® & Tunneling & Underground Construction tucThe Official Publication of UCA of SME www.TUCmagazine.com Volume 14 N0. 2 May 2020 Arkansas Tunnel studies Autonomous tunnel boring TBMs for hydropower projects ///// Special Editorial Supplement from the publisher of ™ 20-04-16_003_ID20116_eAz_LosAngeles_TUC_210x283_rzfo2 METRO LOS ANGELES, USA SUCCESS STORY IN CALIFORNIA WITH 10 TBMS 120 million passengers are travelling through Los Angeles every day. In the past 15 years a total of 10 EPB Shields have been built for more than 35 km of new metro lines. Herrenknecht guarantees the local support with their office in Sumner, WA. herrenknecht.com/MetroLA Client: Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority Customer: Purple Line Section 3 – Frontier-Kemper Constructors, Inc. / Tutor Perini JV Purple Line Section 2 – Frontier-Kemper Constructors, Inc. Purple Line Section 1 – Skanska / Traylor / J.F. Shea JV Regional Connector Transit Corridor - Regional Connector Constructors (Skanska / Traylor JV) Crenshaw/LAX Transit Corridor – Walsh / Shea Corridor Constructors Gold Line Eastside Extension – Traylor Bros., Inc. 20-04-16_003_ID20116_eAz_LosAngeles_TUC_210x283_rzfo2 15.04.20 12:27 tuc& May Contents Departments Cover Story 2 Chairman’s column In This Issue On page 20, the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department initiated 4 a high-level tunnel feasibility study for Underground construction news a proposed east-west arterial highway under Hot Springs National Park to bypass and lessen traffic conditions in the historic city of Hot Springs. On page 34, 55 Mike Mooney and his co-authors look to UCA of SME News lessons learned from the autonomous- vehicle framework. 60 Tunnel demand forecast Feature Articles 64 20 Classifieds Highway connection through Ouachita Mountains — Arkansas Tunnel study Eric Wang, Ray Sandiford and Michael Fugett 34 EPB shield tunnel-boring machine automation using the autonomous-vehicle framework Mike Mooney, Hongjie Yu and Rajat Gangrade 48 Tunnel-boring machines for Norwegian small hydropower projects Sindre Log, Rune Skjevdal and Tobias Anderson tucmagazine.com AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF UCA OF SME | WWW.SMENET.ORG | VOLUME 14 NO. 2 | MAY 2020 Copyright 2020 by the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration, Inc. All rights reserved. TUNNELING & UNDERGROUND CON- STRUCTION (ISSN 0026–5187) is published quarterly by the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc., at 12999 E. Adam Aircraft Special editorial section Circle, Englewood, CO 80112-4167. Phone 1-800-763-3132 or 303-973-9550. Fax: 303-973-3845 or e-mail: [email protected]. Website: www. from the publisher of smenet.org. POSTMASTER: Send changes of address to TUNNELING & UNDERGROUND CONSTRUCTION, 12999 E. Adam Aircraft Circle, Englewood, CO 80112-4167. Article copies and back issues available on microfilm or microfiche from Linda Hall Library in Kansas Mining Engineering City, Mo. Printed by Cummings Printing Co. Reproduction: More than one photocopy of an item from SME may be made for internal use, provided fees are paid directly to the Copyright Clearance Center, 27 Congress St., Salem, MA 01970, USA. Phone 978-750-8400, fax 978-750-4470. Any other form of reproduction requires special permission from, and may be subject to fees by SME. SME is not responsible for any statements made or opinions expressed in its publications. ™ Member subscription rate included in dues. Tunneling & Underground Construction MAY 2020 1 tuc& Chairman’s Column Take advantage of your EDITORIAL STAFF Editor membership in these unique times Willaim Gleason [email protected] he past few months have brings an opportunity for us all to been extraordinary and there meet in Dallas and experience a Senior Editor looks to be no reasonable slightly different, but equally high- Georgene Renner T [email protected] way to get back to normal in the quality UCA of SME meeting. upcoming weeks and even months As this pandemic changes the ahead. This even assumes that what way we work and interact, I’ve Associate Editor was considered normal before the spoken to people working on their Margo Ellis COVID-19 shutdown will become decks at home in the sunshine and [email protected] normal again. others working in their basements. With no travel plans and Wherever you are reading this, I Production Graphic Artist everybody now working from home, suggest that you take a moment Ted Robertson what better time to investigate ways this spring and peruse the excellent [email protected] to support your industry and the SME bookstore. Why not purchase UCA? and read a copy of the History of BUSINESS STAFF COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on Tunneling in the United States, or Media Manager meetings and events this spring, from obtain one of the other excellent Advertising the NBA and NHL playoffs, to Major guideline documents for your Gary Garvey League Baseball’s Opening Day technical library. [email protected] and the postponement of tunneling While you are browsing