of the structure under the effects of the surrounding rock water–soil pressure and steel reinforcement corrosion are identified. The simulation results reveal the following: (1) Corrosion leads to a reduction in the stiffness of the lining structure, exacerbating its deformation. For example, under high water pressure conditions, the displacement at the vault of the lining before and after corrosion is 4.31 mm and 7.14 mm, respectively, with an additional displacement increase of 65.7% due to corrosion. (2) The reinforced concrete lining structure, which is affected by the surrounding rock loads and expansion due to steel reinforcement corrosion, experiences progressive degradation, resulting in a redistribution of internal forces within the structure. The overall axial force in the lining slightly increases, while the bending moment at the vault, spandrel, and invert decreases and the bending moment at the hance and arch foot increases. (3) The damage range of the tunnel lining structure continuously increases as corrosion progresses, with significant differences between the surrounding rock side and the free face side. Among the various parts of the lining, the vault exhibits the greatest damage depth and the widest cracks. (4) Water pressure significantly impacts the internal forces and crack width of the lining structure. As the water level drops, both the bending moment and the axial force diminish, while the damage range and crack width increase, with crack width increasing by 15.1% under low water pressure conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Key Technologies for Green Construction and Safe Operation and Maintenance of Tunnels and Underground Engineering)
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22 pages, 14181 KiB  
Article
Vibration Characteristics of Double-Shield TBM Cutterhead Under Rock–Machine Interaction Excitation
by Guang Zhang, Qing Song, Qiuming Gong, Dongxing Liu, Dongwei Li and Minghao Sun
Buildings 2025, 15(11), 1824; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15111824 - 26 May 2025
Viewed by 368
Abstract
During the tunneling process of a double-shield TBM, vibrations generated by rock–machine interaction can affect its safe, efficient, and stable operation. This study was based on the Eping Water Diversion TBM Project. By deploying a vibration monitoring system, the original vibration signals of [...] Read more.
During the tunneling process of a double-shield TBM, vibrations generated by rock–machine interaction can affect its safe, efficient, and stable operation. This study was based on the Eping Water Diversion TBM Project. By deploying a vibration monitoring system, the original vibration signals of the double-shield TBM were acquired. A denoising method combining Improved Complete Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition with Adaptive Noise (ICEEMDAN) and Multi-scale Permutation Entropy (MPE) was applied for signals reconstruct. The time-domain and frequency-domain characteristics of the reconstructed signals were extracted, and the three-directional vibration characteristics of the cutterhead were analyzed. The influence of surrounding rock classes and tunneling parameters on the vibration characteristics of the double-shield TBM cutterhead was investigated. The results indicate that cutterhead vibration exhibits anisotropy, with the tangential vibration amplitude being the largest, followed by the axial and radial components. The vibration energy is primarily concentrated in the high-frequency range. As the surrounding rock changes from Class II to Class V, the vibration intensity gradually decreases. During the transition from Class II to Class IV rock, the axial vibration frequency decreases while the tangential vibration frequency increases due to changes in rock-breaking patterns. In Class V rock, lower thrust leads to uneven load distribution at the cutterhead-fragmented rock interface, which increases axial vibration frequency. Meanwhile, lower rotational speed results in smoother cutting and reduces tangential vibration frequency. Increasing cutterhead rotational speed or thrust amplifies vibration intensity. Higher rotational speed shifts vibration energy toward lower frequencies, whereas increased thrust introduces more high-frequency components. The findings of this study provide valuable insights for the structural design, tunneling parameter optimization, geological condition perception, fault diagnosis and prediction of double-shield TBMs, thereby promoting green and intelligent tunneling construction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Key Technologies for Green Construction and Safe Operation and Maintenance of Tunnels and Underground Engineering)
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17 pages, 5337 KiB  
Article
Characteristics and Deformation Mechanisms of Neogene Red-Bed Soft Rock Tunnel Surrounding Rock: Insights from Field Monitoring and Experimental Analysis
by Jin Wu, Geng Cheng, Zhiyi Jin, Zhize Han, Feng Peng and Jiaxin Jia
Buildings 2025, 15(11), 1820; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15111820 - 26 May 2025
Viewed by 280
Abstract
This study focuses on Neogene red-bed soft rock tunnels in the Huicheng Basin, China. Through engineering geological investigation, remote wireless monitoring systems, and total station multi-parameter monitoring, the deformation characteristics of red-bed soft rock surrounding rock under high in situ stress environments and [...] Read more.
