From the Victoria Line to HS2, tunnelling work is commonly accomplished by one of two methods combining humans and machines, one involving the cut-and-cover method and the other the use of giant boring machines. However, the UK has just seen its first tunnel built entirely by robots.
The passage in question is not part of a new road route or underground railway, but rather a pioneering work by automated construction company HyperTunnel at its research facility in Hampshire.
Commissioned by Network Rail, the project has seen robots demonstrating that they could cut the tunnel and 3D print the tunnel shell.
As well as using low carbon concrete and offering a safer method of construction as no workers would have to venture underground, it also promises to make cutting a tunnel ten times as fast as before.
The scale of the tunnel, at 6m long, 2m high and 2m wide, was only of a size that might be used by pedestrians, but it still represents a significant technological development.
Of course, even if robots are doing the work there will be a need for conveyor installation companies to set up the conveyor belt, in order that debris dug out by robots can be extracted from the tunnel and taken away.
While new innovations involving robots may point the way to the future, at present tunnel work still involves a lot of human labour.
An example of this has been recent work on old railway tunnels under the streets of Liverpool City Centre, where parts of the Merseyrail Network run underground and other tunnels lie empty but may offer opportunities to expand the service in the future.
The Liverpool Echo reported on the £3.5 million project to strengthen the roof of the High Neck between Liverpool Central and Brunswick stations. This will involve installing a steel mesh in the roof and spraying on concrete.
