The elasto-plastic dynamic response of tunnels surrounded by frozen soil under loads applied to the tunnel invert is investigated in this study. Special attention is paid to the frozen soil in plastic zones around the tunnel in cold regions where anisotropic frost heave occurs. Analytical solutions of displacement and stress distributions in the lining, plastic zone of frozen soil, elastic zone of frozen soil, and unfrozen soil layer under load are derived. Unknown parameters are determined by satisfying continuity and boundary conditions between contact surfaces of different media. The parametric analysis reveals that the radial and circumferential stresses experience the most significant decrease in the plastic zone and at the contact surfaces of different media. The thickness of the frozen soil layer, along with the development of its plastic zone, influences the dynamic response of the frozen soil around the tunnel. Furthermore, variations in soil and lining parameters also have an impact on stress and displacement distributions in each medium. The findings of this study aim to provide valuable insights for the numerical simulation, design, and construction of future tunnels in cold regions.

Cracking of soils associated with subsidence is a complex and multiparametric problem. Local soil conditions could be responsible for the dramatic differential settlements and fissures manifest when the water pumping reduces the volume of the compressible strata. This situation is of extreme importance due to the level of damage to urban infrastructure and buried facilities (gas, water, and drainage) as well as to housing structures. In this research, using a simple geotechnical model of subsidence (finite element method, Mohr-Coulomb criterion) parametric combinations of materials and basement geometry are tested to define the geotechnical settings more susceptible to deformation and derived cracking. These approximations are compared with measurements and field surveys in Mexico City to validate the hypothesis. Defining the zones that are more susceptible to respond with cracking due to the phenomenon of subsidence can be especially important when designing urban development programs, restoration campaigns for buried pipes, even for construction and operation of new pumping wells.