RAPID EXCAVATION

Two of the major challenges now facing the United States are urbanization and conservation of resources. Both challenges are affected to some degree by the nature, cost, and manner of earth moving technology. Planners tend to ignore alternatives that would require underground facilities because of present high costs and long construction times. This report is concerned with the importance of accelerating the development of rapid-excavation technology in order to mitigate the growing national concern for the quality of the environment. The nation is now in an advanced state of urbanization that poses problems of great complexity to the nation. Subsurface facilities could make a great contribution to solving problems if costs could be reduced 30 to 50 percent, and if excavation rates were increased 200 to 300 percent. A federally funded research program is recommended.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Library of Congress Catalog Card No. 68-61719.
• Corporate Authors:

  National Academy of Sciences-Natl Research Council

  Committee on Rapid Excavation
  Washington, DC  United States  20418
• Publication Date: 1968

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Tables;
• Pagination: 48 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Excavating equipment; Tunneling; Tunnels
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00046373
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: #1690
• Contract Numbers: 14-09-0070-373
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 4 1974 12:00AM