RONALD E. HEUER
Geotechnical Consultant

Geotechnical engineering and engineering geology for underground construction.  Geological studies, soil and rock mechanics analyses, dewatering requirements, interpretation of existing and proposed initial support and final lining, recommendations for general excavation methods.  Underground projects ranging from large chamber excavations in rock, to shield and EPB tunneling in soft ground.  Work with owners and engineers in design and construction stages, with contractors in prebid and construction phases, and with legal counsel in claim evaluation.  Final linings of cast-in-place concrete and steel; and initial support systems including wood, fabricated steel liners, precast concrete segments, steel ribs, rock bolts, and shotcrete.  Experience on several hundred underground projects.
 

1. "Geology of the Soyalo-Ixtapa Area, Chiapas, Mexico", MS thesis in Geology, University of Illinois, 1965, 103 pp.
    
2. "Geomechanical Model Study of the Behavior of Underground Openings in Rock Subjected to Static Loads", Ph. D. thesis in Civil Engineering, University of Illinois, 1971, 368 pp.
   
 
3. "Excavation and Support of Navajo Tunnel No. 3", 1972 RETC Proc., June, 1972, Chicago, co-authored with P. E. Sperry.
   
 
4. "Design/Selection of Shotcrete for Temporary Support of Tunnels", Proceedings of Eng. Found. Conf. on "Use of Shotcrete for Underground Structural Support", July 1973, South Berwick, Maine, ASCE.
   
 
5. "Important Ground Parameters in Soft Ground Tunnels", Proceedings of Eng. Found. Conf. on "Subsurface Exploration for Underground Excavation and Heavy Construction", August, 1974, Henniker, New Hampshire, ASCE.
   
 
6. "Catastrophic Ground Loss in Soft Ground Tunnels", 1976 RETC Proc., June 1976, Las Vegas.
   
 
7. "Site Characterization for Underground Design and Construction", Proceedings of NSF specialty Workshop on "Site Characterization and Exploration", C. H. Dowding, Ed., Evanston, Ill., ASCE, 1978.
   
 
8. "Excavation and Support of Gatineau Shaft", 1983 RETC Proc., June 1983, Chicago, co-authored with W. C. Cox and J. M. Loignon.
   
 
9. "Ocean Bottom Tap, Point LePreau Cooling Water Tunnels, New Brunswick", 1985 RETC Proc., June 1985, New York, co-authored with F. Breu.
   
 
10. "Design of PCCP Pressure Tunnel Liners", 1987 RETC Proc., June 1987, New Orleans, co-authored with P. M. Douglass, C. C. Sundberg, and S. L. Paul.
    
 
11. "Anticipated Behavior of Silty Sands in Tunneling", 1987 RETC Proc., June 1987, New Orleans, co-authored with D. L. Virgens.
    
 
12. "Geotechnical Investigations for Construction Dewatering for Soft Ground Tunneling", Proc. Peck Symp., Art and Science of Geotechnical Engrg, Prentice-Hall, 1989, co-authored with P. M. Douglass.
    
 
13. "Failure of a Large Circular Excavation", Third Int. Conf. Case Histories in Geotechnical Engrg, Ed. S. Prakash, Univ Missouri-Rolla, 1993, co-authored with R. E. Olson.
    
 
14. "Casing Collapse at the CT-8 Dropshaft in Milwaukee", 1995 RETC Proc., June 1995, San Francisco, co-authored with S. W. Hunt and S. A. Gill.
    
 
15. "Estimating Rock Tunnel Water Inflow", 1995 RETC Proc., June 1995, San Francisco.
    
 
16. "Geotechnology in Dispute Resolution" discussion of paper by J. P. Gould, ASCE Jour. Geotech, June 1997, p 592.
    
 
17. “Estimating Rock Tunnel Water Inflow – II”, 2005 RETC Proc., June 2005, Seattle.

Experience has included working for owners, engineers, contractors, and legal counsel in all phases of underground design and construction, in a wide range of ground conditions.  Examples of recent and major projects include the following:

Planning, Analysis, and Design, including planning and evaluation of geotechnical investigations, soil and rock mechanics analyses, tunnel layout, interpretation of tunnel lining and support systems, and preparation of Contract Plans and Specifications.

