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Geotechnical News • September 2016
GEO-INTEREST
sion and Tunnel Boring Machines,
Hellas Gold Mine sites in Chalkidiki,
Skoureies and Olympiada, Tunnels of
Egnatia Odos; multiple tunnels (20+),
Sigma3, Anilio, Metsovo, Anthochori
tunnels as well as the ‘Great Cut’
embankment, Crystallopigi Tunnels,
multiple outcrops and rockmass char-
acterization, Achellos diversion proj-
ect by DEH (dams and power houses,
tunnels) and Meteora Conglomerate
formations.
Throughout the course, the graduate
students were able to see the various
challenges when tunnelling through
materials with varying strengths and
properties and in regions with inher-
ent landslide as well as seismic risks.
Of note, was the fact that the students
had the unique chance to visit the
Olympia and Skouries mine sites in
Chalkidiki (another Canadian Connec-
tion as Eldorado Gold Corporation is
a Canadian-based, intermediate gold
mining company). The mines are rich
in copper, gold, silver, and zinc in
both surface and subsurface deposits.
Greece has not played a significant
role in the mining of such commodi-
ties for decades and as such, there are
many unique challenges associated
with the development of this site on a
technical, social, and environmental
level. It was an excellent opportunity
for the student to witness how design
and construction practices in mining
differ from conventional highway or
rail tunnels as well as the significant
focus on worker safety and the envi-
ronment.
A major contributor to the feasibil-
ity and success of such field courses
is the buy-in and significant financial
support provided by the tunnelling
companies and contractors. Without
such support and access to the under-
ground works, these sorts of ventures
would not be practicable. The compa-
nies see the need to help educate and
expose the next generation of geologi-
cal engineers or geoscientists to such
sites. The direct access by the students
to site engineers, workers and employ-
ees at all levels adds much value to
the overall experience and compliment
fully the objectives of the course. My
experience in Canada has been that
access to underground works of this
nature are quite limited due (primar-
ily) to liability considerations. I would
welcome the opportunity to conduct
such field courses in Canada in coop-
eration with tunnelling companies that
would involve multiple and a diverse
array of sites.
Framework for sustainable field
course design
The field course was reviewed with
current higher education research
in mind and complemented with
blended learning components (i.e.
on-site instruction combined with
on-line communication and critique
of retained information) in order to
enhance the instructional environ-
ment and provide a record of the
field course’s activities and lessons’
Crystalopigi Tunnel: conventional tunnelling students viewing the tunnel face
minutes after explosives were detonated.
Klokova Tunnel (Ionian Odos): conventional tunnelling – heading and
bench - course visit.
