Going underground has reduced travel time, minimised obstacles and protected water reservoirs for thousands of years, with the oldest construction dating back to the 22nd Century BC at Babylonia. By their very nature, tunnels are dependent on geotechnical and hydrogeological conditions. Being constructed in soil-like material or hard rock, under the sea or inside aquifers in mountains, they are susceptible to geotechnical and construction risks which, if ignored, can result in fatalities, damages and lengthy litigation proceedings.
In this article, Evangelos Georgopoulos outlines the key geological and construction risks in underground projects and how they can be mitigated.