TRAINING.

Overview

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Define key tunnel design and construction approaches and how they relate to ground conditions, risk considerations, and project constraints
• Understand common tunnelling methods, including TBM, drill and blast, cut and cover, and immersed tube systems, and recognize factors influencing their selection
• Identify typical geotechnical, construction, and operational risks across the project lifecycle and outline common mitigation strategies
• Address approaches to settlement control, monitoring, and construction impact assessment
• Discuss rehabilitation strategies and performance considerations for existing tunnels and underground infrastructure

Description

Tunnel projects present complex technical and execution challenges driven by ground uncertainty, urban constraints, safety requirements, and high construction risk. Decisions made during planning, design, and construction have significant implications for cost, performance, and long‑term asset integrity.

This course provides a practical framework for evaluating and executing tunnel projects across a range of methods and conditions. Key considerations include geotechnical investigation and baseline reporting, alignment selection, construction methods, support systems, and risk allocation. Emphasis is placed on understanding how design choices influence constructability, safety, and project outcomes.

Through applied examples and case-based discussion, this course builds the capability to make informed decisions across tunnel design, construction, and rehabilitation. The focus is on real-world application, enabling immediate use of concepts in project planning, execution, and asset management.

Who Should Attend

This course is designed for:

• Engineers and engineering technologists involved in underground infrastructure projects
• Technical professionals working in geotechnical, civil, and construction environments
• Early‑career to senior practitioners responsible for design, construction, or project delivery decisions
• Professionals involved in risk management, inspection, rehabilitation, or asset management of tunnels

Please note: You can check other time zones here.

Syllabus

• Introduction of tunnelling and types of tunnels
• Tunnel Planning and configuration
• Geotechnical investigation and reporting: geotechnical data report, interpretive report, and geotechnical baseline report (GBR)

• Cut and Cover tunnels and underground structures
• Rock Tunnels
• Rock Tunnel Boring Machines (TBM)
• Shaft design and construction

• Soft Ground Tunnels
• Soft Ground Tunnel Boring Machines (TBM)
• Precast Concrete Segmental Liner (PCTL)
• Sequential Excavation Method (SEM)

• Tunnelling in urban areas
• Settlement analyses and Construction Impact Assessment
• Instrumentation and Monitoring
• Ground improvement methods

• Tunnel construction in difficult ground conditions
• Inspection, assessment, and rehabilitation of existing tunnels and underground facilities

• Risk management
• Construction planning, logistics and constructability aspects
• Project delivery methods
• Recent advancements in tunnel design and construction including AI and robotics

Instructor

Nasri A. Munfakh, P.E.

Nasri is a Partner and a Principal of Gall Zeidler Consultants (GZ), a global specialty tunnelling and underground engineering firm with offices in the US, Canada, UK, Austria, India, and Latin America.

Mr. Munfah has over 40 years of experience in tunnelling and underground engineering design and construction, including TBM, SEM/NATM, cut and cover, and Immersed Tube Tunnels for transportation, water/wastewater, and energy projects. He has been responsible for successfully delivering multi-billion-dollar projects from conceptual engineering through construction and operation. Among his notable projects is the $12B East Side Access Program in New York; the $15B Gateway Program in New York; the Alaskan Way Tunnel in Seattle, a 17.45 m (57’-3") diameter TBM tunnel; the Istanbul Strait Crossing, a 13.7m (45 ft) diameter underwater roadway tunnel with 11 bars water pressure; California High-Speed Rail Program; the Regional Connector in Los Angeles; and the Central Subway project in San Francisco.

Mr. Munfah led global tunnelling practices in major engineering firms and was instrumental in growing their tunnelling and underground engineering practices. He held leadership roles in several professional organizations, including the Chair/Animateur of ITA Working Group 19 – "Conventional Tunnelling," and a former Member of ITA Working Group 11, "Immersed and Floating Tunnels"; he is a member of the "Moles" organization in New York and a former ExCo member of UCA of SME in the US.

He published over 50 peer-reviewed papers, received numerous awards, lectured at various universities and short courses. He was an adjunct professor at New York's Columbia University. He was the Principal Investigator and the Primary Author of the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA's) "Technical Manual for Design and Construction of Road Tunnels", the first design manual of tunnels in the US.