Assessment of damage in mountain tunnels due to the Taiwan Chi-Chi Earthquake

Tunnels, being underground structures, have long been assumed to have the ability to sustain earthquakes with little damage. However, investigations of mountain tunnels after the Chi-Chi Earthquake in central Taiwan revealed that many tunnels suffered significant damage to various extents. This work describes the findings of a systematic assessment of damage in the mountain tunnels in Taiwan after the earthquake. It was found that among the 57 tunnels investigated 49 of them were damaged. The damage patterns are summarized based on the characteristics and the distribution of the lining cracks. This systematic investigation, involving geological conditions, design documents, construction and maintenance records of these tunnels, has been conducted to assess the potential factors that may have influence on the various damage patterns and the earthquake loading for tunnels. The results show that the degree of damage is associated with the geological condition and structural arrangement of the tunnel. A tunnel passing through a displaced fault zone will definitely suffer damage. The extent of geological weak zones, distance from the epicenter, and the existence of a slope face are also significant influencing factors. The seismic capacity of the tunnel is influenced by its structural arrangement, type of lining, invert setup, lining reinforcement, and other parameters. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.