WSP covers a wide array of tunnels in conditions ranging from soft ground, mixed-face and hard-rock conditions to cut and cover tunnels and immersed tube structures. From program management to design to construction management, we serve clients in the rail, highway, water, utilities, mining, scientific research, power and energy sectors.
Our designs have resulted in record-setting advances with tunnel boring machines (TBMs) and we have employed innovations to reduce overall project cost, such as the development of fiber-reinforced concrete segmental liners for these drives.
We have addressed many of today’s most pressing concerns, including in the areas of geotechnical engineering, seismic design, digital technology, tunnel support design, tunnel ventilation and fire life safety, security and blast design, constructability, risk analysis and management, environmental planning and stakeholder communication. We have also made strides in keeping infrastructure up-to-date, having inspected and rehabilitated numerous tunnels around the world, some of which were those that we originally designed nearly a century ago.
Research supported by WSP has resulted in technological innovations such as our Subway Environment Simulation (SES) software, the industry standard in tunnel ventilation, as well as advances in seismic design, tunnel security, strengthening, rehabilitation, ventilation and trenchless technology.
We produced a comprehensive manual for design and construction of road tunnels for the U.S. Federal Highway Administration, and our blast design and seismic design capabilities have improved the safety and security of numerous tunnels in urban areas and under open waters.