Montanuniversität Leoben - Zentrum am Berg & ÖGG, 29.11. - 01.12.2021

TBM DiGs is an international conference series that provides a specialized technological forum for discussing and exchanging knowledge related to TBM works in difficult ground conditions. This series covers a wide range of topics, including characterization of difficult ground, field observations and case studies, physical and laboratory tests, numerical modelling and techniques, treatments of difficult ground, TBM design and installation, tunnel support design, monitoring and risk management. TBM DiGs 2021 is the fifth conference in this series.

TBM DiGs 2021 is jointly organized by Montanuniversität Leoben and OEGG (Austrian Society for Geomechanics). The conference organizers would like to welcome researchers and practitioners involved with TBM tunnelling to TBM DiGs 2021 to share, to cooperate, and to progress.

The conference aims to bring together all who are interested in the use of tunnel boring machines in difficult ground, to review developments in the field over the previous two years, and to attempt to extrapolate for the near-term future. We anticipate that the conference will explore a great variety of topics.

Presentations in the following areas are invited:

• Rock - Very Hard and Abrasive rocks
• Rock - Squeezing ground
• Rock - Long and deep tunnels
• Soil - Sticky soil and Clogging
• Soil - Abrasive sand and wear problems
• Soil - High water pressure – hyperbaric challenges
• Mixed Ground conditions
• Innovation – New Technology (construction chemicals, sensory systems, big data, operational simulation)
• High Groundwater inflow / Gassy tunnels
• Extreme TBM tunneling (very small/big TBMs, remote areas, outer space construction)
• Manufacturing challenges and new developments
• Logistics and Site Management for challenging TBM tunneling

Those involved with the use of tunnel boring machines in difficult ground comprise a diverse community, including academic researchers, industrial scientists and engineers, government scientists, and policy makers. All are welcome to this conference, ranging from those just beginning to those with substantial expertise.

TBM DiGs 2021 will be an exciting conference that will provide the opportunity for participants to meet others in the field, to exchange ideas, expertise and experience, and to renew and form new friendships and working relationships. The conference is structured so that participants can learn from both formal and informal interactions, such as presented papers, posters and social events.

15.02.2021:     Deadline for abstract submission

01.03.2021:     Early bird registration opens

15.08.2021      Early bird registration ends

21.11.2021      End of regular registration

29.11.2021      09:00   Technical session starts

29.11.2021      19:00 Conference Dinner at Zentrum am Berg

30.11.2021      16:45   TBM DiGs ends

30.11.2021      15:00   Visit of Christmas market

1.12.2021        08:00   Site visit to a tunnel construction site in Austria

Organisation Committee