Asymmetrical Problems and Countermeasures in Deep Excavations and Tunnelling Engineering

A special issue of Symmetry (ISSN 2073-8994).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 March 2026) | Viewed by 1066

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
School of Civil Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
Interests: evaluation of environmental effects; interaction between soil and structures; pipeline responses to tunneling; prediction and prevention of urban surface collapse
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School of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518061, China
Interests: intelligent sensing of tunnel and underground space engineering; resilience assessment and enhancement of underground engineering under extreme disasters
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
School of Civil Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100044, China
Interests: tunnel construction mechanics; deformation control; structure stress; foundation pit
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the demanding fields of deep excavations and tunnelling, asymmetry is not merely an exception. It is frequently the norm, arising from complex geological formations, heterogeneous soil/rock properties, irregular geometry, unbalanced loading conditions, adjacent structures with varying foundations, staged construction sequences, and unexpected construction deviations. These asymmetrical factors introduce significant complexities that challenge conventional symmetric analysis and design approaches. They can lead to differential deformations, uneven stress distributions, increased uncertainty, construction challenges, and serviceability and safety concerns. This Special Issue aims to bridge the gap between the elegance of symmetric theory and the practical realities of asymmetric challenges in deep excavations and tunnelling. We seek to compile cutting-edge research that explicitly addresses the origin, analysis, prediction, mitigation, and management of asymmetrical problems throughout the lifecycle of these critical infrastructure projects. We invite original research articles, comprehensive reviews, and insightful case studies that explore, but are not limited to, the following aspects of asymmetry in deep excavations and tunnelling engineering:

  • Sources and Characterization of Asymmetry
  • Advanced Modeling and Analysis Techniques
  • Monitoring, Prediction, and Performance Assessment
  • Design and Mitigation Strategies

You may choose our Joint Special Issue in Buildings.

Dr. Panpan Guo
Dr. Cungang Lin
Dr. Min Zhu
Dr. Jinpeng Zhao
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • deep excavation
  • tunnel
  • geomechanics
  • underground engineering
  • rock
  • soil
  • asymmetry

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

14 pages, 3986 KB  
Article
Instability Mechanism of Shield Tunnel Face Induced by Seepage and Soil Softening in Water-Rich Silty Sand: Case Study of Jingu-Haihe Tunnel
by Yifu Du, Linde Liang, Kai Fei, Yuyou Yang, Hao Cai, Zhiwei Zhang, Quancai Li and Haohao Ma
Symmetry 2026, 18(2), 326; https://doi.org/10.3390/sym18020326 - 11 Feb 2026
Viewed by 561
Abstract
The coupling mechanism involving high-pressure seepage and soil degradation regarding the face stability in water-rich silty sand environment remains to be comprehensively elucidated. This paper employs 3D fluid–solid coupling simulations to investigate these interactions taking the Jingu-Haihe Tunnel as a case study, and [...] Read more.
The coupling mechanism involving high-pressure seepage and soil degradation regarding the face stability in water-rich silty sand environment remains to be comprehensively elucidated. This paper employs 3D fluid–solid coupling simulations to investigate these interactions taking the Jingu-Haihe Tunnel as a case study, and the dry and saturated hydraulic environments alongside three softening scenarios are set. Results indicate that hydro-mechanical coupling significantly compromises face stability, elevating the limit support pressure from 140 kPa in dry mechanical state to 231 kPa. The failure mechanism transitions from localized “horn-like” shear bands in dry states to global quasi-symmetric “bulb-like” visco-plastic diffusion in saturated seepage field scenarios. Softening effects cause stress-dependent stiffness degradation, increasing the deformation rate by 53.8% under low support pressure, and inducing uneven deformation where the crown displacement increases by 32.8 times, exceeding the 11.8-fold increase at the center as the support pressure drops from 600 kPa to 100 kPa. Moreover, the fluid–solid coupling effect amplifies the stratum’s sensitivity to shear strength parameters by up to 26 times at the face center compared to the dry condition. These findings may offer theoretical insights for optimizing support pressure determination in deep-buried saturated excavations. Full article
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