Using Network Theory to Explore the Risk Characteristics of Bridge-Tunnel Hybrid Construction

Exploring the characteristics of safety risks is crucial for deeply understanding and promoting traffic construction safety. Bridge and tunnel construction engineering is of high risk, which has been studied separately, while mega traffic engineering projects often combine them, leading to increased complexity. In this study, a research framework is proposed to explore the risk characteristics of bridge-tunnel hybrid construction engineering, which can be applied in other types of hybrid constructions. The real data with respect to 67 typical bridge and 64 tunnel accidents was collected from the database of a large traffic construction enterprise in China. 146 risk factors and 326 trigger relations are extracted to establish bridge and tunnel construction risk subnetworks. Moreover, a whole risk network is established by combing the two subnetworks together,. With the network scale, diameter, and other metrics, the properties of the risk networks are revealed. The critical risk factors in the construction of bridges and tunnels are identified. The results show that most of the accidents are attributed to management and worker factors, while purely environmental factors do not significantly contribute to the occurrence of the accidents. The results provide some prevention and post-remedy safety suggestions for the management of bridge and tunnel construction.