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Design, Construction and Maintenance of Underground Structures—2nd Edition
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Design, Construction and Maintenance of Underground Structures—2nd Edition

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 September 2026 | Viewed by 1203

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Sulei Zhang

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Guest Editor
School of Civil Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266033, China
Interests: underground engineering; health diagnosis and maintenance; new materials and technologies
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Xiaoming Guan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Civil Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266033, China
Interests: tunnel and underground engineering; blasting engineering; structural vibration control
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Chang Liu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Civil Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266033, China
Interests: underground engineering; lining structures; mechanical performance; lining failure analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We cordially invite you to contribute to our Special Issue in Buildings entitled “Design, Construction and Maintenance of Underground Structures—2nd Edition”. Underground engineering projects face inherent risks and safety challenges that demand rigorous attention and reliable solutions across all phases—from design and construction to long-term operation. This Special Issue seeks to establish a platform for sharing innovative research and novel insights that address these critical aspects of underground infrastructure development. The topics of interest span a wide spectrum, including advanced design methodologies, cutting-edge construction techniques, and sustainable maintenance strategies. Submissions may encompass experimental investigations (field monitoring, laboratory testing, material characterization), theoretical modeling, and numerical simulations. Submissions may also include comprehensive case studies and critical reviews of the current literature that advance the field. By fostering interdisciplinary dialog, this Special Issue aims to enhance safety, efficiency, and sustainability in underground engineering practices worldwide and, to this end, we welcome contributions that bridge theory and practice to address the evolving challenges of modern underground projects.

Prof. Dr. Sulei Zhang
Dr. Xiaoming Guan
Dr. Chang 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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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

  • underground space
  • tunnel structure
  • stability analysis
  • mechanical performance
  • safety evolution

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

25 pages, 7323 KB  
Article
Stability Assessment of Operation Tunnels Considering Long-Term Interaction Between the Lining and Surrounding Rock
by Peng Peng, Zhaopeng Ji, Chang Liu, Sulei Zhang and Mingqing Du
Buildings 2025, 15(23), 4240; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15234240 - 24 Nov 2025
Viewed by 264
Abstract
Operational tunnels are generally accompanied by time-dependent deformation and structural failures due to delayed behaviors, e.g., loading effects from surrounding rock and degradation of the concrete lining. This paper presents an analytical approach to investigate the long-term stability of tunnels considering those delayed [...] Read more.
Operational tunnels are generally accompanied by time-dependent deformation and structural failures due to delayed behaviors, e.g., loading effects from surrounding rock and degradation of the concrete lining. This paper presents an analytical approach to investigate the long-term stability of tunnels considering those delayed behaviors. To quantitatively characterize the degradation process of concrete lining, specific degradation models are adopted according to the identified obstacles in service environments. The viscoelastic Burgers model is selected to recognize the long-term creep properties of the surrounding rock. The time-varying solutions for tunnel deformation and lining stress can be obtained using the displacement compatibility condition between the concrete lining and the surrounding rock. The results find that the long-term stability of tunnels is governed by the interaction between the concrete lining and the surrounding rock. Different degradation models and rates significantly influence mechanical response, with thinner linings showing greater susceptibility. Viscoelastic rock properties further affect system behavior. The amplified effect of degradation under long-term rock loading underscores the necessity of understanding these coupled mechanisms for accurate life predictions. On account of the findings, a long-term performance maintenance method for operation tunnels is proposed and illustrated by a rehabilitation project for tunnel damage. Remediation of structural damage in operation tunnels should consider the surrounding rock condition and support structure performance, significantly improving long-term safety and reducing remediation costs. Overall, the present work provides some insight into the long-term stability assessment of operation tunnels. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design, Construction and Maintenance of Underground Structures—2nd Edition)
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24 pages, 5293 KB  
Article
Stress-Deformation Mechanisms of Tunnel Support in Neogene Red-Bed Soft Rock: Insights from Wireless Remote Monitoring and Spatiotemporal Analysis
by Jin Wu, Zhize Han, Yunxing Wang, Feng Peng, Geng Cheng and Jiaxin Jia
Buildings 2025, 15(13), 2366; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15132366 - 5 Jul 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 709
Abstract
Red-layer soft rock has characteristics such as softening when encountering water, loose structure, and significant rheological properties. In tunnel engineering, it is necessary to sort out and analyze the stress characteristics of its support structure. This paper focuses on the mechanical behavior and [...] Read more.
Red-layer soft rock has characteristics such as softening when encountering water, loose structure, and significant rheological properties. In tunnel engineering, it is necessary to sort out and analyze the stress characteristics of its support structure. This paper focuses on the mechanical behavior and support effect during the construction of Neogene red-layer soft rock tunnels. Through field monitoring, it explores the mechanical characteristics of Huizhou Tunnel under complex geological conditions in depth. This study adopted a remote wireless monitoring system to conduct real-time monitoring of key indicators including tunnel surrounding rock pressure, support structure stress, and deformation, obtaining a large amount of detailed data. An analysis revealed that the stress experienced by rock bolts is complex and varies widely, with stress values between 105 and 330.5 MPa. The peak axial force at a depth of 2.5 m reflects that the thickness of the loosened zone in the surrounding rock is approximately 2.5 m. The compressive stress in the steel arches of the primary support does not exceed 305.3 MPa. Shotcrete effectively controls the surrounding rock deformation, but the timing of support installation needs careful selection. The stress in the secondary lining is closely related to the primary support. The research findings provide an important theoretical basis and practical guidance for optimizing the support design of red-bed soft rock tunnels and enhancing construction safety and reliability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design, Construction and Maintenance of Underground Structures—2nd Edition)
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