Although　in-situ　stress　significantly　affects　tunnel　rock　mass　excavation　blasting,　the　crack　propagation　law　of　the　rock　mass　under　both　in-situ　stress　and　cyclic　blasting　load　has　not　been　adequately　evaluated.　The　blasting　failure　mechanism　of　rock　mass　and　the　cumulative　damage　evolution　effect　of　cyclic　blasting　load　under　different　ground　stress　conditions　are　systematically　studied　herein　through　theoretical　analyses,　laboratory　tests,　and　numerical　analyses.　First,　the　Riedel–Hiermaier–Thoma　(RHT)　constitutive　model　is　modified　and　calibrated,　and　its　reliability　is　improved　via　an　indoor　split　Hopkinson　pressure　bar　splitting　test.　Second,　the　blasting　failure　analysis　model　of　the　dynamic　and　static　load　coupling　field　is　established　and　verified　via　numerical　simulation.　Finally,　a　numerical　simulation　of　the　smooth　blasting　excavation　of　a　rock　tunnel　is　conducted,　and　the　blasting　failure　mode　of　a　rock　tunnel　subjected　to　ground　stress　is　discussed.　Notably,　the　modified　and　calibrated　RHT　model　can　adequately　simulate　dynamic　crack　propagation　in　limestone　specimens.　Due　to　the　effect　of　ground　stress,　the　maximum　principal　stress　side　is　the　most　favourable　direction　for　blasting　crack　propagation.　The　direction　of　blasting　crack　propagation　is　mainly　determined　by　the　loading　conditions　of　ground　stress,　and　the　number　of　blasting　cycles　does　not　significantly　affect　the　law　of　rock　crack　propagation.　Smooth　blasting　during　rock　tunnel　excavation　can　effectively　reduce　the　dynamic　response　of　surrounding　rock　in　the　unexcavated　area.　Optimizing　the　cutting-hole　and　delayed-blasting　parameters　can　improve　the　blasting　quality　of　tunnel　rock　mass　under　in-situ　stress.　©　2023