• Passaic River Tunnel, New Jersey.  Review of preliminary design studies, proposed storm sewer TBM tunnels to 45 ft excavated diameter, 20 miles long, in mixed sedimentary rocks and basalt.  Potential local high water inflows.
  
 
• St. Clair River Tunnel, Ontario.  Design concepts for 9.5 m excavated EPB machine tunnel in medium/stiff clay for railroad under St. Clair River between USA and Canada, minimum soil cover of 4 m.
  
 
• River Mountains Tunnel No. 2, Nevada.  Gravity flow water supply tunnel of 12 ft ID by 3.8 miles long in mixed volcanic rocks.
  
 
• Sewer Tunnels, Evanston, IL.  9 ft ID storm sewer tunnels in soft glaciolacustrine clay.
  
 
• Member of Design Review Board for Trans-Koolau Tunnels in Honolulu, twin highway tunnels in basalt flows and saprolite.
  
 
• Trans Missouri River Tunnel, Kansas City.  Tunnel of 7 ft 6 inch finished diameter, 14600 ft long at 325 ft depth under Missouri River valley in gas bearing siltstone and shale.  Downshaft includes 115 ft depth of saturated alluvial sand.
  
 
• Stanley Canyon Project, Colorado.  Pressure tunnel and shaft, 9 ft ID by 17000 ft long under 1500 ft head, in granite.
  
 
• Eklutna Tunnel, Anchorage.  Water supply tunnel 6 ft ID by 8000 ft long in mixed glacial soils.  Includes tap into existing tunnel.
  
 
• Rogers Pass Tunnel, British Columbia.  Feasibility study of tunneling conditions, initial support, and final lining requirements for single track railroad tunnel in metamorphic rock at depths up to 4500 ft.
  
 
• Member of 4 man panel established by government of Mexico City to review proposed methods of slurry machine tunneling at depth in Mexico City clay.
  
 
• Sewer tunnel, 8 ft diameter, in glacial outwash sand adjacent to Rock River, Rockford, Illinois.  Geotechnical investigation, tunnel design, and preparation of contract documents.
  
 
• Sections A11 and B10 of Washington, DC Metro System.  Twin 18 ft diameter tunnels and subway station, mostly in schist and gneiss, with portions in weathered rock and residual soil.
  
 
• Sewer tunnels in Milwaukee in various glacial, alluvial, and estuarine soils, including river crossings; CT-5/6, NS-9 and 10.
  
 
• Paitovi-Lanus water supply tunnel, 16 ft diameter in soft clay and sand, including compressed air crossing under river, Buenos Aires, Argentina.  Participated in analysis of tunnel failure, geotechnical investigation, tunnel redesign.
  
 
• Mt. Baker Ridge Tunnel, 60 ft diameter highway tunnel in glacial till, Seattle, Washington, multiple drift perimeter tunnels filled with concrete.  Structural model testing of joints between adjacent perimeter drifts.
  
 
• Lucky Friday Mine Shaft, Idaho.  Design concepts for concrete lining of 18 ft diameter shaft 7500 ft deep in quartzite and argillite, including squeezing fault zones.
  
 
• Atigun Pass, Brooks Range, Alaska.  Feasibility study for pipeline tunnel in metasedimentary rocks, partially in permafrost, interpretation of tunneling conditions and support requirements.
  
 
• Two track subway tunnel, 30 ft diameter, Mexico City.  Participated in design of segmented precast concrete lining for tunnel in sand and gravel.
  
 
• Chambers Creek Tunnel, Tacoma; and Fort Lawton Tunnel, Seattle.  Planning and interpretation of geotechnical exploration for sewer tunnels in mixed glacial deposits below water table.  Evaluate methods of initial support and final lining; and alternative methods of groundwater control including dewatering, compressed air, and EPB tunneling.
  
 
• Romeoville Quarry, Illinois.  Design of 30 ft wide by 20 ft high service tunnel in dolomite.

• Sections E2c, E3b, E4b, F6b, and F6c, Washington DC.  Station and shaft excavations; twin subway tunnels constructed by shield, EPB, NATM methods.  Mixed sand and clay soils.  Evaluation of ground behavior, support and dewatering requirements.
  
