Pre-conference workshops will be offered on Monday 10 November 2025 at the Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre. Registrations to the workshops are an additional cost.
The Australasian Tunnelling Conference is proud to provide a masterclass on tunnel risk management to be held before the main conference. Participants attending this masterclass will gain both an appreciation for and working knowledge of risk management during tunnel design and construction. The master class includes a couple of panel sessions where there will be a deeper dive into relevant topics affecting the tunnelling industry.
Program
09:00 - Introduction | Workshop chair
09:05 - ITA-IMIA - Code of Practice on Risk management in tunnelling | Bill Newns
09:35 - Geotechnical Baseline Reports and the recent developed NEC4 GBR guideline | Alex Gomes
10:05 - Legal issues if tunnel practitioners do not adequately manage risk | Arnold Dix
10:35 - Morning tea
11:00 - Case study of insurance and risk management for underground construction | Roger Irvine
11:30 - Quantifying risk under uncertainty | Tom Roper
12:00 - Panel discussion: How do we convert risk management from plans and registers to a useful delivery tool
12:30 - Lunch
13:30 - Geotechnical Baseline Reports - The American experience | Randy Essex
14:00 - Use of QAQC to manage underground design and construction risk | Rob Nievergelt
14:30 - Practical example of balance between risk and cost | Tom Roper
15:00 - Afternoon tea
15:25 - PTTs and lessons from past failures | Phil Clark
15:55 - Case studies as an expert witness and arbitrator and use of AI | Ted Nye
16:25 - Panel discussion: How do we work smarter and not harder to manage risk
16:55 - Conclusion | Workshop chair
Presenters
Bill Newns, Alex Gomes, Arnold Dix, Roger Irvine, Tom Roper, Randy Essex, Rob Nievergelt, Phil Clark and Ted Nye
Click to download workshop flyer
Shotcrete is an essential component of ground support in most underground mines and tunnels. Demands for sustainability, safety, and performance have presented new challenges for suppliers, contractors, and specifiers involved with this material. Quality Control is an important part of achieving and demonstrating compliance with these goals. Unfortunately, understanding of the importance and practice of quality control for shotcrete has been problematic in recent years. In response to this reality, the Australian Shotcrete Society and ATS have organised a one-day workshop to be held on November 10, 2025, in association with the ATC 2025 conference, Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre. This workshop will examine the purpose, value, and practical steps involved in producing meaningful quality control for shotcrete. The workshop will cover a range of topics related to quality control of shotcrete for underground support in Australian mines and tunnel. The format will include four morning lectures with an extended workshop session in the afternoon to allow discussions on development of a QC guideline for Australian industry. Lunch and tea breaks will be included. Sponsorship opportunities are available.
Program
09:00 - Seminar Opening
09:05 - Concrete Truths:- How knowledge of concrete technology and understanding mix design drives QA/QC excellence | Des Vlietstra
09:50 - The Challenges of Quality Control for Shotcrete | Glen Maclennan
10:30 - Questions
11:20 - Interpretation of QC Results | Caroline Bierne
11:50 - When things go wrong: the legal implications | Arnold Dix
12:20 - Questions
12:30 - Lunch
13:30 - Development of a Shotcrete QC Guideline for Australia | Stefan Bernard
13:40 - Workshop: Meaningful Testing for Shotcrete | MC: Tony Cooper
Presenters
Des Vlietstra, Glen Maclennan, Caroline Bierne, Arnold Dix, Stefan Bernard and Tony Cooper, jointly organised with the Australian Shotcrete Society.
Connect to the Australian Shotcrete Society website at shotcretesociety.com.au/events.
Geospatial data underpins every stage of tunnelling and underground works, from early design through to construction, operation, and decommissioning. With technologies such as LiDAR, photogrammetry, digital twins, and AI-driven analysis becoming increasingly accessible across the industry, the potential to extract greater value from geospatial workflows has never been higher. Yet challenges remain in ensuring data is effectively integrated, trusted, and used effectively.
In response, the Australian Tunnelling Society has organised a one-day workshop in association with the ATC 2025 conference. This workshop will bring together leading experts to share lessons, innovations, and practical case studies on the application of geospatial technologies in tunnelling and underground spaces.
The program will feature technical presentations, interactive discussions, and off-site tours, with contributions from asset owners, contractors, consultants, researchers, and technology providers.
Key topics include:
- Geospatial data across the tunnel lifecycle
- Emerging technologies in underground monitoring
- Navigating challenges in geospatial workflows
- The future of geospatial tools in tunnelling
- Applied case studies and lessons learned
Program
09:00 - Welcome & Opening Remarks | Workshop Chair / Committee
09:05 - Beyond the Blueprint: Using Semantic Models and Spatial Data to Empower Asset Owners | Carl Falkner
09:35 - Protecting Perth’s Tunnels: Using 3D Models and Real-Time Monitoring | Steve Wilson
10:05 - Q&A | Carl Falkner & Steve Wilson
10:15 - Smarter Data for Tunnel Linings | Matt Jarvis
10:45 - Morning Tea
11:15 - Surveying Complexity, Geospatial Value: Insights from Deep Mining Projects | Brett Growcock
11:45 - Automation of Laser Scanning: From the Factory Floor to the Tunnel Roof | David Ibbotson
12:15 - Q&A | Brett Growcock & David Ibbotson
12:25 - Lunch
13:00 - Tunnel Condition Assessments Using High-Resolution 3D Data | Luke Moffat & Lewis Walsh
13:30 - PTA Bus Port Site Tour of Monitoring System
14:30 - Afternoon Tea
15:00 - Cutting-edge satellite monitoring proving geospatial insights for the West Connex Project | Blanca Payas
15:30 - A Digital Engineer’s Perspective: Lessons from a Tunnelling Project | Steven Langley
16:00 - Q&A | Luke Moffat, Lewis Walsh, Blanca Payas & Steven Langley
16:15 - Panel Discussion
16:45 - Workshop Wrap-Up
Presenters
Carl Falkner, Steve Wilson, Matt Jarvis, Brett Growcock, David Ibbotson, Luke Moffat, Lewis Walsh, Blanca Payas and Steven Langley