January 2024
AI in Action
“We have to bring the knowledge to the systems to support the younger generation,”…
…says our Head of Sales Florian Werres, underlining the necessity of pushing automation and AI applications in tunnel construction.
What does he mean?
- Young people expect AI applications in their work. We can’t change them, so the industry must change.
- If we stick to old patterns, young people will leave the industry or won’t even apply for jobs.
Florian compares the first steps that are currently taking place in tunnel construction with the development in the automotive industry: There was a learning curve for a decade, but now car manufacturing is fully automated.
How do these first steps in tunnel construction look like for example?
- A pioneer project in Switzerland deploys a camera as eyes to check on the quality of work done by robots in concrete segment production. An algorithm learns to spot specific features or items.
- On two TBMs constructing the London Tunnels for HS2, a computer vision system aims to spot and record any defects before a lining segment is installed.
- The algorithm of VMT’s TUnIS navigation software helps to improve the steering accuracy by analysing the TBM’s behaviour over the last 3 to 5 meters and comparing it to the design tunnel axis.
If you would like to know how AI shocked the operators and why there’s another change in mindset required, have a look at Tunnelling Journal’s “𝗔𝗜 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻”. Link in the first comment.
Learn how AI is improving the way we deliver and operate tunnels here.