Instrumentation of underground openings is essential for the safety and cost-optimization of underground construction. Despite its advantages, not much attention is paid to instrumentation in India in past. With more and more tunnelling projects being designed and constructed using the New Austrian Tunnelling method (NATM), the role of instrumentation and monitoring is increasing. On the basis of his long experience of instrumentation and monitoring in tunnelling and large underground opening projects, the author has made an attempt to provide a brief description of main issues of underground instrumentation, which includes important type of measurements, purpose & advantages of instrumentation and practical considerations for a successful instrumentation and monitoring programme.
Instrumentation, Monitoring, Underground openings, Bireflex target, Borehole extensometer, load cells
