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Symmetry
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Asymmetry and Nonlinearity in Geotechnical, Soil and Rock Engineering: Modelling,...
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Asymmetry and Nonlinearity in Geotechnical, Soil and Rock Engineering: Modelling, Mechanisms and Applications

A special issue of Symmetry (ISSN 2073-8994). This special issue belongs to the section "Engineering and Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2026 | Viewed by 334

Editors

Dr. Qiukai Gai

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Energy and Mining Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China
Interests: water inrush; non-pillar mining; surrounding rock control; micro seismic; multi-field coupling modelling
Dr. Mingliang Li

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Land Resources Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650093, China
Interests: rockburst; numerical simulation; machine learning; acoustic emission; slope stability
Dr. Qiang Fu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Interests: non-pillar mining; coordinated utilization of underground space; numerical simulation; surrounding rock control
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Gang Yang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Tunnel Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China
Interests: support technology; rock mechanics; gob-side entry retaining; surrounding rock control; deep mine roadways

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In geotechnical, soil and rock engineering, symmetry and linear assumptions have long been adopted to facilitate analysis. However, natural geological bodies and their engineering responses commonly exhibit significant asymmetry and nonlinearity, such as asymmetric stratigraphic structures and rock mass fabrics, anisotropic and heterogeneous material properties, eccentric loading and excavation‑induced unloading, the nonlinear evolution of stress‑strain relationships, the nonlinear coupling of fracture propagation and seepage as well as bifurcation and localization during failure processes. These complex characteristics challenge traditional analytical methods and have driven the development of asymmetric and nonlinear theories in geotechnical engineering.

This Special Issue, with the theme of “Modelling, Mechanisms and Applications”, aims to collect the latest research achievements in asymmetry and nonlinearity within the fields of geotechnical, soil and rock engineering. Contributions are encouraged from multiple perspectives, including theoretical analysis, numerical simulation, physical testing, field monitoring and engineering case studies. The scope covers, but is not limited to, the following topics:

◆ Asymmetric/nonlinear constitutive models and strain localization, e.g., anisotropy, tension‑compression asymmetry and strain softening/hardening;

◆ Asymmetric response of mining‑induced rock masses, asymmetric overburden breakage in working-faces/pillars, rockburst tendency and nonlinear energy release;

◆ Asymmetric construction and nonlinear mechanics in tunnelling and underground engineering;

◆ Water inrush and nonlinear hydro‑mechanical coupling characteristics;

◆ Soil mechanics and slope stability;

◆ Foundations under asymmetric boundaries/loads;

◆ Numerical modelling methods for asymmetric/nonlinear problems.

Dr. Qiukai Gai
Dr. Mingliang Li
Dr. Qiang Fu
Dr. Gang Yang
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-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Symmetry is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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

  • anisotropy and heterogeneity
  • asymmetric deformation of surrounding rock
  • water inrush mechanisms
  • mining‑induced stress and rockburst
  • biased tunnels and shield tunnelling
  • slope and progressive failure in soils
  • multi‑physics coupling modelling

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

24 pages, 3069 KB  
Article
Asymmetric Deformation and Nonlinear Cooperative Support of Surrounding Rock in Deep Bottom-Driven Roadways of Thick Coal Seams
by Yanghao Peng, Hanze Jiang, Zhenjie Peng, Aizhong Ding, Yuxuan Liu, Qiang Fu and Jianlin Zhou
Symmetry 2026, 18(7), 1119; https://doi.org/10.3390/sym18071119 - 30 Jun 2026
Viewed by 54
Abstract
To overcome the deformation and failure of surrounding rock in bottom-driven roadways within thick coal seams, this paper proposes a cooperative support theory for the sides and roof of such roadways in deep thick coal seams, based on existing support theories and technologies. [...] Read more.
To overcome the deformation and failure of surrounding rock in bottom-driven roadways within thick coal seams, this paper proposes a cooperative support theory for the sides and roof of such roadways in deep thick coal seams, based on existing support theories and technologies. The haulage roadway of the 2201 working face in the Yingpanhao Coal Mine is taken as the engineering prototype. Using the proposed theory, three optimized support schemes are developed. Numerical simulations are conducted to compare the deformation and failure behavior of roadway surrounding rock under the original support scheme and the three optimized schemes. The optimal scheme identified by simulation is then implemented in field engineering. The results show that, relative to the original scheme, roof subsidence is reduced by 51.99 mm, 43.83 mm, and 21.41 mm for Optimized Scheme 1, Scheme 2 and Scheme 3, respectively, corresponding to reductions of approximately 39.71%, 33.48%, and 16.35%. Under the three optimized schemes, the convergence of the two sidewalls decreases from 480.21 mm to 157.73 mm, 250.84 mm, and 424.24 mm, i.e., reductions of about 67.15%, 47.76%, and 11.66%, respectively. Under the original support scheme, the vertical stress concentration zone is located approximately 5.4 m from the roadway side. Under the three optimized schemes, this distance is reduced to 3.6 m, 3.8 m, and 4.8 m, respectively. The extent of the plastic zone is also smaller under the optimized schemes than under the original scheme, with Scheme 1 exhibiting the greatest reduction. Based on a comprehensive comparison, Optimized Scheme 1 is selected as the optimal support scheme. In addition, Scheme 1 improves deformation asymmetry, with the left–right sidewall asymmetry index decreasing from 3.34% to 0.06% and the sidewall–roof imbalance index decreasing from 3.67 to 2.00. Field application further confirms that this scheme substantially reduces roof–floor convergence and sidewall convergence, verifying the feasibility of the proposed cooperative support theory and technology for the sides and roof in deep bottom-driven roadways of thick coal seams. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Asymmetry and Nonlinearity in Geotechnical, Soil and Rock Engineering: Modelling, Mechanisms and Applications)
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