the industry events such as the World bookstore, I ask you to look with a Phone +1-800-763-3132 or +1-303-973-4200 Tunneling Congress and NoDig. somewhat critical eye as well. If there Fax +1-303-973-3845 You should have already received a is something you expected or wanted notification that the UCA of SME is to see but did not, consider making Internet www.smenet.org not exempt from this phenomenon me or any member of the executive with the cancellation of the North committee aware of this missing item SOCIETY FOR MINING, METALLURGY, American Tunneling (NAT) in our umbrella of technical guideline AND EXPLORATION, INC. OFFICERS conference in Nashville, TN that was documents. President scheduled for June 7-10. You could volunteer to take on Robert Schafer As you can imagine, the a leadership role and produce this logistics of making such a decision guideline yourself or simply make us are complicated and yet, given aware of the need, and we can pick it President-Elect the situation with COVID-19 at up from there and find somebody to William Edgerton the moment, it was not a difficult lead the charge. decision to make. The health and We are always seeking better Past President welfare of the industry and all ways to be more connected to the Hugh Miller attendees is everybody’s highest industry and be responsive to your priority. Given that we will miss out needs. You are the industry and Executive Director on NAT, our focus now turns to the should drive the bus when it comes David L. Kanagy Cutting Edge Conference (Dallas, to ideas that you want the UCA to TX, Nov. 9-11) as the largest event on pursue. My job is to respond and the UCA of SME calendar. direct traffic to make sure your needs Underground Construction Cutting Edge will take place are fulfilled by UCA of SME, which Association of SME in Dallas, TX and will be the usual is YOUR industry organization. I’ll Executive Committee blend of technical presentations, continue to do this — wherever we Robert Goodfellow (Chair), Mike Rispin (Vice discussion panels, extended question- happen to be working. Keep well and Chair), Michael F. Roach (Past Chair), Mike and-answer sessions with the safe and I look forward to seeing you Bruen, Leon J. Jacobs, Jack E. Brockway, authors and plenty of networking all in Dallas at Cutting Edge, if not Erika Moonin, Mike A. Mooney, Pamela S. opportunities in an exhibit hall with before. Moran, Mark Johnson, Matthew D. Preedy, Jon small tabletop-style booths. For those Klug, Edward Dowey, Tony O’Donnell, Robert who have not attended previously, Robert JF Goodfellow, A. Robinson, Michael Smithson, Richard perhaps the wreckage of this year UCA of SME Chair Redmond, Paul C. Schmall, and Michael Vitale 2 MAY 2020 Tunneling & Underground Construction ® tuc& Feature Article 1 Highway connection through Ouachita Mountains — Arkansas Tunnel study he Arkansas State Highway and Transportation topography and local geologic conditions, an appropriate Department (AHTD) initiated a high-level tunnel tunnel construction strategy, including temporary and Tfeasibility study for the proposed East-West arterial permanent tunnel support, was developed. Considering highway under Hot Springs National Park as part of its the highly fractured nature of the novaculite, a sequential due-diligence comparison of an open-cut versus a tunnel excavation method (SEM) tunneling approach was option to create a bypass to lessen traffic impacts on developed. The SEM approach was cost estimated and historic Hot Springs. The new tunnel on the proposed East- scheduled for comparison with the open-cut alternative. West bypass highway would be situated approximately 2 km (1.25 miles) north of a planned intersection Existing conditions with Highway 70, as shown in Fig. 1. The tunnel study Geologic setting. The tunnel alignment passes through FIG.1 Location plan of proposed highway tunnel. addressed feasibility, constructability and conceptual a prominent ridge of the Ouachita Mountains, which cost and schedule estimates for a new tunnel alignment consist of outcrops of the Big Fort Chert, the Arkansas through elevated ridge terrain featuring an extremely Novaculite and the Stanley Shale. Novaculite is the hard novaculite formation. Considering the existing site predominant geologic formation of the ridge, as the less resistant rock has been eroded over time. Novaculite is a dense, hard, fine-grained, siliceous metamorphic rock. Eric Wang, Ray Sandiford and Michael Fugett It is a subcategory of chert, which has transformed into novaculite after low-grade metamorphism. Eric Wang and Ray Sandiford, members UCA of SME, are principal engineer & associate vice Physical properties. Novaculite is a very hard and president and vice president and east practice lead, very dense rock that varies in color from white to gray- respectively, HNTB National Tunnel Practice. and black. Novaculite is not only difficult to core with very slow drilling rates but also yields minimal rock recovery Michael Fugett is assistant chief engineer, Arkansas due to very brittle properties.