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Which ever way you slice it
27 December, 2012
It is easy to get ‘tunnel vision’ in examining the possible methods of excavation. If engineers were happy with that then disc and roller cutters for hard-rock TBMs would never have been developed as an alternative to drill and blast. Maurice Jones asks what has been tried before and what might still be valid

Opportunity rocks
27 December, 2012
Hong Kong develops into the main base of operations for the Asia Pacific, while Singapore strives to become to hottest destination for professionals, and both scrap for skilled labour. Alex Conacher speaks to three expats

Fifty shades of brown
27 December, 2012
Slurry handling on Singapore’s Downtown Line Two contract 916 has been cited as an example of ‘slurry done right’. This paper by Gwyn Jones, deputy construction manager and tunnel manager for McConnell Dowell discusses the principles of managing slurry during tunnelling operation with particular reference to tunnelling in mixed face

On the cutting edge
27 December, 2012
The process of mechanical excavation through dry ground, whether hard or soft, is pretty well understood. For ‘mixed’ ground, of whatever form, it is a different matter, especially if it is deep under groundwater. Maurice Jones reports that there is a consequent rush of TBM cutter development activities to gain the best competitive, and cutting, edge

Robust ground improvement
27 December, 2012
Innovations on Singapore’s Marina Coastal Expressway have enabled faster, more cost-effective construction while meeting the state’s famously tough safety requirements. Andrew Mylius, technical writer for Mott MacDonald, released this report

GRP bolting: Application and performance
23 November, 2012
Pete Ferreira of Minova RSA argues the case of glass fibre reinforced plastic rockbolts, and call for more research to be done on tunnelling applications

Sinking the future
23 November, 2012
Plans for a new immersed tube tunnel in Virginia are moving forward, Nicole Robinson looks at the design of the new Midtown Tunnel

Cleaner Columbus
22 November, 2012
The spine of Colombus’s Wet Weather Management Plan, OARS, will be operational by the last day of 2014, by EPA consent decree. Technical journalist Rhian Owen checks up on progress

Stress and positive reinforcement
22 November, 2012
Jean Launay of Vinci Construction explores the function of rock arch reinforcement and stresses on bolts and SCL. Launay offered this paper to Tunnels to illustrate the behavior of a properly designed NATM tunnel in the hope that it would convince colleagues, particularly in the UK, of the most efficient way to sustain soil and rock loads

Quake proof
21 November, 2012
Following the 2001 quake, it was feared that another major incident could cause Seatle's fragile highway viaduct to ‘pancake’. Rhian Owen reports on the replacement of the viaduct with more stable infrastructure: a tunnel

Follow the dollar
20 November, 2012
After four years of spending, Canada is a tunneling powerhouse with most major cities expanding their public transport and improving water and wastewater systems, drawing foreign companies to its northern locale. Meanwhile, the U.S. makes progress on its mega projects, Nicole Robinson reports

Going underground
26 October, 2012
Spanish cities are tracking a world trend in moving below ground. This paper, submitted by the TAC, explores the use of underground space in Spain and it’s efforts to emulate the success seen in Montreal and Toronto. Technical writers Alfonso Perez and Amaia Arteta report

Soft ground sewer
25 October, 2012
The new Southeast Collector Trunk Sewer project in York, Ontario, saw its first two TBMs launch this summer. Gerhard Urschitz, technical director for Strabag; Tomislav Hrkac, senior project manager for the Regional Municipality of York, Ontario, and Camilo Quintero, senior project engineer – associate, Hatch Mott Macdonald explain the project

Chile Revisited
25 October, 2012
Two years ago the world was gripped by an unfolding drama as tense as the Apollo 13 crisis in 1970. This time, the story was much closer to home, in Chile, though as it turned out, the challenges proved as testing to resolve and no less remote. Mine rescue expert Brian Robinson looks back on the mine’s collapse and its rescue operation, exploring the implications for past, present and future underground works

A country at work
24 October, 2012
Walter Trisi, north american area sales manager for caterpillar Tunneling canada corporation, and vice president of the Tunnelling association of canada (Tac) ontario chapter, provides insight into the booming tunnelling market in canada and a run down on upcoming projects

Prepare for takeoff
24 October, 2012
Toronto’s Billy Bishop Airport, located downtown and on an island on Lake Ontario needed a way to reliably transport passengers to their flights. A new pedestrian tunnel is under construction under the lake, Nicole Robinson reports

Future Planning
23 October, 2012
The procurement process for the Ottawa Light Rail project will finish this autumn. With a 2.5km tunnel planned for the city’s core, Nicole Robinson looks at what the city envisions and what the ground may hold for the future

A glowing report
23 October, 2012
The TAC directors provide an update for each region

Grow and prosper
22 October, 2012
Tunnelling Association of Canada president Rick Staples welcomes the international tunnelling industry to the country, and launches a new partnership with Tunnels

An art for humble men
19 October, 2012
Tunnels revisits the traditional methods. Hand mining and its health and safety related concerns are well known, while the traditional soft ground timber supports are increasingly forgotten, as the old methods get pushed aside by the march of mechanisation. Alex Conacher reports