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The seismic response of hydraulic tunnels is a complex nonlinear process. What makes the case even more interesting is that the large amount of water in hydraulic tunnels which is likely to induce considerable hydrodynamic pressure acted on tunnel structures during earthquakes. In this work, a full three-dimensional (3D) dynamic finite element model is adopted to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the seismic behaviors of a hydraulic tunnel system. In this analysis, the plastic-damage model is employed to reflect the nonlinear mechanical behaviors of the concrete lining, and a fluid-solid coupling method based on an explicit weighted residual approach is proposed to consider the effects of the hydrodynamic pressures on the seismic response of the hydraulic tunnel. The numerical results indicate that the hydrodynamic pressure contributes to a greater seismic response of the tunnel structure. When the hydrodynamic pressure is considered, the magnitudes of the maximum principal stresses are likely to increase by 50% and the displacement amplitudes are approximately 2 cm more than that of without hydrodynamic pressure. The hydrodynamic pressure exacerbates the damage degree of the tunnel structure, and the waist suffers the most severe damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]