Carry　out　bi-directional　pushover　model　tests　for　mountain　tunnel　under　seismic　scenario.　The　ground　displacement,　ground　strain,　and　ground　pressure　were　analyzed.　The　lining-ground　interaction　was　divided　into　compacting,　overturning,　and　coercing　stage.　The　ground　near　the　crown　and　shoulder　of　lining　was　compressed　circumstantially　to　form　slipping　zone.　The　ground　near　the　springline　of　lining　was　compressed　radically　to　form　squeezing　zone.　©　The　Author(s),　under　exclusive　licence　to　Springer-Verlag　GmbH　Austria,　part　of　Springer　Nature　2025.;　With　the　rapid　development　of　infrastructure　construction　in　mountain　area　of　China,　the　lining–ground　interaction　mechanism　of　mountain　tunnel　has　attracted　more　and　more　attentions.　Considering　the　regular　two-lane　mountain　tunnel　with　ground　classification　of　grade　V,　the　bi-directional　pushover　model　tests　were　carried　out.　The　details　about　model　tests　including　similarity　ratio,　similar　material,　model　container,　model　fabrication　and　measurement　system　were　introduced,　and　the　variation　of　ground　displacement,　ground　strain,　and　ground　pressure　with　bi-directional　pushover　distance　were　carefully　analyzed.　Then,　the　lining–ground　interaction　mechanism　was　further　clarified,　which　could　be　generally　divided　into　compacting　stage,　overturning　stage,　and　coercing　stage.　The　ground　was　compacted　slightly　in　compacting　stage,　began　to　divert　from　the　springline　of　lining　in　overturning　stage,　and　shifted　the　overall　lining　synchronously　in　coercing　stage.　The　ground　near　the　crown　and　shoulder　of　lining　was　compressed　circumstantially　to　form　slipping　zone,　and　the　ground　near　the　springline　of　lining　was　compressed　radically　to　form　squeezing　zone.　The　ground　pressure　in　the　squeezing　zone　was　greater　than　its　opposite　side,　while　the　ground　pressure　in　the　slipping　zone　was　smaller　than　its　opposite　side.　The　numerical　simulations　were　also　carried　out,　while　the　ground　displacement　and　the　ground　pressure　were　focused　and　compared　with　experiment　results.　These　researches　could　deepen　the　understanding　of　lining–ground　interaction　mechanism　for　mountain　tunnel,　and　provide　some　experimental　basis　and　technical　support　for　the　response　displacement　method　in　anti-seismic　design　of　underground　structures.　©　The　Author(s),　under　exclusive　licence　to　Springer-Verlag　GmbH　Austria,　part　of　Springer　Nature　2025.