The main goal of the program is to give to the students the skill to identify the best procedures and tool for the correct construction of a tunnel, to set up a correct risk analysis of the construction procedure, to make the technological choices related to job site management and to develop the design of the lining. The knowledge of the technological aspects of most used full face tunnel machines and their working process is a skill that will be provided with the course. The student should become able to: - analyse multidisciplinary problems that requires the skills and abilities developed in the disciplines of applied geology, geo-mechanics, structural design and to become to apply these abilities to the specific sector of tunnel construction; - to follow and understand a technical speech in English and know the international terminology of the tunnel sector; - to develop and write a technical report; - to take design/construction decision by motivating them; - to evaluate the order of magnitude of the variables and parameters that the engineer should have do deal with when designing a tunnelling or managing a tunnel job site. These skills and abilities will be provided with the class lessons but also with the technical visits and with the analysis of some relevant case histories.

The student should know the basis concepts of geology, of the geo-mechanical behaviour of rock masses and soils, the basis of structural mechanics and the design of concrete and steel structures

CONTENTS Module 1 – Design aspects (1,5 credits) Design of tunnels analysis of the key points. Tunnel layouts. Management of the "geo" data. Surveying for deep tunnels: data collection and management. Geological problems and investigations. Risk analysis. Convergence-confinement method. Basic concepts and its use for the design of linings. Subsidence in urban area: forecast and management by design in mechnized tunnelling. Stabilization of the tunnel face with shields and calculation of the counter-pressure. Properties and design of the first phase supports: steel ribs, shotcrete, rock bolts. Use and application of the most common analytical and numerical design tools. The bedded-beam method for the evaluation of the actions inside the structural elements used for tunnel lining. Problems related with the construction of the final lining. Formworks. Technical properties of segmental lining. Water control Design procedure for segmental lining (basic concepts). Module 2 – Ground reinforcing (1 credit) The ground reinforcing used in tunnelling: construction aspects and actions. Permeation grouting, VTR face reinforcement, steel pipe umbrella. Design ground reinforcing techniques. Module 3 – Excavation techniques (2.5 credits) Drill and blast design. Types of blast rounds and to job site organization. Roadheader, High energy impact hammers. Rock full face machines (TBM – Tunnel Boring Machines). Shield tunnelling (Slurry Shield, Mixed Shield, EPBS, variable density shields). Soil conditioning for EPB tunnelling. Backfiling.

The lectures are organized with class lesson face to face, with the development of five different project works, to be developed in team, and one technical visit. A written text of the projects work is to be developed and submitted. The design is based on the topics discussed in the three lesson modules. For the devlopment of the project work the needed technical data are provided by the professor or will be researched in the Politecnico di Torino libraries. One or two technical visits will be organized to job sites. This organization will depend on the availability and job sites and of financial support. The students will be requested to prepare a short report of the visit Some seminary can be organized with lessons of specialists coming from industry.

Documentation: The lessons ppt will be made available on Politecnico di Torino web site. some selevamnt papers or books chapters are provveded. Additional information can be obtained from the following books Chapman D., Metje N., Stark A. (2010) Introduction to tunnel construction, Spoon Press Guglielmetti V., Grasso P.G., Mahtab A., Xu S. (2007) Mechanized Tunnelling in Urban Areas, Taylor and Francis Maidl et al. (2008) Hardrock Tunnel Boring Machines, Ernst & Sohn

Exam: Compulsory oral exam;

Assessement criteria Knowlege of the technologies that are used for tunnel construction (excavation &supports) Knowledge of the mechanized excavation techniques and ability to describe the components of a full face machine and of the conventional excavation method Knowledge of the design methodologies and approaches to be used for the tunnel design Ability to construct a logical path of the choices to be developed to face a specific problem that can be encountered during undergound construction Quality of the developed project assignements Grading Criteria The exam is oral with not less three questions that will be developed with a discussion and/or a simple calculation. The question will ask the description of a technology, of a computational method or the solution of a specific problem. The exam has the goal to assess the knowledge of the topic listed in the program and the ability of the student to apply the theory and the computation methods developed during the course A discussion on the design assigments and of the applied solutions is part of the oral discussion of the exam. The design assignements have to be submitted in the printed version one week before the exam and its quality will be evaluated. The discussion of the assignement project document is a fundamental the part of the exam. The max score of the whole exame is 30/30 while the exam is considered passed if the score is 18/30.

In addition to the message sent by the online system, students with disabilities or Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) are invited to directly inform the professor in charge of the course about the special arrangements for the exam that have been agreed with the Special Needs Unit. The professor has to be informed at least one week before the beginning of the examination session in order to provide students with the most suitable arrangements for each specific type of exam.