ASCE has honored Xiaohu Cheng, R.Eng., S.E., G.E., M.ASCE; Ming Xu, Ph.D., M.ASCE; and Chuan He with the 2026 Moisseiff Award for their paper “Analytical Solution of Terzaghi’s Ground Arch Model for Loads on Circular Tunnels,” International Journal of Geomechanics, December 2024.
The paper by Chen et al. comprehensively presents a general analytical solution of Terzaghi’s ground arch model for loads on circular tunnels in the ultimate state. The solution accounts for the effects of the complete boundary conditions of the loosening zone, ground-structure interaction, and water pressure of the arching effect; these boundary conditions include the sliding surfaces above and below the crown as well as the constraint condition of the elastic deformation of the tunnel structure. Based on Terzaghi’s ground arch model, this study took the entire loosening zone as the analysis object and integrated both the vertical and lateral earth pressures into one model. The analytical solution was verified by model tests and field measurements of circular tunnels. Through comparison with experimental results and Terzaghi’s empirical method in several soils, it can be concluded that the proposed solution is essentially what Terzaghi sought to develop.
In summary, this paper presents a fundamental contribution to tunnel engineering by capturing the mechanical essence of two-dimensional tunnels in a gravity field – an achievement that solves a decades-old problem and fulfills Terzaghi’s intention.
The Moisseiff Award is given to the author or authors of an important paper published by the Society dealing with the broad field of structural design, including applied mechanics, as well as the theoretical analysis or construction improvement of engineering structures, such as bridges and frames, of any structural material.
