Radio4 tunnelling programme.

[Ironside]

Just listened to a radio4 Interview of professor Robert Mair, who talks about Crossrail, and the challenges of digging through soft soil under cities. The best bit was how he explained how they managed to dig under the houses of parliament.

It's available on iplayer, the programme is called The Life Scientific, episode 41 Prof Robert Mair.

Anybody else listen to it?

 

[eMeS]

Yes - I got captured by it.

Fascinating stuff, and the time given to the programme was about right. So often when these types of subjects are done by TV, I feel that the subject matter is dumbed down, and there's 3/4 padding so as to fill the time slot.

BUT, having just bought a large flat screen TV, I'm enjoying Portillo in HD!

 

[Ironside]

I found it particularly interesting when he mentioned that:

by moving from five to seven meter diameter tunnels the potential doubling in the amount of movement in the serounding soil.

Explaining how the Soft bore TBM's work, as previously I struggled to understand how these work.

Electronics being used on tunnels and other structures to document there movement and therefore the future lifespan of structure like the northern line, and presumably therefore whether to invest in repairs or start planning for it's replacement.

 

[krus_aragon]

I found it particularly interesting when he mentioned that:

by moving from five to seven meter diameter tunnels the potential doubling in the amount of movement in the serounding soil.

Yet if you think of it, the cross-sectional area (and hence the quantity soil that you're removing) of such a tunnel doubles. from 19m[sup]2[/sup] to 38m[sup]2[/sup] (area = pi x r[sup]2[/sup])

 

[Ironside]

Yet if you think of it, the cross-sectional area (and hence the quantity soil that you're removing) of such a tunnel doubles. from 19m[sup]2[/sup] to 38m[sup]2[/sup] (area = pi x r[sup]2[/sup])

Ah thanks, when you put like that it makes more sence.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I am pleased to see that I am now not the only forum member who listens to Radio 4 on a regular basis..