Design, development and application of soil transition algorithms for tunneling using special purpose simulation

In tunnel construction, the vertical boreholes only show the soil types that are available in the borehole locations. The soil profiles between the boreholes are uncertain and assumed by practitioners for construction purposes. The productivity of the tunnel construction work is therefore affected by adverse soil conditions. The successful implementation of a special purpose tunneling simulation tool identified that the modeling of uncertainties such as soil conditions could provide better results. This paper presents new modeling algorithms to predict the transition of soils between the boreholes along the tunnel path. The use of transitional probabilities enables to predict the transition points. The various scenarios of the mixed phases of soils are considered for modeling within the special purpose tunnel simulation template. Application of the simulation for modeling algorithms to a past construction project proved that this modeling algorithms provide a logical and an accurate prediction of the tunnel advance rate.