This study focuses on Neogene red-bed soft rock tunnels in the Huicheng Basin, China. Through engineering geological investigation, remote wireless monitoring systems, and total station multi-parameter monitoring, the deformation characteristics of red-bed soft rock surrounding rock under high in situ stress environments and their influencing factors were systematically analyzed. The findings reveal that the surrounding rock deformation follows a three-stage evolutionary pattern of “rapid, slow, and stable”. Construction disturbances can disrupt the stable state, leading to “deep V-shaped” anomalies or double-step responses in deformation curves. Spatially, the deformation exhibits significant anisotropy, with the haunch area showing the maximum deformation (95 mm) and the vault the minimum (65–73 mm). Deformation stabilization requires 30–42 days, and a reserved deformation of 10 cm is recommended based on specifications. Mechanical behavior analysis indicates that the stress–strain curves of red-bed argillaceous sandstone are stepped, with increased confining pressure enhancing both peak and residual strengths, validating the necessity of timely support. The study elucidates a multi-factor coupling mechanism: rock mass classification, temporal–spatial effects (excavation face constraints and rheological properties), construction methods, in situ stress levels, and support timing (timely support during the rapid phase inhibits strength degradation) significantly influence deformation evolution. The spatiotemporal distribution of surrounding rock pressure shows that invert pressure increases most rapidly, while vault pressure reaches the highest magnitude, with construction disturbances triggering stress redistribution. This research provides theoretical and practical guidance for the design, construction optimization, and disaster prevention of red-bed soft rock tunnels. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Key Technologies for Green Construction and Safe Operation and Maintenance of Tunnels and Underground Engineering)
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17 pages, 4459 KiB  
Article
Numerical Analysis on the Effect of Geometric Parameters of Reverse Fault on Tunnel Mechanical Response
by Ying Zhang, Xin Sun, Shengjie Di and Zhen Cui
Buildings 2025, 15(10), 1704; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15101704 - 18 May 2025
Viewed by 229
Abstract
Permanent displacements caused by active faults can lead to the severe deformation of tunnel liners. To investigate the effect of fault fracture deformation patterns on the deformation of tunnel liners under fault dislocation, this paper categorized three fault-zone fracture deformation patterns and conducted [...] Read more.
Permanent displacements caused by active faults can lead to the severe deformation of tunnel liners. To investigate the effect of fault fracture deformation patterns on the deformation of tunnel liners under fault dislocation, this paper categorized three fault-zone fracture deformation patterns and conducted numerical simulations for tunnel’s surrounding rock-liner systems under different fracture deformation patterns. Furthermore, the longitudinal displacement, relative deformation, axial stress, and shear stress of the tunnel liner were measured to characterize the mechanical response of the tunnel, and the effects of fault geometric parameters on the mechanical response of the tunnel liner were explored. The results showed that fracture deformation patterns were broadly categorized into uniform fracture deformation, linear fracture deformation, and nonlinear fracture deformation patterns. The distribution patterns of tunnel liner stress and deformation under these fracture deformation patterns were similar, but the magnitude of the peaks and the intensity of their effects differed. Under reverse fault dislocation, the peak values of tunnel liner deformation and shear stress occurred at the rupture plane. In contrast, the maximum axial stress was observed at the interface between soft and hard rock masses. When the core width of the fault zone decreased and the fault dip direction increased, the intensity of the mechanical response of the tunnel liner increased. With the fault dip decreased, the axial stress in the tunnel liner transitions from tensile-compressive stress to compressive stress, the shear stress decreases, and the intensity of the relative deformation of the tunnel liner increases. These research results can provide significant guidelines for tunnel design crossing the reverse fault. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Key Technologies for Green Construction and Safe Operation and Maintenance of Tunnels and Underground Engineering)
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25 pages, 9694 KiB  
Article
Orthogonal Experimental Study on Layout Parameters of Ventilation Equipment in Tunnel Construction Based on TOPSIS Theory
by Guofeng Wang, Fayi Deng, Kaifu Ren, Yongqiao Fang, Bo Wang and Heng Zhang
Buildings 2025, 15(7), 1151; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15071151 - 1 Apr 2025
Viewed by 257
Abstract
Based on the Daozhen–Wulong Zimuyan tunnel, the distance from the outlet of the air duct to the tunnel face and the diameter of the air duct are studied through an orthogonal experimental design. Aiming at the influence of the position of the air [...] Read more.
