Tunneling and Trenchless Technology:

International Technology Transfer

Ray Sterling, Ph.D., P.E.

Trenchless Technology Center,
Louisiana Tech University
Overview of Presentation

• What is the role of education and

technology transfer in an industry
• International technology transfer issues
• International competitiveness issues
• Case study of developments in the
Netherlands
• Summary and conclusions

2
Role of Education and Technology Transfer

• Provide awareness of the technology

• Improve reliability and effectiveness

• Educate next generation of engineers

• Transfer new developments

3
Who is Involved?

• Owners / Users
• Consultants
• Contractors
• Manufacturers
• Suppliers
• Associations
• Academia
– Education
– Research
– Specialized centers
4
Transportability of Innovation –
Tunneling / Underground Construction

• Relatively few major companies involved in

worldwide projects
• Tunnel designers and construction
personnel move internationally
• Local engineers and construction personnel
work alongside international firms

5
Triggers for Innovation

• Strong need
• Financial incentive (high costs for current
technique)
• Strong and stable market
• Suitable site and project conditions during
early development

6
Triggers for Innovation

Automation - Japan

Low cost tunnels - Norway

7
Triggers for Innovation - France

U/g concepts New ground level

Multi-use complexes Metro innovation 8

Curved Pipe Jacking
North America ?

Japan

Germany
9
Underground Pedestrian Networks

Montreal Toronto
10
Transportabilitiy of Innovation –
Trenchless Technology

• Small scale equipment – easy to transport

• Low costs for initial demonstration projects
• Know how and experience is most valuable
asset transferred
• Equipment and techniques are relatively
easy to copy
• Patent protection is very important
11
Horizontal Directional Drilling

HDD Operator Training School

established in Shanghai

China

12
Highway Tunnel in Shanghai

Microtunneling for 6-lane

pipe roofed tunnel

13
Barriers to the Widespread and Continued
Adoption of Underground Technologies

• Barriers posed by design practice and

specifications
• Conservatism in adopting new technologies
• Maintenance of know-how
– Major tunnel projects are infrequent for most
cities
• Separate adoption of allowable technologies
in each city
U.S. National Committee on
Tunnelling Technology
14
International Competitiveness in the U.S.
Underground Construction Industry

• Separation of design and construction processes

• Emphasis on design cost and fear of litigation
discourages innovation
• Strong reliance on low bid for initial cost versus
quality and life cycle cost
• Labor issues can invalidate benefits of innovations
• Low incentive for consultants/contractors to
innovate
• Contrast with large private expenditures for R&D
in other countries
U.S. National Committee on
Tunnelling Technology 15
Opportunity from Aggressive R&D

Fourth Generation R&D

William L. Miller and Langdon Morris
John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 1999

16
Acceleration of Learning Cycles

Fourth Generation R&D

William L. Miller and Langdon Morris
John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 1999

17
Relations Between Education,
Research and Practice in U.S.

• Few large Ph.D. employing firms in civil

engineering sector
• Market very cost competitive
• Several areas of excellence in U.S.
– Geomechanical computer simulation
– Hard rock TBMs
– Horizontal directional drilling

18
Utility Location
• Single multi-sensor system for
all utilities
• Does not require prior
knowledge of approximate
location or access to utility
• Can operate in urban conditions
• Covers necessary range of
depths and utility diameters
• Has acceptable cost

19
See Ahead Technology

Tumay, LSU 20
Sensor and Data Technologies

antenna

select power
switch convert

signal transducer
modulator
2 mm

• Low-cost
• Miniature and
embeddable
Wireless Sensor Chip
(concept) • No power supply
required 21
Alternative Means of Encouraging Innovation

• Greater use of performance specifications

• More design / construction contracts
• Incremental changes in technology lower
risk
• Encouragement of innovation by large and
repeat clients (e.g. the government)

22
Economic Incentive for
Technology Development

• Market for underground construction will

continue to grow
• Bored tunnels will increase market share
• Buried utilities will increase as a proportion
of total utilities
• Trenchless technologies will increase
market share within buried utility work

23
Pace of Development Affected by:

• Public pressure to use underground and

trenchless techniques
• Costs relative to alternate methods
• Confidence of public works engineers and
utility managers in the techniques

24
Examples of Technology Boosts

• TARP Sewer Interceptor Project in Chicago

spurred hard rock TBM development
• Congested city conditions, need for sewers
and difficult geological conditions in Japan
spurred microtunneling developments

25
Underground Construction Innovation in Japan

• Adoption of
innovation from
abroad
• Strong markets
• High levels of research
funding
• Geological conditions
• Labor availability
• Distribution of R&D
26
Fitting Underground Construction
Into University Curricula

• University student
preparation
• Reduction in credit
hours for B.S. degree
• Expectations for new
technical skills and
knowledge
• Specialization versus
breadth

27
 Formal Distance Short
Workshops Research Modules
& Informal Distance
Learning Courses
Mechanisms
Mechanisms Workshops Research Modules
Learning

