In　situ　recycling　is　one　of　the　most　effective　methods　to　dispose　of　earth　pressure　balance　(EPB)　shield　waste　muck　with　residual　foaming　agents　with　high　moisture　content.　In　this　context,　response　surface　methodology　(RSM)　was　employed　to　quantify　the　effects　of　independent　variables,　including　flocculant　dosage,　defoamer　dosage,　and　muck　drying　mass　(MDM)　and　their　interactions　on　defoamingflocculation-dewatering　indices.　The　polymeric　aluminum　chloride　(PACL)　and　hydroxy　silicone　oilglycerol　polypropylene　ether　(H-G)　were　selected　as　the　flocculant　and　defoamer.　The　contents　of　surfactants　and　foam　stabilizers　in　residual　foaming　agents　were　determined　using　the　proposed　empirical　equation.　The　defoaming　ratio,　antifoaming　ratio,　turbidity,　moisture　content,　filtration　loss　ratio,　and　fall　cone　penetration　depth　were　considered　as　dependent　variables.　The　accuracy　of　developed　RSM　models　was　verified　by　the　analysis　results　of　variance,　residuals,　and　paired　t-test.　Combined　with　the　desirability　approach,　an　optimal　mixing　ratio　of　0.078　wt%　PACL,　0.016　wt%　H-G,　and　27.882　wt%　MDM　was　recommended,　leading　to　a　defoaming　ratio　of　98.34　vol%　for　residual　foams　and　a　moisture　content　of　56.72　wt%　for　pressure-filtration　cakes.　Our　findings　were　demonstrated　to　be　able　to　provide　useful　guidance　for　prediction　and　optimization　of　the　in　situ　recycling　indicators　of　EPB　shield　waste　muck　in　metro　tunnel　construction　sites.　(c)　2025　Institute　of　Rock　and　Soil　Mechanics,　Chinese　Academy　of　Sciences.　Published　by　Elsevier　B.V.　This　is　an　open　access　article　under　the　CC　BY-NC-ND　license　(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/　4.0/).