PREVIEW | WORLD TUNNEL CONGRESS


ANCIENT SIGHTS TO SEE


While travelling the metro in Athens, there is opportunity in some metro stations to see finds from excavations that were kept on site and are on exhibit – a fascinating approach to blending knowledge and social awareness with developments in use if underground space. These artifacts, found and preserved through the vital archaeological


investigations undertaken during past metro projects, were kept as antiquities on display by a decision of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture. In other parts of Athens, modern day tunnellers can also go find the ancient tunnels of long, long centuries ago. Tunnel excavations in Greece date back more than 4000 years, to around 2000 BCE, when mining for minerals was underway, such as at the Lavrion silver mines, near the capital. Those mines had about 2000 shafts and numerous galleries. Beyond the mainland, on the islands of Thassos and Sifnos in the Aegean Sea, are other mines from ancient times. The wealth from such precious metals helped to fund the resources needed in the early era of Greece, such as naval vessels in the battle of Salamis against the Persians, and consequently the development of the Athenian Empire of the Classical Era. Along with precious metals, water was always important. But it wasn’t until the


following centuries that tunnels began to be excavated for more civil engineering purposes, including drainage of Kopais Lake for land reclamation waters, and also collection of useful water and its conveyance to locations and communities where it was needed. The works to drain Kopais Lake included multiple shafts and sink holes. For the


water supply tunnels, networks of aqueducts were constructed, including long stretches in tunnel of different internal depth, and with pipes placed in their beds. One such structures is the 7.7km-long Peisistratos Aqueduct, built more than 2500 years ago. What modern tunnellers have long come to know as the recognised approach


of excavating a tunnel from its end portals was a technique used in ancient times, on the island of Samos. There, the engineer Eupalinos, used mathematics and geometry to enable drives from portals on opposite sides of a hill to meet successfully and complete what is known, today, as the 1036m-long Eupalinos tunnel.


More information on ancient tunnelling in Greece, including Eupalinos tunnel,


is available in a lecture given in 2020 in a joint meeting of Young Members of GTS and the Tunnelling Association of Canada (TAC). It is also on YouTube. Information on Eupalinos tunnel is available at www.eupalinos-tunnel.gr/


space and create new opportunities for urban development and growth. In our time, the urban planning of the underground space is mandatory for its optimum usage. It is our duty (and pleasure!) as tunnel engineers


to inform the public for the many and so diverse advantages of underground works. And this is what we try to do every day. To open a window for new opportunities below ground, that can make our lives so much better.


HOW CAN INNOVATIONS IN TBM TECHNOLOGY PROVIDE SOLUTIONS FOR EXPANDING UNDERGROUND IN A MORE SUSTAINABLE WAY? DIGITISATION AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) IN UNDERGROUND CONSTRUCTION, FOR EXAMPLE? NR: Innovations in TBM technology can provide concrete solutions for expanding underground in a more sustainable way by reducing the environmental impact of tunnel construction, increasing efficiency, and improving safety. The use of electrically powered TBMs reduces gas


emissions and improve air quality in tunnels, as they do not emit exhaust fumes. Additionally, dual-mode TBMs can switch between


different modes of operation, such as traditional tunnel boring and mechanical excavation, in order to be used for overcoming through certain geological formations or where excavation conditions are challenging. AD: These innovations include new classes of consumables and grouts to better bring design and construction techniques and even fully autonomous TBMs that are controlled from the surface and monitored and adjusted remotely. Such changes result in reduced environmental footprints of the TBM and its processes as well as opportunities for optimised design and construction. The result is faster, cheaper, more resilient, and smaller carbon footprint TBM construction. Digitisation and artificial intelligence have the


AD: The area under cities is a spatial resource that


is dimensionally limited but usually underutilised and undervalued. There are enormous opportunities under most cities


to augment the surface for greater human enjoyment and to deliver efficient and effective transportation, water, sewerage, energy, dangerous or confidential endeavours, strategic activities, and other complex human endeavours underground. NR: There is a significant potential for development below the surface of our cities, and the underground space is often undervalued as an asset. By overcoming technical, logistical, and regulatory challenges, it is possible to unlock the full potential of the underground


16 | April 2023


potential to revolutionise underground construction by improving efficiency, reducing costs, and increasing safety. NR: Digitisation and AI can enable more accurate and detailed planning of underground construction projects. This can result in a better understanding of ground conditions, enabling more effective excavation and reducing the risk of delays or costly surprises. AI can be used to monitor excavation progress in real-


time, enabling quick identification of issues and allowing corrective action to be taken promptly, improving overall efficiency and enhancing safety. AI can be used to automate various processes in


underground construction, including TBM operation, materials handling, and surveying, and predict maintenance needs, reducing the risk of equipment failure. However, it is important to note that these


technologies require significant investment in both hardware and software and will never replace our engineering judgment.


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