K-12 K-12 Grad

Undergrads Faculty Industry
Target
Target Groups
Groups Students Teachers Grad Students
Undergrads Faculty
Students

StudentStudent Educate
Educate Knowledge
Knowledge Practical
Pipeline
Pipeline
“New”
“New”
Transfer Transfer
Skills
Engineers
Engineers
Outcomes
Outcomes
Technology
Technology
Research
Research Design
Awareness
TransferTransfer Training
Training Skills

28
Trenchless Technology Center

• A university-industry-government
partnership to pool resources
– make the best use of limited funds
– target research on major and urgent
problems
– create effective technology transfer
• Based at Louisiana Tech University
• Initiated in 1989 and formalized in 1992

29
Technology Transfer

NW Forum

Tunnel Technology
Masters Program -
Politecnico di Torino

Denver Forum
30
Trenchless Technology
Municipal Users’ Forum

• Established to provide a vehicle for cities to

interact directly to share information on
trenchless technologies and their application
• Facilitates cooperation on problems of
mutual interest
• Approximately 150 municipalities
participating in 8 forums at present

31
Regional Municipal Forums

32
Accelerated Testing of Pipe Liners

Elevated Temperature Long-Term

Material Characterization

Elevated Temperature Long-Term

Liner Testing
33
Technology Transfer:
Sewer and Water System Rehabilitation
1.600
SIMILAR STORMS IN DIFFERENT PHASES

1.400

PHASE 1: STORM - Mar 20, 1989

1.200 Phase 1 - Total flow Total rainfall: 0.63 inch
Phase 1 - I/I
Phase 2 - Total flow
Phase 2 - I/I
1.000 Peak hour rainfall: 0.22 inch

FLOW (mgd)
Phase 3 - Total flow
Phase 3 - I/I

0.800

0.600

0.400

0.200

HOUR

Reconnections for water rehabilitation Effectiveness of sewer lateral rehab

Flow impact of lining defects Testing new products 34

Technology Transfer: HDD Research

6000
5000
4000
LOAD (lbf)

y = 2.73x + 1118
3000 R2 = 0.50, σx = 283
+σx boundary
2000
1000
-σx boundary REGRESSION TRENDLINE
0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400
LENGTH OF PIPE IN BORE (ft)
TOTAL LOAD IN-BORE RESISTANCE

HDD Load Cell for Pipe Pullback

HDD Borehole Stability

35
Technology Transfer:
HDD Drill Steel Fatigue Studies

6 .10
4
60000

5.38 .10
4

4.75 .10
4

4.13 .10
4

x
3.5 .10
4
stress

2.88 .10
4

2.25 .10
4

1.63 .10
4

1 .10
10000 4

3.75 .10 7.5 .10 1.13 .10 1.5 .10 1.88 .10 2.25 .10 2.63 .10 3 .10
5 5 6 6 6 6 6 6
0
0 y ( x) , life 3000000

Drill Steel Test Rig Fatigue curve generated

36
Technology Transfer: Method Selection

37
Technology Push vs Pull

• So far, mostly a “push” from the technology

developers
• Owners can help “pull” the technology to
meet their needs and to encourage further
R&D
• Strong and stable markets plus high
standards for quality encourage technology
development

38
Netherland’s Program Results

• No bored tunnels in 1990 to tunnels of

world record size and complexity
• Research program stretching from
architectural design issues to theoretical and
experimental tunnel mechanics
• Major state-of-the-art research facilities and
high quality field monitoring programs
• Issues of need for underground space firmly
on the public agenda
39
Realizing the Benefits of Innovation

• Adoption of some improved technologies

will occur over time without special efforts
• How quickly a country will take advantage
of the improvements is usually the key issue
• Quick adoption and further improvement of
techniques can change a technology
importer into a technology exporter

40
Role of International Societies

• Provide international leadership and

consistency
• Exchange information and advance the state-
of-the-art
• Provide education and informational materials
• Encourage and support education and training
programs
• Provide a quality control input to education
and certification initiatives
41
International Tunnelling Association:
Symposia and Working Groups

42
International Trenchless Technology
Research Colloquium

43
Summary

• Technology transfer problems due to

communications, trade barriers and work
force mobility are reducing
• However, many barriers to long-term
adoption and effective use remain
• A deliberate and consensus action to
improve technology in a certain sector can
have rapid and dramatic results

44
Concluding Remarks

• We have a new tool kit for working with

underground facilities – allowing us to do
things that simply were not possible before.
• Improvements in capability, reliability and
cost effectiveness will occur.
• Cities and utility system owners can help
greatly in speeding the development and
adoption of the technologies.
• Effective education, training and technology
transfer are critical. 45
Questions and Discussion

• For further information

• ISTT www.istt.com
• ITA www.ita-aites.org
• TTC www.ttc.latech.edu

Radical improvements in underground

infrastructure technology are both possible
and critical to the future livability and
economic vitality of our cities and nation.

46