SMART UNDERGROUND STRUCTURES: TUNNELS AND SHAFTS

CIVIL, ENVIRONMENTAL AND CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING

UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA
FALL 2023
HMW 1, Due Date: 8/25/23 Before Noon! No late HMWs will be accepted.

The fifteen-billion-pound railway. British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), 2014.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SD77jr6M6cs

Note: you can use the “autogenerated closed captions” in the YouTube video feature in case you
struggle with the British accent.

1. Regarding the “eye of the needle” phase of the tunneling project, describe with your own
words what is the problem. Also, answer specifically i) what is the estimated pile to
tunnel distance, ii) exiting tube to tunnel distances, iii) margin of safety to accomplish the
job.

2. Describe the main features of the tunnel boring machine they used for the project.
Specifically focus on how the TBM worked in that specific project.

3. Describe the instrumentation and monitoring systems used in adjacent streets and
structures. Describe the type of sensors used and a basic description on how they work.

4. Describe how the ground improvement process was accomplished. Provide as many
details as possible.

5. Describe how the TBM was guided during construction.

6. In the video, they described the two biggest jobs to be completed in the project. What are
those?