Sustainable Groundwater Control Methods in Tunnel Engineering

Dear Colleagues,

Mountainous tunnels are typically characterized by long length and large buried depth. The effect of groundwater convergence and discharge caused by tunnel construction generally breaks the balance of groundwater resources in the tunnel site and creates a series of negative environmental effects; typical examples are the withering of vegetation, the contamination of groundwater, and the sinkage of ground surface. Thus, eco-friendly groundwater controlling techniques play an essential role in ensuring the sustainability of the environment during tunnel construction and long-term operation. In this context, there are growing demands for new technologies and novel grouting materials to minimize the environmental and health impacts of tunnel engineering.

Recent years have witnessed the progress of water control techniques of tunnels. Numerous topics such as the control technique of a water inrush disaster during construction and the design technique of water controlling and drainage during operation, and the dynamic influence law and adjustment mechanism of long tunnels and tunnel groups in typical hydrogeological units for groundwater environment have drawn the attention of researchers and tunnel engineers.

This Special Issue aims to highlight the state-of-the-art techniques related to sustainable groundwater control in tunnel engineering. Original theoretical research articles, review articles, and case studies are welcomed. Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

• New grouting materials to keep groundwater from leakage or inrush;
• Advanced numerical models to simulate the movement of fissure water and karst water;
• Multiphase coupling behaviors for unsaturated soils;
• The seepage field of a tunnel after excavation and the dynamics process of water inrush;
• The dynamic restoration process and time effect of the groundwater ecological environment in a tunnel site;
• The influence of drainage on groundwater-dependent plants and its countermeasures;
• Examples of water inrush disaster.

Dr. Guowen Xu
Dr. Ziquan Chen
Dr. Simon Heru Prassetyo
Dr. Ketan Arora
Guest Editors

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• groundwater
• tunnel
• water control techniques
• multiphase coupling