Analysis of loess water migration regularity and failure response of tunnel structure under rainfall environment

• Published in: Bulletin of engineering geology and the environment Vol. 83; no. 6; p. 251
• Main Authors: Tang, Kunjie, Liu, Dedi, Xie, Shaohua, Qiu, Junling, Lai, Jinxing, Liu, Tong, Fang, Yong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.06.2024; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Cracks; Deformation; Disasters; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Engineering; Failure; Foundations; Geoecology/Natural Processes; Geoengineering; Geotechnical Engineering & Applied Earth Sciences; Hydraulics; Loess; Mechanical properties; Moisture content; Nature Conservation; Permeability; Precipitation; Rain; Rainfall; Rainfall infiltration; Regularity; Review Paper; Rock; Rocks; Shear strength; Shear tests; Soil erosion; Soil permeability; Statistical analysis; Structural safety; Surface water; Tunnels; Warning systems; Water infiltration; Wetting front; China; Rainfall; Structural response; Loess tunnel; Preventive measures; Water migration
• ISSN: 1435-9529; 1435-9537
• DOI: 10.1007/s10064-024-03715-9

The potential collapsible deformation of loess surrounding rock is not conducive to the safety and stability of the tunnel, especially under rainfall conditions, which may induce severe engineering disasters. This paper analyzes the regularity of water infiltration in loess and failure response of tunnel structure under rainfall conditions. Rainfall infiltration in loess strata includes unsaturated infiltration and dominant channel infiltration. The dominant channels enhance soil permeability, leading to the overall downward movement of the wetting front, which provides conditions for the instability and failure of surrounding rock of loess tunnel. Through case statistics, the loess tunnel engineering disasters caused by rainfall are analyzed, elucidating the mechanism of tunnel instability and failure. Finally, according to the characteristics of loess surrounding rock and the response regularity of rainfall to tunnel structure, a series of engineering measures to prevent the deformation of surrounding rock and the specific construction method of loess tunnel structure safety warning system under the condition of rainfall are proposed.