Risk assessment of water inrush in karst tunnels based on two-class fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method

A feasible and accurate method named two-class fuzzy comprehensive evaluation is put forward to assess the risk of water inrush in karst tunnels. In view of regarding tunnel face as the evaluation object, 12 influencing factors of water inrush are selected as the evaluation index system consisting of 4 first-class and 12 second-class indices. Based on fuzzy mathematics theory and expert evaluation method, all the indices are quantitatively graded according to five risk grades. The weights of indices affecting water inrush are rationally distributed by using analytic hierarchy process. Membership functions and weights of indices are utilized to stepwise compute the membership degree of indices corresponding to risk grade, and the principle of maximum membership degree is carried out to discern the risk grade of water inrush. The tunnel faces in seven segments of Qiyueshan tunnel are chosen as the case studies. Evaluation results are derived from the proposed method, and they are generally consistent with the actual results through comparisons. This method provides a cogent way for evaluating the risk of water inrush in karst tunnels.