Interpretation and back-analysis of the damage observed in a deep tunnel after the 2016 Norcia earthquake in Italy
This paper deals with the interpretation of the damage originated by the 2016 Norcia earthquake, Italy, in a deep tunnel excavated in a calcareous rock mass. A careful investigation of the damage pattern, together with the availability of seismic signals recorded in the vicinity of the tunnel during the earthquake, prompted a back-analysis of the observed phenomenon. The study hinged on a combination of site response analyses, simulation of the tunnel construction, and computation of the effect of the earthquake on the tunnel lining.