Exploring the transmission characteristics of safety risks in shield tunneling construction based on complex network

Construction accidents result from systemic interactions among risk factors, which may trigger clusters of interrelated hazards in a single event. Although a large number of studies have been conducted on shield tunneling construction, the mechanisms of risk transfer and evolution between risks still need to be further clarified. To better understand the risk transfer process between work processes, a risk network was established based on the risk propagation chain of safety accidents. The propagation characteristics of metro shield tunneling construction risks were revealed by calculating 5 parameters in the risk network. Finally, 10 critical factors affecting metro tunneling construction safety were determined by analyzing the network’s vulnerability. The results show that the metro shield tunneling construction risk network is characterized by a small-world and scale-free network, with certain risk factors playing more significant roles in the risk transmission network, such as building and pipeline survey, construction plans. Additionally, the control of certain key risk chains is more likely to disrupt the risk propagation process. The results provide both theoretical and practical significance for the risk-informed decision-making and the management of shield tunneling construction projects.