ABSTRACT
Due to excellent regional geological conditions of the study site, the rock mass surrounding the caverns is compact and intact, and contains only a few discontinuities such as joints and bedding planes. All these features contribute to the longterm stability of the ancient underground rock structures for estimated 2000 years. However, as time passes by, the underground complex began to exhibit several typical failure behavior (Fig. 1). Li (2006) and Zhang et al. (2015) discussed the failure mechanisms and corresponding protective measurements. In order to develop the tourism potential of the site while preserving its cultural and natural values, Culture and Tourism Bureau of Longyou County initiated this research to study the ongoing failure mechanisms and their corresponding remediation methods.
