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DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260528T173000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260528T190000
DTSTAMP:20260620T210145
CREATED:20260430T065227Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260528T011331Z
UID:289401-1779989400-1779994800@australiantunnellingsociety.com.au
SUMMARY:Conversations that connect: mentors & mentees
DESCRIPTION:Overview\nTransform the way you connect with your mentor or mentee. This interactive hybrid workshop (featuring innovative ‘watch parties’ in Sydney\, Melbourne and Brisbane) focuses on moving beyond surface-level networking to purposeful\, engaging conversations that build lasting value. It is being delivered by the ATS Diversity Group’s cutting edge Mentor Alliance Program. \nParticipants will learn how to design effective discussion frameworks\, apply practical networking strategies\, and co-create ideas for future mentor–mentee catch-ups. Led by an online expert and supported by local facilitators in Melbourne\, Sydney\, and Brisbane\, the session features hands-on activities that spark meaningful\, structured dialogue. \nJoin fellow mentors and mentees in your local hub to deepen connections\, strengthen your mentoring relationships\, and help shape how the Mentor Alliance connects in the future. \nWhile it is a Mentor Alliance event\, it is open to everyone within ATS. \nNOTE – This exciting event is intended to be delivered by Patricia online to ‘watch parties’ in Melbourne\, Sydney and Brisbane’s EA offices\, so people can connect and use these as “breakout rooms.” We urge you to attend one of these watch parties in person as you’ll get more out of the experience that way.  \nLearning outcomes\nIn this presentation\, you will learn: \n\nFramework Design: Learn how to select and structure discussion starters that move beyond small talk to deep engagement\nApply Networking Strategies: Practice hands-on techniques for sparking meaningful\, structured dialogue within the Mentor Alliance community\nFuture Collaboration: Be part of creating ideas for future catch ups between you and your mentor/mentee.\n\nProgram\nIn-person: \n\n5.30 pm AEST: Registrations open\n6.00 pm AEST: Presentation begins\n6.45 pm AEST: Q&A session\n7.00 pm AEST: Presentation ends\n7.30 pm AEST: Event ends\n\nOnline: \n\n6.00 pm AEST: Webinar begins\n6.45 pm AEST: Q&A session\n7.00 pm AEST: Webinar ends\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSpeaker\n\n\nUnfortunately\, Patricia Kaziro (who was originally scheduled to lead the session) is unwell\, but we’re pleased to share that our ATS QLD Chair\, Annalena Chapman\, will now be stepping in to lead both the presentation and the event. This will be a valuable and insightful discussion under Annalena’s guidance\, and we strongly encourage attending in person with us.
URL:https://australiantunnellingsociety.com.au/ats-event/conversations-that-connect-mentors-mentees/
LOCATION:Local venues in Brisbane\, Melbourne and Sydney
CATEGORIES:New South Wales,Queensland,Victoria
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://australiantunnellingsociety.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Screenshot-2025-05-12-150851-e1747026798342.jpg
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DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Brisbane:20260604T180000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Brisbane:20260604T190000
DTSTAMP:20260620T210145
CREATED:20260505T005210Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260505T005210Z
UID:291886-1780596000-1780599600@australiantunnellingsociety.com.au
SUMMARY:The ground investigation for a storage cavern in metamorphic rock at 600 m depth
DESCRIPTION:Overview\nThis presentation describes the processes used in the investigations for a deep compressed air storage cavern in a complex metamorphic environment. The exploration process involved drilling using HQ-3 coring techniques from surface and also from an adjacent underground mine. The latter were two 460 m boreholes drilled just sub horizontally across the planned cavern location. \nThe core from these holes was logged for structure and sampled for rock property testing. Because a significant portion of the rock was highly anisotropic the test methods used had to be adapted. This included alternative ways of working with point load testing\, triaxial testing for anisotropy of moduli and some special shear tests.  Because of the importance of determining potential leakage of groundwater into the cavern\, or of air out of the cavern\, the correct measurement of the ground fluid pressure and the permeability of the rock mass were extremely important. \nTesting had to be conducted in stages to cover the entire length of the holes. The method used was to fit the drill rods with a straddle packer assembly\, downhole valve system and suitable precision pressure monitoring with operator read out. First the test zone was shut in to recover pressure. This was followed by a period of injection or production which was followed by another shut in period. These tests followed oilfield practice but with tools designed to work with HRQ drill rod and used horizontally. \nThe rock stress was determined by the use of three dimensional overcore tools used up to 441 m