CONSTRUCTION MONITORING OF SOFT GROUND RAPID TRANSIT TUNNELS. VOLUME I: A DEFINITION OF NEEDS AND POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS

The Urban Mass Transportation Administration (UMTA) Tunneling Program Concentrates its efforts on reducing tunneling costs, minimizing environmental impact and enhancing safety as it applies to the planning, organization, design, construction and maintenance cycles of rapid transit tunnels in the urban environment. This study investigates the area of construction monitoring of rapid transit tunnels in soft ground. Soft ground tunnel construction monitoring has the potential to reduce construction costs, safety hazards and environmental impacts. Monitoring can diagnose face stability and ground movement problems, and allow appropriate preventive or remedial action. Monitoring provides data for prediction of ground movements and allows the compilation of useful legal documentation. Such data are also required for improving design and prediction methods.