The linear failure criterion is generally adopted in the stability problem of geotechnical engineering, whereas the experiments have indicated that there is a nonlinear relationship between the maximum and minimum principal stresses in weak surrounding rock. According to the characteristics of weak rock, the failure mechanism of deep cavity is constructed by combining the nonlinear Hoek–Brown failure criterion and the upper bound theorem of limit analysis. The upper bound solution of the surrounding rock pressure was deduced using the tangent method. The results show that the surrounding rock pressure of deep cavity is affected by surrounding rock grade, cavity depth, and section size. Especially, the influence of the disturbance factor is quite obvious. Upper bound solution based on nonlinear Hoek–Brown failure criterion can fully take the influence of parameters on surrounding rock pressure. Therefore, this method is more scientific than the linear failure criterion to calculate the surrounding rock pressure.

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