 
• Superconducting Super Collider, Texas.  TBM tunnels, shafts and enlargements in chalk/marl and clay/claystone.
  
 
• Bunyard Tunnels, Arkansas.  Twin highway tunnels in mixed sedimentary rocks.
  
 
• Eglinton West, Toronto.  Twin subway tunnels to be constructed by EPB methods in mixed glacial soils.
  
 
• South Bay Ocean Outfall, San Diego.  Outfall tunnel of 11 ft ID to be constructed by EPB methods under Pacific Ocean in mixed dense soils at water heads up to 6.6 bars (95 psi).
  
 
• NORS Tunnel, Los Angeles.  90 to 150 inch diameter sewer tunnel 42,800 ft long in mixed soils and weak siltstone.  Evaluation of alternative tunneling methods, expected sand behavior, compressed air requirements, potential surface settlement, feasibility of partial dewatering or use of EPB tunneling methods.
  
 
• Shot Tower Station and Tunnels, Baltimore.  Subway station and twin compressed air tunnels in alluvial and residual soils.  Evaluation of compressed air and partial dewatering requirements and chemical grouting for ground control.
  
 
• Kemano KC Power Tunnel, British Columbia.  19 ft diameter tunnel 23,850 ft long in mixed igneous rock types.  Evaluation of potential TBM excavation problems, support requirements, and water inflows.
  
 
• Des Plaines Tunnel, Chicago.  Total 36,000 ft of 35 ft diameter Main Tunnel and 12 ft diameter Lateral Tunnels of TARP system, in dolomite formations at 260 ft depth.  19 shafts through rock and glacial soils, with appurtenant structures.
  
 
• Lake Travis Intake, Austin, Texas.  12 ft diameter tunnel and 40 ft wide by 60 ft high chamber in limestone and marl; including lake intakes, drilled shafts and conventional shafts.
  
 
• Syar Tunnel, Utah.  8.5 ft diameter tunnel 30,200 ft long in mixed sedimentary rocks.
  
 
• Montreal Sewer Tunnel Contracts 4.1, 4.3, 6.4.  Approximately 12 ft diameter tunnels in limestone, shale, mixed face.
  
 
• New Waddell Dam Tunnels, Arizona.  20 ft diameter diversion and outlet tunnels in mixed volcanic andesite and tuff.
  
 
• Casagrande Storm Drain Tunnels, Phoenix.  21 ft diameter tunnels driven below water table in very coarse sand, gravel and cobble alluvial deposits.
  
 
• Onion Creek Interceptor, Section IV, Austin, Texas.  7 ft diameter tunnel driven through weak clay shale with shallow crossings under small river.
  
 
• Stillwater Tunnel Completion, Utah.  Interpretation of squeeze behavior and support requirements, 10 ft diameter tunnel in shale at depths up to 2500 ft.
  
 
• Rocky Mountain Pumped Storage Project, Georgia.  40 ft diameter tunnel and shaft in mixed sedimentary rocks.
  
 
• Section F4a, Anacostia River Crossing, Washington, DC.  Twin single track subway tunnels in clay and sand, evaluation of dewatering and compressed air requirements for subaqueous shield driven tunnel.
  
 
• Contracts 105 and 107, Singapore.  Design-construct proposal for twin single track subway tunnels in residual soils developed from granite and sedimentary rock, and in alluvial sand and soft marine clay; evaluation of dewatering and compressed air requirements, initial lining design, underpinning requirements, plan of additional geologic exploration needed for final design.
  
 
• Three Rivers water tunnel, Atlanta, Georgia.  10 ft diameter tunnel in gneiss, residual soil, and weathered rock.
  
 
• SWOOP Tunnel, San Francisco.  Evaluation of compressed air requirements for 14 ft diameter sewer outfall tunnel through sand formations under Pacific Ocean.

Consulting During or Post Construction - Consulting with owners, contractors, and legal counsel in evaluating ground conditions, in developing solutions to ground behavior and support requirements, and in claim analysis and presentation.

