ABSTRACT
European geotechnical engineering norms are provided both for open and mined tunnelling methods. The rock mass is considered to remain an important topic in tunnel engineering. However, it was understood that the development is seen as a trade off between very expensive universal tunnel boring machines with lower level of risk versus more simple designed machines which are cheaper but may have a higher level of construction risk. The interaction between tunnel boring machine's thruster configuration and geometry of lining segments is presented, while highlighting the importance for computer controlled segment erection. A case study is presented on fully automated tunnel segment production system.
