Expert-based Risk Level Assessment Model for Microtunneling Projects

Trenchless technologies provide the technology necessary to install underground conduits without open excavation. Microtunneling is a multifaceted non-channel digging method. This technology has the capability to reduce environmental impacts. Therefore, the risk assessment of this process will ease the improvements and modeling of the forthcoming projects of microtunneling. A real data set of thirty-five microtunneling projects was collected through a questionnaire to obtain the agent's and agents' mass which is directed to experts. A risk level prediction model has been developed using the Clustering Analysis technique, Regression Analysis and the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) to consider the effect of the qualitative factors involved in the microtunneling process. The model has been validated, which shows satisfactory results with 84.79% Average Validity Percent.