Summary Reader Response Draft #3
Tunnels
in the past were utilized for purposes such as irrigation, drainage, and water
transportation system as well as communication routes to ameliorate the
underground habitats. The Leonard (2022) webpage titled, “Innovation at the end
of the tunnel”, informs readers about the rising need for underground
infrastructures brought on by population pressure and urbanization. This
underground infrastructure includes functions such as sanitation, logistics,
and transportation. To meet these demands, modern tunnel-boring machines were
introduced to meet these needs. As mentioned in another webpage by
Trenchlesspedia, (2020, para. 2), tunnel-boring machines are referred to as
“mole(s)” and are designed to bore circular tunnels through all types of earth,
from sandy soil to hard rocks. The recently completed construction of the
Thomson - East Coast Line (TEL) in Singapore is an excellent example of how
this technology is being extensively utilized (Wong, 2019). Tunnels have
traditionally been excavated through the drilling and blasting method, which
uses explosives to break up rocks (Tunnel Boring Machine, 2023). Tunnel-boring
machines, on the other hand, offer benefits such as rapid construction time and
safe operations, which allowed them to be widely used in underground space
development and tunnelling projects (Gong, Yin, Ma, & Jian Zhao, 2016). In
my opinion, modern tunnel-boring technology prevails over traditional
tunnelling methodologies, such as drilling and blasting. This is because,
despite its high initial cost, it is superior in terms of operational safety
and building efficiency.
Modern tunnel-boring technology increases building efficiency by allowing for faster construction of building infrastructure. Land Transport Authority (LTA) project director Henry Foo stated that tunnel-boring machines save time, and manpower and are less disruptive (Tan, 2016). Land Transport Authority (LTA, 2022, para 6) contends that the type of ground influences the speed of tunnelling. A tunnel-boring machine (TBM) can squeeze through 20 meters of marine clay in the same amount of time that it would take to cut through a 4-meter rock, which is approximately half the length of a bus. This process is being compared to "pushing toothpaste through a tube." This demonstrates that tunnel boring technology increases productivity and efficiency, allowing for faster infrastructure completion, which is ideal in construction projects.
Another
benefit of tunnel–boring technology is the ability for operational safety to
take place during the construction of infrastructures. The utilization of TBMs
increases safety by minimizing disturbances to the environment (IoT Innovation,
2022) In addition when compared to conventional drilling and blasting
methodologies, a TBM has the advantages of speed, efficiency, quality assurance,
and high-level safety (Zhang et al., 2022). However, the tunnel-boring machine
must have enough support to exert pressure on the face, so it must be stable to
prevent gripper shoe supports from sinking and collapsing or detachment from
the smallest lining (Mapfre, 2019). This demonstrated that the tunnel boring
machine was used with caution and that safety was prioritized. In addition, the
tunnel-boring machine are used in a controlled working environment and is supported
by supports while in use, suggesting that tunnel-boring machine activities are
safe.
Despite
the many benefits of the tunnel boring machine (TBM), it has its drawbacks –
one of which is the high initial cost of tunnel boring technology. TBM
tunnelling is typically not economical for short tunnel runs due to the lengthy
procurement and assembly time, coupled with the high initial cost of acquiring
a machine, for tunnels that are less than a mile long (“Summary memorandum:
tunnel construction study”, 2018, pg. 18, para. 4). Furthermore, if a specific
excavation length is not obtained, the comparatively high initial cost of
deploying the TBM results in poor economic feasibility (Kong, et al., 2021). In
Singapore, the TBM construction method costs four times higher than cut -the
and-cover method (Tan, 2016). Thus, this implies that TBMs require more cost
for this method to be used since it requires more effort to work in a
controlled environment such as narrow spaces. TBMs, on the other hand, are more
cost-effective in the long run. TBMs of today are larger in diameter, have more
refined excavation technologies, and are more expensive than earlier
generations of equipment. However, new machines can recurrently excavate
faster, with less risk and surface settlement, saving money in the long run
(Clark & Ramsey, 2017). In addition, TBMs are costly to build and can be
difficult to transport. The longer the tunnel, the lower the relative cost of
tunnel boring machines versus traditional methods. Tunnelling with TBMs is
significantly more effective and results in shorter delivery times, assuming
they function properly. As a result, having a shorter construction delivery
time will result in lower overall project costs, which is critical in building
projects.
In
conclusion, the advantages of using tunnel-boring technology over conventional
techniques make it a preferable choice for tunnel construction. The continuous
use of TBMs in construction necessitates a recognition that technological
improvement is essential to enabling these TBM machines to work more
cost-effectively and efficiently. Therefore, for these machines to stay
relevant and significant to the construction industry, more thorough research
and modifications must be made.
Word Count: 835 words
References:
Mining Technology. (2023, January 5). IoT
innovation: Leading companies in tunnel boring machines for the mining industry.
Mining Technology. https://www.mining-technology.com/data-insights/innovators-tunnel-boring-machines-mining-2/
Clark, G., & Ramsey, M. (2017,
October 18). Tunnelingonline.com. tunnelingonline.com https://tunnelingonline.com/advanced-technologies-help-overcome-tunneling-challenges-save-time-money/
Tunnel boring machine (2021, April
6). Engineering Channel. https://engineering-channel.com/tunnel-boring-machine/
Gong, Q., Yin, L., Ma, H., &
Zhao, J. (2016). TBM tunnelling under adverse geological conditions: An
overview. Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology, 57,
4-17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tust.2016.04.002
Innovation at the end of the tunnel.
(2022, January 26). Leonard, foresight and Innovation by VINCI. https://leonard.vinci.com/en/innovation-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel/
Kong, S., Choi, S., Shim, S.,
Lee, H., Oh, D., & Lee, S. (2021). Stability evaluation of
TBM pilot tunnels to rear blasting using the protection shield. Applied
Sciences, 11(4), 1759. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11041759
LTA. What lies beneath: Meet LTA's digging
machine. (2022, January 28). Land
Transport Authority (LTA). https://www.lta.gov.sg/content/ltagov/en/who_we_are/statistics_and_publications/Connect/TBMs.html
MAPFRE Global Risks. (2019, May 7). Tunnel
construction: Design for latest generation tunnel boring machines. https://www.mapfreglobalrisks.com/en/risks-insurance-management/article/tunnel-construction-rational-design-for-latest-generation-tunnel-boring-machines/
Tan, C. (2016, June 15). New
tunnel-boring machine makes cutting corners perfectly sound. The Straits
Times. https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/new-tunnel-boring-machine-makes-cutting-corners-perfectly-sound
What is a tunnel boring machine (TBM)?
- Definition from Trenchlesspedia. (2017, March 23). Trenchlesspedia -
Trenchless Solutions Through Education. https://www.trenchlesspedia.com/definition/2572/tunnel-boring-machine-tbm
Wong, K. Y. (2019, November
23). Tunnelling for Thomson-east coast line completed on schedule.
The Straits Times. https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/tunnelling-for-thomson-east-coast-line-completed-on-schedule
Zhang, Z., Wang, B.,
Wang, X., He, Y., Wang, H., & Zhao, S. (2022).
Safety-risk assessment for TBM construction of hydraulic tunnel based on fuzzy
evidence reasoning. Processes, 10(12), 2597. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr10122597
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