Capabilities of passive seismic monitoring in condition assessment of underground constructions

Condition monitoring of structural components of underground constructions and enclosing geological medium is discussed in the context of observations over their natural noise. The article describes the results of the field experiments carried out in the Tomusinsk railway tunnel in the Kemerovo Region. The spectral characteristics of seismic signals recorded during passive monitoring using three-component receivers placed at the tunnel sub-base are described. Aimed to determine the mechanisms of the natural wave field on the surface of an underground construction with a geological discontinuity nearby, 3D mathematical model was developed. The model represents an underground construction as a cylindrical cavity and a discontinuity zone as a cubic domain with the properties different from the properties of the enclosing medium. The wave propagation is modeled on the basis of the numerical solution of elasticity equations by the spectral element method in SpecFEM3d. Natural noise is modeled by introducing the model with many sources with random mechanisms and signals. The numerical experimentation results are described. It is shown how the properties of a geological medium and a discontinuity zone, as well as the sizes of the latter influence the wave field characteristics on the surface of a cylindrical cavity. The spectral characteristics of a synthetic signal are analyzed in relation to the model parameters. 

Keywords: underground constructions, seismic monitoring, passive seismics, condition assessment of underground constructions, rock mass condition monitoring, mathematical modeling, data processing.
For citation:

Azarov A. V., Serdyukov A. S., Skazka V. V., Serdyuk I. M. Capabilities of passive seismic monitoring in condition assessment of underground constructions. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2026;(2):142-155. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236_1493_2026_2_0_142.

Acknowledgements:

The study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation, Grant No. 24-27-00192, https://rscf.ru/project/24-27-00192/.

Issue number: 2
Year: 2026
Page number: 142-155
ISBN: 0236-1493
UDK: 550.34+550.8.05
DOI: 10.25018/0236_1493_2026_2_0_142
Article receipt date: 20.06.2025
Date of review receipt: 13.10.2025
Date of the editorial board′s decision on the article′s publishing: 10.01.2026
About authors:

A.V. Azarov1, Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Engineer, e-mail: antonazv@mail.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0001-6967-4239,
A.S. Serdyukov1, Cand. Sci. (Phys. Mathem.), Senior Researcher, e-mail: aleksanderserdyukov@ya.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0035-8563-5708,
V.V. Skazka2, Dr. Sci. (Phys. Mathem.), Leading Researcher, e-mail: vskazka@gmail.com,
I.M. Serdyuk2, Research Engineer, e-mail:ken04588@gmail.com,
1 Trofimuk Institute of Petroleum Geology and Geophysics of Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 630090, Novosibirsk, Russia, 
2 Institute of Mining N.A. Chinakala of Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 630091, Novosibirsk, Russia.

 

For contacts:

A.V. Azarov, e-mail: antonazv@mail.ru.

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