DATA & DIGITAL | TECHNICAL


DISCUSSION Current methods for the analysis of ground movements and building damage assessments rely heavily on Excel spreadsheet calculations which can be tedious, time- consuming, and prone to errors, especially for large topographies. Automation of the calculations in the analysis brings


the ability to source data from 3D models (existing topography and existing infrastructure information) as well as proposed design information (tunnel alignments and other excavation structures), and with some user inputs (such as geometry, volume loss parameters) to produce estimated ground movements within a matter of minutes. When using established semi-manual methods


of calculations, iterations to the design or input data (e.g., change of tunnel diameter or further ground investigation) require the same amount of effort and time to re-run again, as if from scratch. This is where automation plays a huge role in allowing iterations to be made seamlessly and at a fraction of the time it takes for manual calculations. As an example, the work on the Kalvebod project


initially only involved ground settlement and building damage assessments for the tunnels only. The client then requested that the calculations be revised to include the impacts of the shafts as well as any supporting/ auxiliary structures to be included. The additional structures were added to the inputs and the automated tool was then re-run in a significantly short period of time. This approach allowed for a major revision of the


scope of work to be handled quickly and efficiently with minimal impact on the overall project programme. The use of automation also allowed the quick


identification of which buildings had a category of damage above ‘negligible’ and further consideration to be given to them. This work included detailed analysis needing to be undertaken, as well as visual inspections, monitoring equipment installation and any mitigation measures necessary to adopt. The success of utilising automation for ground


settlement and building damage assessment on the Kalvebod project was manifested in the reduced need


for time-consuming, repetitive calculations, ability to source and process a very large amount of data and to produce consistent outputs. A significant reduction in person-hours for such tasks is realised, allowing engineers to focus on more complex problems. The ability to customise the output data in both


spreadsheet as well as visual format was also beneficial for both use in further calculations or for presentation to the client and other stakeholders.


CONCLUSIONS Automation of design calculations in civil engineering is becoming more prevalent due to its immediate benefits to design engineers – such as reduced need to undertake repetitive calculations, ease of checking, and ability to interpolate large amounts of data. Furthermore, automation as well as the use of


software such as Civil 3D and Bentley OpenRoads allows the better co-ordination between various disciplines working on infrastructure projects, which ultimately contributes to the fulfilment of BIM objectives and the digital transformation of the engineering and construction industry. The application that has been described in this article


pertains to the final stages of the design of a tunnelling project. However, this tool also has been adopted in the


preliminary stages of design on other projects, bringing great benefits, such as the ability to assess the impacts of the tunnel on existing infrastructure and to take this into account at the optioneering stage. Construction of the Kalvebod project started in 2022.


The SB and JØR shafts are excavated and base slabs cast.


OUTLOOK Integration of workflows with different software packages is becoming ever more important. Integration with MathCAD to present formulae adopted to the user is being added to the tool. Also, ArcGIS support is being added to enhance the user experience. It is also important to encourage client and


stakeholders to keep data about their assets in a digital format.


REFERENCES ● Attewell, P.B., and Woodman, J.P. (1982) Predicting the Dynamics of Ground Settlement and


its Derivitives Caused by Tunneling in Soil. Ground Engineering 15(7), pp13-21, 36.


● Boye, B. A., Cesario, F., Kinnear, J., and Quintero, C. (2021) Tunnel Induced Settlement and Impact Analysis Automation and 3D Visualization, Rapid Excavation and Tunnelling Conference (RETC), Las Vegas.


● Kontothanasis, P., Krommyda, V. and Roussos, N. (2019) BIM and Advanced Computer-Based Tools for the Design and Construction of Underground Structures and Tunnels. Tunnel Engineering-Selected Topics, 395, pp.116-124.


● New, B.M. and Bowers, K.H., 1994. Ground movement model validation at the Heathrow Express trial tunnel. InTunnelling’94 (pp301-329). Springer, Boston, MA.


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