laterally. Other techniques could have also been advantageously used to fill in the sparse overcore data in the extremely complex geological environment. The vertical and the horizontal holes were logged using both acoustic televiewer and full wave sonic sondes. \nThe conclusions of the study were that the rock mass was heterogeneous but fit for purpose provided that the correct design decisions were made. The presentation also looks at what can be achieved from open hole drilling test techniques compared to coring and the comparative costs of these. This has particular relevance to tunnel investigations. \nProgram timeline\nOnline \n6.00pm – Presentation commences \n7.00pm – Presentation concludes \nIn-Person \n5.30pm – Registration\, networking & catering \n6.00pm – Presentation commences\, networking \n7.00pm – Event concludes \nLearning outcomes\n\nYou should gain an appreciation of the importance of geology.\nYou will gain an understanding of the methods used to determine the states of stress in rock and the measurement of anisotropic rock properties.\nThe methods used and the importance of determining fluid pressures and permeability properly are extremely important and should totally replace conventional packer testing.\n\nAbout the speaker\n\n\n\nIan Gray\nManaging Director\, Sigra Pty Ltd\n\nDr Ian Gray is the managing director of Sigra Pty Ltd\, a role he has held for 32 years. In his career he has had the roles of mining\, civil\, geotechnical and reservoir engineers\, engineering geologist and hydrogeologist. He has worked in 20 countries dealing with mines\, tunnels\, slopes\, petroleum reservoirs and anything else in the ground. One of his passions is actually measuring things in the ground properly. To do this he has developed a suite of equipment and techniques. He also works with a variety of drilling systems.
URL:https://australiantunnellingsociety.com.au/ats-event/the-ground-investigation-for-a-storage-cavern-in-metamorphic-rock-at-600-m-depth/
LOCATION:Online and in person at: Level 9\, 340 Adelaide Street\, Brisbane
CATEGORIES:Online,Queensland,Webinar
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://australiantunnellingsociety.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-05-105122.png
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DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Brisbane:20260625T173000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Brisbane:20260625T193000
DTSTAMP:20260620T210145
CREATED:20260309T032436Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260430T060853Z
UID:256542-1782408600-1782415800@australiantunnellingsociety.com.au
SUMMARY:David Sugden Roadshow - Brisbane - Uncovering veins: impacts on deep tunnel engineering
DESCRIPTION:Overview\nHydrothermal veins are often overlooked or misinterpreted within deep\, heterogeneous rock masses\, yet their behaviour can dramatically influence tunnelling outcomes. In his award winning 2025 David Sugden Award paper\, Yosafat Sinaga reveals how these vein systems are frequently mistaken for open joints\, leading to inaccurate geological models and flawed design assumptions. This session will explore why correct vein characterisation is essential for both safety and project efficiency. Misjudging these features can result in two costly extremes: overly conservative support designs that inflate construction budgets\, or unexpected\, hazardous rockbursts triggered by misunderstood ground conditions. By examining real case insights and engineering implications\, this event will provide tunnelling and geotechnical professionals with a deeper understanding of the subsurface complexities that lie beneath\, and how better interpretation can reduce risk and improve decision making. \nProgram timeline\n5:30pm AEST – Registration and networking \n6:00pm AEST – Presentation commences \n6:50pm AEST – Q&A \n7:00pm AEST – Presentation concludes\, networking \n7:30pm AEST – Event concludes \nLearning outcomes\n\nWalk away with practical steps to avoid design errors caused by misinterpreting veins in deep tunnel projects.\nCorrectly interpret veined rock masses in core logging and face mapping and recognise when “broken-looking” core does not mean a poor-quality\, jointed rock mass.\nHow vein intensity and in situ stress interact to drive overbreak\, damage propagation\, and reinforcement demand in high-stress excavations\n\nAbout the speaker\n\n\n\nYosafat Sinaga\nGeotechnical Engineer\, NOMA Consulting\nYosafat Sinaga is a Geotechnical Engineer at NOMA Consulting with over five years of experience delivering geotechnical design and construction support for mining and tunnelling projects in Australia\, Singapore\, Papua New Guinea\, and Indonesia. He has contributed to major infrastructure and underground mining developments\, specialising in rock mass and structural geological characterisation\, advanced 2D and 3D numerical modelling\, and primary tunnel support design optimisation. His recent project work includes optimising primary support design for road tunnels excavated using the Drill & Blast method\, developing detailed designs for temporary Earth Retaining and Stabilising Structures (ERSS) for rail and service tunnels\, and providing geotechnical input for underground copper mining projects employing sub-level and block caving methods.
