Long-extended　underground　structures　such　as　shield-driven　tunnels　may　be　constructed　through　sandwiched　liquefiable　soil　profiles,　which　can　compromise　their　integrity　during　strong　earthquakes.　In　this　study,　the　influence　of　sandwiched　liquefiable　soil　layer　on　the　seismic　response　of　shield　tunnels　under　ground　motions　with　different　frequency　contents　is　evaluated　through　nonlinear　numerical　simulations.　Six　soil-shield　tunnel　finite　element　models　with　different　sandwiched　liquefiable　soil　profiles　are　developed　using　the　open-source　software　framework　OpenSees.　The　solid–fluid　fully　coupled　dynamic　effective　stress　analysis　method　is　adopted　for　the　nonlinear　seismic　analysis　of　liquefiable　soil.　The　numerical　results　demonstrate　that　the　frequency　contents　of　earthquake　motion　and　the　spatial　location　of　the　sandwiched　liquefiable　soil　profile　have　great　influence　on　the　dynamic　responses　of　the　segmental　tunnel.　In　all　cases　studied,　the　bottom　half　of　the　tunnel　embedded　in　the　liquefiable　soil　layer　experienced　the　most　unfavorable　condition　for　the　seismic　performance.　The　deformations　and　internal　forces　of　the　segmental　joints　around　the　tunnel　foot　are　remarkably　higher　than　at　other　joints　under　the　same　ground　motion　intensity.　Moreover,　the　Kobe　motion　with　the　low-frequency　content　would　significantly　amplify　the　seismic　responses　of　both　the　site　and　the　segmental　tunnel　compared　to　the　Chi-Chi　motion　with　the　high-frequency　content　in　different　sandwiched　liquefiable　soil　deposits.　It　is　also　found　that　the　racking　ratio　of　the　non-liquefiable　soil　layer　is　greater　than　that　of　the　liquefiable　soil　layer,　which　means　that　the　surrounding　soil　with　large　shear　deformation　pushes　the　underground　structure　leading　to　larger　adverse　lateral　deformation　of　the　structure.　©　2023　Elsevier　Ltd