History of development of tunnel construction and its current status

This article presents the issues reflecting the history of tunnel construction development and its current state. In order to fully explore given subject, the article structure is defined by the following blocks: introduction, characteristic of historical stages and retrospective of the world tunnel construction, perspective directions of international tunnel construction and construction of transport routes, key directions of scientific researches in the sphere of world tunnel construction development, experimental and theoretical methods in carrying out modern research works in the tunnel construction sphere, conclusions. At the present stage the key directions of scientific researches in the sphere of the world tunnel construction development are: formation of methodological bases as well as modular programs capable to automate the processes of tunnel designing with the help of modern digital technologies; perspective development of mining methods in tunnel construction at half-rock or rocky soil mass, practical use of progressive methods formation technologies in tunnel construction, optimal types of advance and contoured supports with simultaneous use of modern tunnel construction methods, which provides an extremely high value of increase, reduction of cost characteristics of performed construction works. The tunnel construction sphere is gradually becoming a science-intensive sector in the industrial community, is caused by large-scale practical application of innovative digital technologies on the basis of economical building structures, high-performance mechanised and automated complexes, innovative building materials, optimal construction work methods, which provides a sufficiently high value of growth in the construction sector taking into account the observance of ecological and technical safety.