An Adaptive and Real-Time System for the Analysis and Design of Underground Constructions

Underground constructions continue to provide challenges to Geotechnical Engineers yet they pose the best opportunities for development and deployment of advance technologies for analysis, design and construction. The reason for this is that, by virtue of the nature of underground constructions, more data and information on ground characteristics and response become available as the construction progresses. However, due to several barriers, these data and information are rarely, if ever, utilized to modify and improve project design and construction during the construction stage. To enable the use of evolving realtime data and information, and adaptively modify and improve design and construction, the paper presents an analysis and design system, called AMADEUS, for underground projects. AMADEUS stands for Adaptive, real-time and geologic Mapping, Analysis and Design of Underground Space. AMADEUS relies on recent advances in IT (Information Technology), particularly in digital imaging, data management, visualization and computation to significantly improve analysis, design and construction of underground projects. Using IT and remote sensors, real-time data on geology and excavation response are gathered during the construction using non-intrusive techniques which do not require expensive and time-consuming monitoring. The real-time data are then used to update geological and geomechanical models of the excavation, and to determine the optimal, construction sequences and stages, and structural support. Virtual environment (VE) systems are employed to allow virtual walk-throughs inside an excavation, observe geologic conditions, perform virtual construction operations, and investigate stability of the excavation via computer simulation to steer the next stages of construction.