<p>Stress release induced by construction impacts not only the static response of tunnels but also their dynamic response. A tunnel system consisting of initial support and secondary lining is selected, and this study aims to investigate the impact of stress release on the seismic response of the secondary lining. In the numerical modeling, the convergence-confinement method and the tracing element method are applied to simulate tunnel construction in the static analysis, and the seismic input method is applied in the dynamic analysis. Both the tracing element method and the seismic input method are validated. Seven earthquake motions are selected to ensure the accuracy of the conclusions, and the peak ground acceleration is scaled within a range from 0.2&#xa0;g to 1.0&#xa0;g. Six stress release coefficients ranging from 0 to 1 are selected to explore their impact on the tunnel; finally, the influence of the stress release coefficient under different surrounding rock classes and tunnel depths is discussed. The results show that the stress release coefficient has an impact on the seismic responses of the secondary lining, mainly in terms of bending moment and tensile damage. The impact of stress release on the secondary lining is similar under different surrounding rock classes and tunnel depths. The results contribute to the seismic resistance design of tunnels.</p>