Construction and Teaching Practice of a Typical Case Library for the Advanced Tunnel Engineering Course

Abstract “Advanced Tunnel Engineering” is a key graduate-level course for students majoring in civil engineering and related disciplines, emphasizing the integration of theoretical instruction with engineering practice. However, challenges such as abstract content, weak engineering relevance, and low student engagement still exist in current teaching practices, limiting the development of students’ engineering comprehension and analytical skills. The teaching team addressed these issues by developing a typical case library of 24 engineering cases across six categories, centered around core course knowledge. This case-based teaching approach has been systematically applied in classroom practice. Results show that it effectively stimulates student interest, enhances the course’s practical orientation, and helps students build an integrated understanding of “structure-geology-construction-monitoring.” Based on an anonymous survey of 196 postgraduate students (5-point Likert), the case library received consistently high ratings, with mean scores ranging from 4.68 to 4.75 out of 5, reflecting improved engagement and self-reported conceptual understanding. It also helps students connect theory with real engineering scenarios and supports the development of problem-analysis skills. The workflow provides a replicable template for building and embedding case libraries in other engineering disciplines and institutions.