ABSTRACT
The use of digital technologies in the field of engineering has become deeply rooted in daily operations, including in tunnelling. While the tunnelling industry is currently undergoing comprehensive digital transformation, various digital technologies such as digital twins, information modelling, numerical modelling, artificial intelligence, robotics, and automation are already playing crucial roles in different stages of tunnelling, including design, construction, and management. Recent industry trends, especially Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation, have the potential to fundamentally reshape traditional processes, not only in tunnelling but also across the broader engineering discipline. Although AI is mainly used to address statistical problems, engineering, as an empirical science, is primarily governed by deterministic problems, making it suitable for automation. However, tunnelling requires a delicate balance between statistical and deterministic practices due to its combination of art and science in the design process. Automating well-defined engineering steps represents the initial phase of computational digitalisation, creating opportunities for artificial intelligence to bridge existing gaps. This paper aims to discuss the backgrounds of one or more automated digital tools driving these advancements into reality by outlining short-term measures and advantages to develop a deeper understanding of their potential within the tunnelling industry using AI.
