Underground construction
Summary
This course is addressed to students who want to deepen their knowledge of underground space and works, including planning, design and management, construction techniques and methods, risk assessment and environmental considerations.
Content
- Geoplanning and underground space design: geological considerations and investigations, planning and design;
- Risk assessment, construction and safety management (including environment);
- Underground works/construction techniques: conventional and mechanised methods, pipe-jacking, shaft construction, ground improvement, temporary support and permanent lining, water management (drainage and sealing systems), instrumentation and monitoring;
- Tunnel conservation: long-term behaviour of structures, degradation and instabilities, tunnel investigation and maintenance;
- Examples / Case studies: underground space projects, urban and base tunnels, caverns, tunnel repair and refurbishment projects.
Keywords
Underground space and constructions, Tunnels, Caverns, Planning and Design, Construction methods and techniques, Risk assessment, Maintenance, Case studies, Project
Learning Prerequisites
Required courses
Geology (CIVIL-211), Rock mechanics (CIVIL-308)
Important concepts to start the course
- Characterisation and classification of rock masses
- Rock mass stresses and displacements around underground structures
- Interaction between rock/ground mass and structure
- Design of supports
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, the student must be able to:
- Classify and identify rock mass behaviour and excavation classes.
- Examine , determine and compare: Determine major risks, Examine and Compare possible options (e.g. alignments) for an underground construction project.
- Propose , evaluate the best solution using multi-criteria analysis methods comparing different solutions for design and alignment of an underground structure.
- Choose the most appropriate construction method, type of support and ground improvement for the selected alignment, considering associated risks.
- Defend and justify the proposed solution and synthetize the results obtained in a final report.
Transversal skills
- Access and evaluate appropriate sources of information.
- Make an oral presentation.
- Write a scientific or technical report.
- Plan and carry out activities in a way which makes optimal use of available time and other resources.
- Demonstrate the capacity for critical thinking
Teaching methods
- Ex cathedra
- Case studies
- Group project discussion during exercise sessions
Expected student activities
- Attend lectures
- Participate in discussions / exercises
- Develop an underground structure project by working in group
Assessment methods
Continuous assessment focused on the project: analysis of variants, drafting of final report, presentation and oral defence of results
Supervision
| Office hours | No |
| Assistants | No |
| Forum | No |
Resources
Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI)
No
Bibliography
Course slides, case studies and support documents for developing the project are posted weekly on Moodle
Moodle Link
Prerequisite for
Master Project
In the programs
- Semester: Spring
- Exam form: During the semester (summer session)
- Subject examined: Underground construction
- Courses: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Exercises: 1 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Type: optional
- Semester: Spring
- Exam form: During the semester (summer session)
- Subject examined: Underground construction
- Courses: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Exercises: 1 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Type: optional
- Semester: Spring
- Exam form: During the semester (summer session)
- Subject examined: Underground construction
- Courses: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Exercises: 1 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Type: optional