Nicholson Construction, one of GeoPrac.net’s long-time sponsors and a pillar of the geotechnical industry, recently celebrated its 70th anniversary with a two-part webinar series titled “Nicholson Legends and Iconic Projects.” The series featured six senior […]
The Bertha tunnel boring machine has resumed chewing away beneath Seattle after a ‘suspension for cause’ order from WSDOT shut it down in January following two safety incidents. The BTM began tunneling with some conditions […]
The Seattle Tunnel Partners JV announced last month that tunneling on the Alaska Way Viaduct Replacement project will resume a month later than originally planned. The Bertha TBM will resume mining on December 23 after […]
There hasn’t been much to report recently for the Alaskan Way Viaduct Tunnel Project in Seattle. As you probably know, Bertha has not advanced since about December of 2013 after drilling through an abandoned steel […]
Seattle Tunnel Partners has released a conceptual plan showing what the excavation of the pit will look like to repair the damaged Bertha Tunnel Boring Machine. See below. A pit 120 feet deep and 83 […]
Seattle Tunnel Partners and WSDOT are moving forward with the plans to excavate a 120 foot deep shaft to repair the Bertha Tunnel Boring Machine. Unfortunately, there are archaeological issues since the project team did […]
The Seattle Tunnel Partners JV is attempting to remove the rest of an 8 inch diameter steel well casing that has been blocking the Bertha tunnel boring machine since December 8, 2013. The upper 55 […]
Perhaps you’ve heard of Bertha, the World’s Largest Tunnel Boring Machine or TBM? She’s currently working her way underneath Downtown Seattle, excavating the Alaska Way Bored Tunnel to replace the aging Alaska Way Viaduct. This $2 Billion megaproject is an incredible feat of engineering on so many levels. I was in Seattle in September for the Association of Engineering Geologists annual meeting, and was fortunate enough to attend a field trip to see the launch pit and Bertha before she began her tunnel drive. It was an unforgettable experience for this engineer! In this article I give an overview of the project and Bertha herself, discuss some of the geotechnical features, and share my photos and video. Check it out!
Drill and Blast and Tunnel Boring Machine are two common types of tunnel construction methods. But roadheaders have been around for many years, getting their start in the coal mining industry. So where do they […]
A TBM is stuck on a 2.85m diameter stormwater tunnel in Lancashire, UK. The tunnel is planned to be 3.5-km long, but has been stalled since November when the silt intrusion stopped the tunnel boring […]
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