CONTEXT

ACCIONA is a world reference in the construction of tunnels, with more than 825 kilometres constructed in Metro, road or railway tunnels, where it has acquired prestige in the construction of underground mega-infrastructures and tunnelling machinery.

The company’s know-how means that it is able to participate in the biggest projects worldwide, such as the tunnels along the Follo Line in Norway or the Quito Metro in Ecuador.

OPPORTUNITY

In the process of digging full tunnel sections with a tunnelling machine, the machine and knowledge of the soil are equally important, with the latter being the element that always provides the greatest uncertainty in a construction project, A geological study is essential when defining operating conditions. This leads to the optimisation of the digging performance of the tunnelling machine while ensuring conditions of safety and protection for the machine.

A real-time analysis of the data, the consistency of the data, and the experience of the team working on the project are a challenge and, therefore, an opportunity within this highly specialised area. We would highlight the singular nature of this project due to its technical complexity and the scale of the project.

WHAT ARE WE SEEKING?

ACCIONA seeks start-ups that can adapt their solution to improving the tunnelling machine’s performance, and only making use of the existing sources of data that such a machine generates. We are looking for a tool that will assist decision-making, optimising the digging process through the retro-analysis of geological parameters. We provide the historical data generated by a tunnelling machine for the development of such a tool, with the possibility of testing the tool in a real environment during the construction phase.

We support the UN SDGs

• Goal 9: Construct resilient infrastructures, promote sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation.
• Goal 10: Reduce inequality in and between countries, in the sense that infrastructures for mobility should facilitate connections and access between populations.