Ray Sterling, Ph.D., P.E.Trenchless Technology Center,

Louisiana Tech University

Tunneling and Trenchless Technology:International Technology Transfer

2

• 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

Overview of Presentation

3

Role of Education and Technology Transfer

• Provide awareness of the technology

• Improve reliability and effectiveness

• Educate next generation of engineers

• Transfer new developments

4

• Owners / Users• Consultants• Contractors• Manufacturers• Suppliers• Associations • Academia

– Education– Research– Specialized centers

Who is Involved?

5

• Relatively few major companies involved in worldwide projects

• Tunnel designers and construction personnel move internationally

• Local engineers and construction personnel work alongside international firms

Transportability of Innovation –Tunneling / Underground Construction

6

• Strong need• Financial incentive (high costs for current

technique)• Strong and stable market• Suitable site and project conditions during

early development

Triggers for Innovation

7

Triggers for Innovation

Low cost tunnels - Norway

Automation - Japan

8

Triggers for Innovation - France

New ground level

Metro innovationMulti-use complexes

U/g concepts

9

Curved Pipe Jacking

Japan

Germany

North America ?

10

Underground Pedestrian Networks

Montreal Toronto

11

• 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

Transportabilitiy of Innovation –Trenchless Technology

12

Horizontal Directional Drilling

China

HDD Operator Training Schoolestablished in Shanghai

13

Highway Tunnel in Shanghai

Microtunneling for 6-lanepipe roofed tunnel

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• 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

Barriers to the Widespread and Continued Adoption of Underground Technologies

U.S. National Committee onU.S. National Committee onTunnellingTunnelling TechnologyTechnology

15

• 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

International Competitiveness in the U.S. Underground Construction Industry

U.S. National Committee onU.S. National Committee onTunnellingTunnelling TechnologyTechnology

16

Opportunity from Aggressive R&D

Fourth Generation R&DFourth Generation R&DWilliam L. Miller and Langdon MorrisWilliam L. Miller and Langdon MorrisJohn Wiley & Sons, Inc. 1999John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 1999

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Acceleration of Learning Cycles

Fourth Generation R&DFourth Generation R&DWilliam L. Miller and Langdon MorrisWilliam L. Miller and Langdon MorrisJohn Wiley & Sons, Inc. 1999John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 1999

18

• 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

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

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• 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

Utility Location

20Tumay, LSU

See Ahead Technology

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Wireless Sensor Chip(concept)

selectswitch

powerconvert

signalmodulator

transducer

antenna

2 m

m

• Low-cost• Miniature andembeddable

• No power supplyrequired

Sensor and Data Technologies

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• 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)

Alternative Means of Encouraging Innovation

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• 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

Economic Incentive for Technology Development

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• Public pressure to use underground and trenchless techniques

• Costs relative to alternate methods• Confidence of public works engineers and

utility managers in the techniques

Pace of Development Affected by:

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• 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

Examples of Technology Boosts

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• Adoption of innovation from abroad

• Strong markets• High levels of research

funding• Geological conditions• Labor availability• Distribution of R&D

Underground Construction Innovation in Japan

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• University student preparation

• Reduction in credit hours for B.S. degree

• Expectations for new technical skills and knowledge

• Specialization versus breadth

Fitting Underground ConstructionInto University Curricula

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Research ModulesDistanceLearning

IndustryIndustry

TechnologyTransfer

Educate“New”

Engineers

ResearchTraining

KnowledgeTransfer

DesignSkills

PracticalSkills

K-12Students

K-12Students

Formal& Informal Workshops

K-12Teachers

K-12Teachers UndergradsUndergrads FacultyFaculty

Awareness

MechanismsMechanisms

Target GroupsTarget Groups

OutcomesOutcomes

ShortCourses

StudentPipeline

GradStudents

GradStudents

ResearchWorkshops Modules

GradStudents

GradStudentsUndergradsUndergrads

TechnologyTransfer

Educate“New”

Engineers

ResearchTraining

KnowledgeTransfer

StudentPipeline

FacultyFaculty

DistanceLearning

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• 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

Trenchless Technology Center

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Technology Transfer

Tunnel Technology Masters Program -Politecnico di Torino

NW Forum

Denver Forum

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• 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

Trenchless Technology Municipal Users’ Forum

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Regional Municipal Forums

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Accelerated Testing of Pipe Liners

Elevated Temperature Long-Term Liner Testing

Elevated Temperature Long-TermMaterial Characterization

34

PHASE 1: STORM - Mar 20, 1989

Total rainfall: 0.63 inch

Peak hour rainfall: 0.22 inch

HOUR

0.200

0.400

0.600

0.800

1.000

1.200

1.400

1.600

FLO

W (m

gd)

Phase 1 - Total flowPhase 1 - I/IPhase 2 - Total flowPhase 2 - I/IPhase 3 - Total flowPhase 3 - I/I

SIMILAR STORMS IN DIFFERENT PHASES

Reconnections for water rehabilitation

Flow impact of lining defects Testing new products

Effectiveness of sewer lateral rehab

Technology Transfer: Sewer and Water System Rehabilitation

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y = 2.73x + 1118

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400LENGTH OF PIPE IN BORE (ft)

LOA

D (l

bf)

TOTAL LOAD IN-BORE RESISTANCE

REGRESSION TRENDLINE-σx boundary

+σx boundaryR2 = 0.50, σx = 283

HDD Borehole Stability

HDD Load Cell for Pipe Pullback

Technology Transfer: HDD Research

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0 3.75 .105 7.5 .105 1.13 .106 1.5 .106 1.88 .106 2.25 .106 2.63 .106 3 .1061 .104

1.63 .104

2.25 .104

2.88 .104

3.5 .104

4.13 .104

4.75 .104

5.38 .104

6 .10460000

10000

x

stress

30000000 y x( ) life,

Drill Steel Test Rig Fatigue curve generated

Technology Transfer: HDD Drill Steel Fatigue Studies

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Technology Transfer: Method Selection

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• 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

Technology Push vs Pull

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• 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

Netherland’s Program Results

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• 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

Realizing the Benefits of Innovation

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• 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

Role of International Societies

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International Tunnelling Association:Symposia and Working Groups

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International Trenchless Technology Research Colloquium

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• 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

Summary

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• 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.

Concluding Remarks

46

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.