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INSTRUCTOR: 
Andy Robinson

Purpose and Background

Tunnels are key elements of the nation’s infrastructure. Mostly invisible and out of sight, they play a key role in urban transportation, water and sewerage transportation, and in hydro electric power and many other sectors.

The seminar will cover an introduction to all forms of tunneling in a coherent and systematic approach. Emphasis will be placed on the attendees understanding both the full range of tunneling techniques available and their applicability in various soils and physical constraints. The seminar will also emphasize understanding and mitigating the inevitable risks involved in tunneling. A comprehensive review will be provided of techniques for subsurface investigation and characterization for soft ground, hard rock tunneling, microtunneling and shaft construction and how this subsurface information is then used in both designing and specifying for tunnels and in the selection of an appropriate tunneling method and tunneling equipment.

The full range of tunneling methods currently available will be presented and discussed in detail including hand and simple mechanical excavation, NATM, various forms of soft ground and rock mechanical excavation, drill and blast tunneling, pipe and box jacking and microtunneling.

The course also includes the selection and installation of various tunnel lining methods, the selection and construction of various shafts for tunneling, and key aspects of tunnel design, specification, cost and construction management with particular emphasis on risk management and mitigation during the design and construction process. New trends in tunneling and innovative techniques will also be discussed.

The seminar includes numerous case studies and provides practical applications of the various techniques discussed, including three comprehensive case history group workshop sessions in soft ground, hard rock and microtunneling forms of tunneling, as well as the presentation of seven videos of various aspects of tunneling.

Benefits and Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:

• Select and specify suitable investigation techniques for tunneling
• Analyze ground conditions for tunneling
• Assist in making informed decisions regarding tunnel and tunnel shaft construction methods and tunnel lining selection
• Select and properly specify the most suitable equipment for tunneling
• Develop a better understanding of the application and use of microtunneling techniques
• Write better contract documents and specifications for tunneling
• Develop techniques to mitigate risk in tunneling due to anticipated and unanticipated tunneling problems
• Develop tunnel construction schedules more accurately
• Manage and monitor tunnel construction projects to improve productivity, quality, and safety
• Develop comprehensive monitoring plans for tunnel construction

Assessment of Learning Outcomes

Students' achievement of the learning outcomes will be assessed via a short post-test assessment (true-false, multiple choice, and/or fill in the blank questions).

Who Should Attend?

• Construction and project managers
• Design and project engineers (both field and design office)
• Construction supervisory personnel
• Construction cost estimators
• Graduate geotechnical engineers
• Individuals in the construction industry, either wanting a better grounding in modern tunneling techniques and practices or an update on current technical and contractual tunnel management technique

Outline

Day 1

Introduction

• Seminar Overview
• Participants background
• Review of tunnel sizes and principal uses
• An explanation of trenchless techniques

Sub Surface Characterization for Soft Ground

• Geotechnical investigation for soft ground tunneling
• Soils classification of soils for tunneling

Tunnel Construction in Soft Ground

• A brief historical overview of soft ground tunneling
• Hand excavation and simple tunnel machines
• Excavator shields in competent ground
• NATM (New Austrian Tunneling Method)
• Soft Ground Slurry Tunneling
• Soft Ground Tunneling using EPB systems
• Other shield types for soft ground
• Compressed air tunneling

Tunnel Lining Selection and Design for Soft Ground

• Soft ground tunneling ground support system selection
• Two pass linings (Rib & Lag linings)
• One pass linings
• Segmental linings
• Jacked pipe linings

Case History: Soft Ground Tunneling Group - Workshop Session

Day 2

Sub Surface Characterization for Rock

• Geotechnical site investigation for rock tunneling
• Rock classification of rock mass for tunneling

Tunnel Construction in Rock

• A brief historical overview of rock tunneling
• Review of rock excavation methods
• Drill and Blast tunnels
• Road headers in competent ground
• Hard rock tunneling with TBMs
• Other techniques for hard rock tunneling
• Tunnel excavation performance evaluation

Tunnel Lining Selection and Design for Rock Tunnels

• Rock tunnel support system selection
• Supports to hard rock tunnels (rock bolting etc.)

Shaft Construction for Tunneling

• Review of all available techniques and their suitability
• Rib and lag and steel supports
• Sheet piles
• Jet grouting
• Caissons
• Slurry walls
• Ground freezing

Case History: Hard rock tunneling Group - Workshop Session

Day 3

Pipe Jacking and Microtunneling

• Pipe jacking capabilities, equipment and techniques
• Microtunneling capabilities, equipment and techniques
• Jacking pipe for pipe jacking/microtunneling
• Specialist techniques for microtunneling

Case History - Microtunneling Group Workshop Session

Potential Problems in Tunneling and Shaft Construction for Tunneling

• Ground improvement (grouting methods for ground improvement)
• Groundwater control
• Obstructions and mixed face tunneling
• Case histories

Tunnel Planning and Minimization of Risk

• Investigation and pre planning
• Method and equipment selection
• Performance envelopes for various tunnel methods (settlement/alignment noise etc.)
• Specification preparation for tunneling
• Contract document preparation for tunneling
• Risk mitigation and management techniques for tunneling
• Tunnel construction management, inspection, monitoring and control
• Tunnel and microtunnel cost influences and costs levels

Tunnel Management and Safety

• Tunnel design management and safety
• Tunnel and shaft operation safety
• QA/QC for tunneling
• New Developments, Trends and Techniques
• Investigation techniques (prior to and during tunneling)
• Hard rock tunneling
• Soft ground tunneling
• Pipe jacking and microtunneling
• Pipe roofing techniques
• Jacked Boxes

How to Earn your CEUs/PDHs

This course is worth 2.4 CEUs /24 PDHs. To receive your certificate of completion, you will need to complete a short post-test and receive a passing score of 70% or higher within 30 days of the course.

How do I convert CEUs to PDHs?

1.0 CEU = 10 PDHs [Example: 0.1 CEU = 1 PDH]