Unloading damage evolution and rockburst risk assessment of Xuefengshan No.1 tunnel by combining multiple approaches

Abstract Large-scale rock burst disasters often occur in high-stress and deep-buried tunnels, due to challenges in accurate forecasting and the lack of clarity regarding the underlying mechanisms largely. This study combined on-site stress drilling tests, coupled finite and discrete element simulati...

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Main Authors: Guo Xiang, Xiaohua Zhang, Shengnian Wang, Zhijian Wu, Xinming Pan, Dehui Xu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-01-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-85417-0
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author Guo Xiang
Xiaohua Zhang
Shengnian Wang
Zhijian Wu
Xinming Pan
Dehui Xu
author_facet Guo Xiang
Xiaohua Zhang
Shengnian Wang
Zhijian Wu
Xinming Pan
Dehui Xu
author_sort Guo Xiang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Large-scale rock burst disasters often occur in high-stress and deep-buried tunnels, due to challenges in accurate forecasting and the lack of clarity regarding the underlying mechanisms largely. This study combined on-site stress drilling tests, coupled finite and discrete element simulations, and theoretical calculations to examine unloading damage, rockburst evolution, and deformation failure of the high-stress and deep-buried Xuefengshan No.1 tunnel. The initial geo-stress characteristics were inversed to explore the unloading damage evolution and failure mechanism. The influences of stress distribution, displacement development, and energy release on the stability and rock burst risk of surrounding rock masses were analyzed. The rock burst risks along this tunnel were assessed by the energy method and stress intensity ratio method comprehensively. The findings revealed that displacement convergence and stress release caused by unloading during tunnel excavation were most prominent at the tunnel invert and the arch waist on both sides. The displacement of the rock mass within the unloading zone exhibited a symmetrical distribution along the tunnel axis, with displacement gradually decreasing radially outward. The deep-buried granite and slate sustained greater damage during the rockburst compared to sandstone. There were approximately 6500 m of the Xuefengshan No.1 tunnel, accounting for 55.7% of its total length, possessing potential rock bursts, predominantly at weak to moderate levels. The likelihood of rock bursts increased with burial depth, with a marked rise in risk when the depth exceeded 300 m. The results of this study could provide valuable insights into the geo-stress characteristics and rockburst risk assessment for high-stress and deep-buried tunnels.
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spelling doaj-art-f4b7ce40e6724f1ea6378380bf0e6e6f2025-01-19T12:19:19ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-01-0115111610.1038/s41598-025-85417-0Unloading damage evolution and rockburst risk assessment of Xuefengshan No.1 tunnel by combining multiple approachesGuo Xiang0Xiaohua Zhang1Shengnian Wang2Zhijian Wu3Xinming Pan4Dehui Xu5College of Transportation Science and Engineering, Nanjing Tech UniversityCollege of Transportation Science and Engineering, Nanjing Tech UniversityCollege of Transportation Science and Engineering, Nanjing Tech UniversityCollege of Transportation Science and Engineering, Nanjing Tech UniversityCollege of Transportation Science and Engineering, Nanjing Tech UniversityCollege of Transportation Science and Engineering, Nanjing Tech UniversityAbstract Large-scale rock burst disasters often occur in high-stress and deep-buried tunnels, due to challenges in accurate forecasting and the lack of clarity regarding the underlying mechanisms largely. This study combined on-site stress drilling tests, coupled finite and discrete element simulations, and theoretical calculations to examine unloading damage, rockburst evolution, and deformation failure of the high-stress and deep-buried Xuefengshan No.1 tunnel. The initial geo-stress characteristics were inversed to explore the unloading damage evolution and failure mechanism. The influences of stress distribution, displacement development, and energy release on the stability and rock burst risk of surrounding rock masses were analyzed. The rock burst risks along this tunnel were assessed by the energy method and stress intensity ratio method comprehensively. The findings revealed that displacement convergence and stress release caused by unloading during tunnel excavation were most prominent at the tunnel invert and the arch waist on both sides. The displacement of the rock mass within the unloading zone exhibited a symmetrical distribution along the tunnel axis, with displacement gradually decreasing radially outward. The deep-buried granite and slate sustained greater damage during the rockburst compared to sandstone. There were approximately 6500 m of the Xuefengshan No.1 tunnel, accounting for 55.7% of its total length, possessing potential rock bursts, predominantly at weak to moderate levels. The likelihood of rock bursts increased with burial depth, with a marked rise in risk when the depth exceeded 300 m. The results of this study could provide valuable insights into the geo-stress characteristics and rockburst risk assessment for high-stress and deep-buried tunnels.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-85417-0Deep-buried tunnelRockburstDamage evolutionFailure assessmentNumerical simulationTheoretical analysis
spellingShingle Guo Xiang
Xiaohua Zhang
Shengnian Wang
Zhijian Wu
Xinming Pan
Dehui Xu
Unloading damage evolution and rockburst risk assessment of Xuefengshan No.1 tunnel by combining multiple approaches
Scientific Reports
Deep-buried tunnel
Rockburst
Damage evolution
Failure assessment
Numerical simulation
Theoretical analysis
title Unloading damage evolution and rockburst risk assessment of Xuefengshan No.1 tunnel by combining multiple approaches
title_full Unloading damage evolution and rockburst risk assessment of Xuefengshan No.1 tunnel by combining multiple approaches
title_fullStr Unloading damage evolution and rockburst risk assessment of Xuefengshan No.1 tunnel by combining multiple approaches
title_full_unstemmed Unloading damage evolution and rockburst risk assessment of Xuefengshan No.1 tunnel by combining multiple approaches
title_short Unloading damage evolution and rockburst risk assessment of Xuefengshan No.1 tunnel by combining multiple approaches
title_sort unloading damage evolution and rockburst risk assessment of xuefengshan no 1 tunnel by combining multiple approaches
topic Deep-buried tunnel
Rockburst
Damage evolution
Failure assessment
Numerical simulation
Theoretical analysis
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-85417-0
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