“Tunnel Information and Analysis System”: A Geotechnical Database for Tunnels: Fid-Bau Portal

“Tunnel Information and Analysis System”: A Geotechnical Database for Tunnels

Marinos, V. / Prountzopoulos, G. / Fortsakis, P. / Koumoutsakos, D. / Korkaris, K. / Papouli, D.

Abstract Existing experience from the design and construction of underground works is of major importance for the improvement of the construction methods and procedures in tunnelling, especially under adverse and complex geological and geotechnical conditions. This experience can be of great value to geotechnical engineers and engineering geologists, if data acquired through the ground investigation, the design and the construction is systematically collected, categorized and stored in a properly structured database that enables a targeted access to it, as well as to proceed to correlations and analysis, based on engineering criteria. Such a database should be carefully designed to “connect” all available data through all the phases of a tunnel project and premises deep knowledge from the geological and geotechnical investigation to the final design and construction. In order to make substantial use of the experience accumulated from the construction of a great number of tunnels, a database named Tunnel Information and Analysis System (TIAS) was developed. The data source for TIAS database was 62 tunnels of the Egnatia Highway in northern Greece, many of which have been constructed under difficult geological conditions in weak rock masses. The data processed by TIAS came from a variety of sources such as geological mapping, boreholes, laboratory and in situ testing, geotechnical classifications, engineering geological behaviour, groundwater, design parameters, information concerning immediate support measures, construction records and cost. The purpose of the system, besides incorporating extended and multi-source data for easy access, is to provide a tool for turning data into usable information for the comparison of anticipated and encountered geological and geotechnical conditions, the evaluation of geotechnical classification and design methods and the relations regarding rock mass conditions and behaviour and immediate support methods and types.