As part of the WTC 2019 in Naples, a joint workshop on "Mechanized Tunneling in Soft Ground" took place on May 4, 2019 with over 45 participants from 9 nations. The workshop was organized by Dr. Britta Schößer, Project Manager in the Collaborative Research Center 837 Interaction Modelling for Mechanized Tunnelling, among others.

Experts from industry and science could be recruited, so that the subject areas were varied. Dr. Daniela G. de Oliveira, Herrenknecht AG, Diego Sebastiani, Sapienza University of Rome, Sascha Freimann, Ruhr-University Bochum, and Andrea Carigi, Politechnico di Torino, reported from different perspectives on soil conditioning in EPB tunnelling. Dr. Benno Ring, Ring Consultancy in Tunnelling, and Gerrit Neu, Ruhr-University Bochum, presented aspects of segmental lining design. Elena Chiriotti, INCAS Partners, reported on requirements for modelling for numerical simulation. Dr. Nunzio Losacco, University of Rome, presented an Euler analysis of mechanized excavation. Kathrin Glab, Herrenknecht AG and TU Delft explained a systematized evaluation of machine data, while Prof. Dr. Michael M. Mooney, Colorado School of Mines, spoke on the use of AI for physical model-based performance prediction.

During the workshop, which was organized by Prof. Dr. ir. Adam Bezuijen (University Ghent, Chairman of the ISSMGE Technical Committee 204: Underground Construction in Soft Ground) and Dr. Britta Schößer (Ruhr-University Bochum, Project Manager in the Collaborative Research Center 837 Interaction Models for Mechanical Tunnelling), was intensively discussed, so that at the end of the event there was a unanimous opinion that the workshop format should definitely be continued. This event was made possible by the organisers of the WTC 2019 in Naples and was the third workshop after the WTC conferences in San Francisco (2016) and Dubai (2018). An overview of the programme and further photos of the event can be found here.

Timetable WTC 2019, Naples (2.8 MB)