Underground Construction - 2021 entry

Tunnelling and underground space utilization is an important aspect of an urban environment and modern society with developments of major underground infrastructure for utilities, transportation and storage. Safe and efficient design of these excavations is essential for optimisation and economic utilisation of underground space.

The national and international construction industries and associated businesses are coming under considerable pressure to design, build and manage infrastructure in a resource efficient, sustainable and environment friendly manner. To deliver this, they require qualified engineers with a multi-disciplinary skillset and specialist expertise in tunnelling and underground excavation and underground space utilization.

The module provides specialist analysis and design skills associated with the tunnelling, underground mining and related industries. The module provides problem-solving, data-handling and evaluation skills. Effective design is critical for the stability and creation of a safe working environment for underground excavations. Where appropriate, case history information is used to emphasize important aspects associated with data variability and its influence on design.

On successful completion of this module, you should be able to:

Module Specific Skills and Knowledge:

1 Assess critically the use of different equipment for the design underground excavations in the tunnelling, civil, geotechnical, environmental and related industries;

2 Evaluate critically the role and limitations of tunnelling excavation techniques for underground excavation design;

3 Assess critically the data requirements for the design of tunnels and underground excavations, including considerations of data variability and risk assessment;

4 Choose an appropriate tunnelling technique for varying rock and soil material;

Discipline Specific Skills and Knowledge:

5 Evaluate and apply knowledge to specific design tasks;

6 Choose appropriate design from critical evaluation of available data;

7 Undertake synthesis of information and create responses based on advanced knowledge;

Personal and Key Transferable / Employment Skills and Knowledge:

8 Apply personal data-handling skills through critically evaluation of a design problem and produce, to a strict deadline, detailed recommendations/reasoned arguments for an appropriate solution;

9 Utilise a full range of learning resources as an autonomous learner.

This module provides knowledge of construction techniques for tunnelling and underground excavation through study of case studies.  An awareness of efficient utilization of space is emphasized and developed through the module. The module will explain the principles of different excavation approaches, equipment used, evaluation of the state of technology development and latest developments through study of case examples. The module will be delivered in association with industry through guest speakers.

Key aspects of the module include:

- Overview of tunnelling applications;

- Soft ground tunnelling methods;

- Lining design;

- NATM;

- Ground treatment;

- Equipment selection;

- Spoil disposal and management;

- Pipejacking;

- Micro-tunnelling;

- Ventilation;

- Lighting;

- Site investigation.

Basic Reading:

ELE -  http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/

Reading list for this module: