Program Overview

Course Overview

The course AF2610 Tunnel Engineering is a 7.5 credit course that aims to provide students with a broad knowledge of all aspects of tunneling, including planning, design, and construction. The course also delves deeper into four areas of tunneling: excavation with drilling and blasting methods, design of support, hydrogeology, water-related problems and grouting, and tunnel cost and time planning and risk management.

Information per Course Offering

The course is offered in the autumn semester, with specific information available for the autumn 2026 start. The course location is KTH Campus, and the duration is from October 26, 2026, to January 11, 2027. The pace of study is 50%, and the application code is 11354. The form of study is normal daytime, and the language of instruction is English.

Target Group

The target group for this course is engineers with knowledge and understanding of rock engineering and tunnels based on various aspects of tunnel driving, such as planning, design, and construction through drilling and blasting, including consideration of risk management, water-related problems, and grouting.

Course Contents

The course contents include:

• Problems in tunneling and ground behavior
• Tunnel blasting and tunnel production with drill and blast
• Tunnel support: empirical, GRC, FEM analysis
• Excavation in sequences, principles, and production aspects
• Groundwater problems in tunneling, water ingress, and grouting
• Tunnel cost and time planning
• Risk aspects in tunneling
• Sustainability in tunneling

Intended Learning Outcomes

After the course, students will be able to:

• Identify main characteristics of different ground behavior
• Identify and plan tunnel excavation methods from technical, production, and sustainability points of view
• Design tunnel reinforcement based on empirical, analytical, and numerical assessment depending on complexity and acquire a holistic perspective on the design process
• Analyze water ingress to tunnels and identify possible water-related problems for excavation, as well as plan and implement suitable tunnel draining and/or grouting methods
• Analyze cost and time for ordinary tunnels based on risks and construction management principles

Literature and Preparations

The specific prerequisites for the course include documented knowledge in foundation engineering in total 15 ECTS points corresponding to the content in courses AF1601 and AF2609. The recommended prerequisites include documented knowledge in rock mechanics in total 7.5 ECTS points corresponding to the content in course AF2602.

Examination and Completion

The grading scale for the course is A, B, C, D, E, FX, F. The examination consists of a written exam (TEN1) and exercises (焀NA). The written exam accounts for 4.5 credits, and the exercises account for 3.0 credits. To receive a final grade, students must have an approved written exam and approved exercises.

Examiner

The examiner for the course is Fredrik Johansson.

Further Information

The course is offered by the ABE/Soil- and Rock Mechanics department, and the main field of study is the Built Environment. The education cycle is the second cycle.