The design and construction of “long and deep” tunnels, i.e. tunnels under mountains, characterised by either considerable length and/or overburden, represent a considerable challenge. The scope of this book is not to instruct how to design and construct such tunnels but to share a method to identify the potential hazards related to the process of designing and constructing long and deep tunnels, to produce a relevant comprehensive analysis and listing, to quantify the probability and consequences, and to design proper mitigation measures and countermeasures. The design, developed using probabilistic methods, is verified during execution by means of the so called Plan for Advance of the Tunnel (PAT) method, which allows adapting the design and control parameters of the future stretches of the tunnel to the results of the stretches already finished, using the monitoring data base. Numerous criteria are given to identify the key parameters, necessary for the PAT procedure. Best practices of excavation management with the help of real time monitoring and control are also provided. Furthermore cost and time evaluation systems are analysed. Finally, contractual aspects related to construction by contract are investigated, for best development and application of models more appropriate for tunnelling-construction contracts. The work will be of interest to practising engineers, designers, consultants and students in mining, underground, tunnelling, transportation and construction engineering, as well as to foundation and geological engineers, urban planners/developers and architects.

The proliferation of technological capability, miniaturization, and demand for aerial intelligence is pushing unmanned aerial systems (UAS) into the realm of a multi-billion dollar industry. This book surveys the UAS landscape from history to future applications. It discusses commercial applications, integration into the national airspace system (NAS), System function, operational procedures, safety concerns, and a host of other relevant topics. The book is dynamic and well-illustrated with separate sections for terminology and web- based resources for further information.

Highway agencies across the nation are moving towards implementation of the new AASHTO Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) for pavement design. The benefits of implementing the MEPDG for routine use in Ohio includes (1) achieving more cost effective and reliable pavement designs, (2) lower initial and life cycle costs to the agency, and (3) reduced highway user impact due to lane closures for maintenance and rehabilitation of pavements. Implementation of the MEPDG is a process that requires time and agency resources (staffing, training, testing facilities including equipment, and so on). A key requirement is validating the MEPDG's nationally calibrated pavement distress and smoothness prediction models when applied under Ohio conditions and performing local calibration if needed. Feasibility of using the MEPDG's national models in Ohio was investigated under this study using data from a limited number of LTPP projects located in Ohio. Results based on limited data showed inadequate goodness of fit and significant bias in a number of the MEPDG new HMA pavement and JPCP performance prediction models. Limited recalibration of these models showed promising results indicating that a full-scale recalibration effort using a more extensive database assembled from projects located throughout the state is feasible.

This Special Issue "Recent Advances and Future Trends in Pavement Engineering" was proposed and organized to present recent developments in the field of innovative pavement materials and engineering. The 12 articles and state-of-the-art reviews highlighted in this editorial are related to different aspects of pavement engineering, from recycled asphalt pavements to alkali-activated materials, from hot mix asphalt concrete to porous asphalt concrete, from interface bonding to modal analysis, and from destructive testing to non-destructive pavement monitoring by using fiber optics sensors. This Special Issue partly provides an overview of current innovative pavement engineering ideas that have the potential to be implemented in industry in the future, covering some recent developments.

This book explains physical principles, unique benefits, broad categories, implementation aspects, and performance criteria of distributed optical fiber sensors (DOFS). For each kind of sensor, the book highlights industrial applications, which range from oil and gas production to power line monitoring, plant and process engineering, environmental monitoring, industrial fire and leakage detection, and so on. The text also includes a discussion of such key areas as backscattering, launched power limitations, and receiver sensitivity, as well as a concise historical account of the field’s development.

The use of fibre optic sensors in structural health monitoring has rapidly accelerated in recent years. By embedding fibre optic sensors in structures (e.g. buildings, bridges and pipelines) it is possible to obtain real time data on structural changes such as stress or strain. Engineers use monitoring data to detect deviations from a structure’s original design performance in order to optimise the operation, repair and maintenance of a structure over time. Fibre Optic Methods for Structural Health Monitoring is organised as a step-by-step guide to implementing a monitoring system and includes examples of common structures and their most-frequently monitored parameters. This book: presents a universal method for static structural health monitoring, using a technique with proven effectiveness in hundreds of applications worldwide; discusses a variety of different structures including buildings, bridges, dams, tunnels and pipelines; features case studies which describe common problems and offer solutions to those problems; provides advice on establishing mechanical parameters to monitor (including deformations, rotations and displacements) and on placing sensors to achieve monitoring objectives; identifies methods for interpreting data according to construction material and shows how to apply numerical concepts and formulae to data in order to inform decision making. Fibre Optic Methods for Structural Health Monitoring is an invaluable reference for practising engineers in the fields of civil, structural and geotechnical engineering. It will also be of interest to academics and undergraduate/graduate students studying civil and structural engineering.