Sustainable Infrastructure Development: Integrating Karst Seepage Field Characteristics with Water Inrush Prediction Models of the Qigan Mountain Tunnel

Ke Zhang, Binbin Que, Lizhao Liu, Junjie Jiang, Xin Liao and Zhongyuan Xu ()
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Ke Zhang: China Railway Eryuan Engineering Group Co., Ltd., Chengdu 610031, China
Binbin Que: Faculty of Geosciences and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 611756, China
Lizhao Liu: Faculty of Geosciences and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 611756, China
Junjie Jiang: Faculty of Geosciences and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 611756, China
Xin Liao: Faculty of Geosciences and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 611756, China
Zhongyuan Xu: Faculty of Geosciences and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 611756, China

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 10, 1-19

Abstract: [Objective] This study aims to assess and predict the risks of water inrush and leakage during tunnel excavation in karst regions, where groundwater intrusion poses serious threats to construction safety and long-term hydrogeological sustainability. [Study area] This study is conducted in the Qigan Mountain, involving detailed hydrogeological surveys and hydrochemical analyses to understand the subsurface conditions. [Methods] Numerical simulation methods are employed to model the regional seepage field distribution under natural conditions and two excavation conditions, using MODFLOW. [Challenges] One of the main challenges is accurately estimating tunnel water inflow under varying geological and hydrological conditions. [Results] The simulation results indicate that under excavation with blocking conditions, tunnel water inflow reaches 31,932 m 3 /d, whereas without blocking, inflow surges to 359,199 m 3 /d. In contrast, the theoretical calculation estimates a water inflow of 131,445 m 3 /d, revealing considerable discrepancies between the methods. [Recommendations] These findings highlight an important point of reference for the prevention of water influx in karst tunnel construction.

Keywords: tunnel; seepage field; numerical simulation; water inrush; groundwater sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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