The　tunnel　crossing　active　fault　is　severely　damaged　under　the　action　of　fault　dislocation.　Considering　the　＇economic　and　safety＇　principle　in　engineering　design,　the　tunnel　damage　should　be　effectively　reduced.　In　this　work,　a　two-level　design　method　for　fault　dislocation　was　proposed　and　the　Urumqi　subway　tunnel　in　China　was　chosen　as　a　typical　model　to　deeply　investigate　its　application　feasibility.　Based　on　the　definition　of　the　design　events　of　different　levels　and　corresponding　design　goals,　three-dimensional　finite　element　soil-tunnel　models　were　established　to　estimate　the　response　of　tunnel.　Meanwhile,　the　rationality　of　soil-tunnel　model　was　judged　by　tunnel　deformation　and　internal　forces　distribution　characteristics　analysis,　and　the　two-level　design　goals　were　evaluated　by　comparing　tunnel　damage　degree　and　volumes.　The　results　suggest　that　under　the　condition　of　fault　dislocation,　the　tunnel　without　disaster　mitigation　method　suffers　severely　shear,　tensile-crack,　and　compressive　damage,　which　may　eventually　induce　the　tunnel　collapse.　The　tunnel　damage　is　reduced　significantly　by　adopting　the　method　of　flexible　joint.　For　Urumqi　subway　tunnel　with　flexible　joints,　both　of　the　two-level　design　goals　are　effectively　realized.　©　2021,　Springer-Verlag　GmbH　Germany,　part　of　Springer　Nature.