• Disputes Review Board.  Member of 3 man panel established by Owner and Contractor to resolve disputes which arise during construction.
  • Mt. Baker Ridge Tunnel Bore, Seattle
  • Seattle Metro Bus Tunnels
  • San Antonio Storm Drain Tunnels
  • Bradley Lake Dam and Tunnels, Alaska


• Kenosha Sewer Tunnels, Wisconsin
  
 
• Point Woronzof Tunnel, Anchorage.  Member of 3 man arbitration panel hearing differing site conditions claim concerning running sand behavior in sewer tunnel.
  
 
• Wanjiazhai Tunnels, Shanxi Province, China.  Water diversion tunnels 90 km long of     4.2 m diameter, 2/3 in limestone above water table with karst features, 1/3 other sedimentary rock types below water table, water head to 300 m.  Four double shielded TBMs, one pass precast concrete lining.  Variety of ground and water issues.
  
 
• Hex River Tunnel, South Africa.  Evaluation of ground conditions and support requirements for single track railroad tunnel 13 km long in mixed sedimentary rock, drill and blast excavation.
  
 
• Boston Inter Island Tunnel.  TBM bore 14 ft diameter by 5 miles long in argillite under Boston Harbor.  Water inflows of 5000 gpm, heading collapse in kaolinized argillite.
  
 
• Westside LRT, Portland.  Twin subway tunnels and station excavation in mixed volcanic rocks, caving ground in closely fractured and weathered basalt.
  
 
• LA Metro B251 and C331.  Twin subway tunnels in mixed alluvial soils.  Interpretation of dewatering requirements, initial support behavior, collapsing soils, grouting to control settlement.
  
 
• Magma Copper, Arizona.  TBM mine development tunnel 15 ft diameter.  Overstress behavior in altered rocks of copper ore deposit at 3500 ft depth.
  
 
• Mamquam Hydro, British Columbia.  TBM excavation 15 ft diameter in mixed igneous rocks.  Encounter of buried alluvial channel.
  
 
• Section F5a, Washington, DC.  Evaluation of collapse of braced cut excavation for double box subway structure, due to overstress of weak clay.
  
 
• Sections E4b and E6e, Washington, DC.  Planning and interpretation of dewatering requirements for twin subway tunnels in silty sand soils.
   
• Crosstown and Northshore Interceptors, Milwaukee.  Evaluation of initial support for 30 ft tunnels in dolomite including low cover areas, evaluation of water inflows up to 6000 gpm and grouting behavior.
  
 
• Shafts and appurtenant structures, Milwaukee.  Recommendations and design of initial support and water control measures for shafts in mixed alluvial, estuarine, and glacial soils and rock; tunnels and chambers in rock.  Contracts CT-2 and 3/4, NS-2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, KK-1, 3.  Evaluation of buckling collapse of 10 ft diameter steel casing 150 ft deep, CT-8.
  
 
• Straight Creek (Eisenhower) Tunnel, First Bore, Colorado.  Participated in redesign of tunneling methods and support systems after problems encountered.  These formed basis of design for subsequent Second Bore.
  
 
• Cameron Run Tunnels, Alexandria, Virginia.  Seven tunnels 20 ft diameter spaced 28 ft cc in sand fill of railroad embankment.  Analysis of steel liner plate stability.
  
 
• Gathright Dam Concrete Membrane, Virginia.  Cutoff wall 8 ft thick by 106 ft high by 700 ft long, constructed in cavernous limestone dam abutment by underground mining methods, evaluation of ground conditions and proposed construction procedures.
  
 
• Wreck Cove Power Project, Nova Scotia.  Multiple tunnels and powerhouse excavation in mixed igneous and metamorphic rocks, interpretation of ground conditions.
  
 
• Bolton Hill Tunnels, Baltimore.  Twin single track subway tunnels in residual soil and weathered metamorphic rock, evaluation of ground conditions in weathered rock/soil transition.
  
 
• Three Rivers West tunnel, Atlanta.  10 ft diameter conventional excavation in residual soil materials, evaluation of flowing ground conditions.
  
 
• Mondawmin Station, Baltimore.  Evaluation of rock slope stability and effects of blasting vibrations.
  
 
• Sauro-Agri-Sinni Tunnels, Italy.  4 meter diameter tunnels in clay at depths to 110 meters, and in partially cemented sand and silt.  Evaluation of clay squeeze pressures and structural adequacy of precast concrete lining, and of flowing ground conditions in sand.