Based on the Daozhen–Wulong Zimuyan tunnel, the distance from the outlet of the air duct to the tunnel face and the diameter of the air duct are studied through an orthogonal experimental design. Aiming at the influence of the position of the air duct of the axial flow fan in the tunnel on the ventilation flow field, the improved TOPSIS theory is adopted for detailed data analysis, and the flow field characteristics are thoroughly checked to identify the optimal working condition configuration. The results show that with the increase in the distance between the air duct and the tunnel face, the local CO concentration will first decrease and then increase, indicating that too large or too small a distance will weaken the effective CO emission ability of the tunnel face, and the distance between the air duct outlet and the tunnel face is the best scheme; by combining the TOPSIS theory, entropy weight method, and analytic hierarchy process, the optimization scheme is obtained. When the distance between the outlet of the air duct and the working face is 15 m, the side wall of the air duct is 4 m away from the air, the diameter of the air duct is 1.8 m, the flow field in the tunnel shows a high degree of stability, the wind speed is significantly increased, and the vortex area that may hinder the air flow is effectively eliminated. The ventilation efficiency is greatly improved and the overall stability of the tunnel is enhanced. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Key Technologies for Green Construction and Safe Operation and Maintenance of Tunnels and Underground Engineering)
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25 pages, 11492 KiB  
Article
Multiple Linear Regression Inversion of the Ground Stress Field in Rock Masses for Tunnel Engineering: A Novel Approach to Stress Field Reconstruction
by Wei Meng, Hongyang Zhou, Chun Luo, Shuai Qin, Xuefu Zhang and Binke Chen
Buildings 2025, 15(4), 547; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15040547 - 11 Feb 2025
Viewed by 575
Abstract
The inversion of the ground stress field in rock masses is critical for accurate tunnel and underground engineering design. This study addresses the challenge of accurately capturing both the primary and secondary stress field components in rock masses. The ground stress field consists [...] Read more.
The inversion of the ground stress field in rock masses is critical for accurate tunnel and underground engineering design. This study addresses the challenge of accurately capturing both the primary and secondary stress field components in rock masses. The ground stress field consists of the primary stress field, generated by applied tectonic loads, and a secondary stress field, which cannot be fully explained by these loads and is attributed to long-term tectonic processes. This unexplained secondary stress field is often non-random in nature. To improve the accuracy of the ground stress field inversion, we propose prioritizing the use of a regression model with a constant term. This model better accounts for the secondary stress field by capturing long-term tectonic influences. The constant term in the regression model is shown to represent the non-random secondary stress field, which cannot be explained by applied tectonic loads. Furthermore, we define two key conditions for applying this regression model: (1) the constant term should not exceed the maximum measured stress and preferably should not surpass the minimum measured stress, and (2) the residual sum of squares of the regression model with a constant term should be smaller than that of the model without a constant term. By incorporating the constant term, the model improves the representation of both primary and secondary stress fields, offering a more accurate inversion of the ground stress field, especially when the stress field contribution from independent variables is incomplete. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Key Technologies for Green Construction and Safe Operation and Maintenance of Tunnels and Underground Engineering)
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