Water flow into tunnels in discontinuous rock: a short critical review of the analytical solution of the art

Indeed, determination of groundwater inflow into tunnels, especially in discontinuous rock masses, is still one of the most challenging issues faced by tunneling experts, which may have destructive consequences and result in impediments to tunneling operations. Hence, it is necessary to predict the location and amount of inflow in the tunneling designation phase. In order to quantify the groundwater inflow rate into tunnels, various analytical, empirical, and numerical methods exist in the literature. Analytical solutions are of great interest since they provide desirable approximations quickly and without the necessity for advanced computers. However, there are no comprehensive and unique databases concerning analytical methods. Therefore, the attempt of this study was to present the various analytical methods that exist in the literature, their application domain, and their validation.