URL:https://australiantunnellingsociety.com.au/ats-event/uncovering-veins-impacts-on-deep-tunnel-engineering/
LOCATION:Engineers Australia QLD\, Level 9\, 340 Adelaide St\, Brisbane\, QLD\, 4000\, Australia
CATEGORIES:Queensland
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://australiantunnellingsociety.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Figure-1.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Brisbane:20260714T173000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Brisbane:20260714T183000
DTSTAMP:20260620T210145
CREATED:20260504T023108Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260504T023856Z
UID:291380-1784050200-1784053800@australiantunnellingsociety.com.au
SUMMARY:SLAM LiDAR for transport tunnel surveying
DESCRIPTION:Overview\nThe term “mobile mapping” is well established in the survey industry — typically referring to large vehicle-mounted systems that combine high-end LiDAR with precision GNSS and IMU hardware. These systems are powerful\, but they are expensive\, require GPS to function reliably\, and are fundamentally limited by what a vehicle can reach. This presentation introduces a different class of technology: SLAM-based mobile LiDAR scanning. Rather than relying on GPS and inertial positioning\, SLAM (Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping) builds a map of the environment in real time and uses that map to track its own position — making it inherently suited to GPS-denied environments such as tunnels\, underpasses\, and confined underground spaces. We’ll explain how SLAM works from first principles\, how it compares to traditional survey methods (total stations\, static TLS) and conventional mobile mapping systems\, and where each approach has genuine advantages. We’ll also discuss SLAM’s limitations: where it struggles\, what affects accuracy\, and the scenarios where traditional methods remain the better choice. Attendees will leave with a grounded\, practical understanding of how SLAM-based mobile LiDAR works\, how it fits alongside conventional survey techniques\, and when it is — and isn’t — the right tool for a tunnel project. \nProgram timeline\nOnline \n5.30pm – Presentation commences \n6.15pm – Q&A \n6.30pm – Presentation concludes \nIn-person \n5.00pm – Registration opens \n5.30pm – Event commences \n6.15pm – Q&A \n6.30pm – Event concludes \nLearning outcomes\n\nWhat SLAM is and how it differs fundamentally from GPS/IMU-based mobile mapping systems\nThe trade-offs between SLAM-based scanning\, conventional MMS\, static TLS\, and total station survey — and how to choose the right approach\nAn overview of Emesent’s Hovermap ST-X and GX1 platforms and how they are deployed in tunnel environments (drone\, vehicle\, backpack)\nWhat real transport tunnel scanning data looks like\, and how it flows from capture through Aura to engineering deliverables\nHonest limitations of SLAM-based scanning and the scenarios where it is not the best fit\n\nAbout the speaker\n\n\n\nStefan Hrabar\nChief Strategy Officer & Co-Founder\, Emesent\n\nDr Stefan Hrabar is Chief Strategy Officer and Co-Founder of Emesent\, a global leader in autonomous mapping technology. With a background in robotics and autonomous systems research at CSIRO\, Stefan co-founded Emesent in 2018 to bring advanced SLAM-based mapping technology to real-world infrastructure and industrial environments. He has worked extensively on the application of mobile LiDAR and autonomous systems in GPS-denied and access-restricted environments\, including tunnels\, mines\, and complex built infrastructure.
URL:https://australiantunnellingsociety.com.au/ats-event/slam-lidar-for-transport-tunnel-surveying/
LOCATION:Online and in person at: Level 9\, 340 Adelaide Street\, Brisbane
CATEGORIES:Online,Queensland
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://australiantunnellingsociety.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-04-122944-e1777861856140.png
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DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260721T173000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260721T193000
DTSTAMP:20260620T210145
CREATED:20260604T021922Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260604T021944Z
UID:310816-1784655000-1784662200@australiantunnellingsociety.com.au
SUMMARY:Modernising Tasmania's hydropower legacy
DESCRIPTION:Note this event is online and in person in Brisbane \nOverview\nTasmania’s hydropower network has played a critical role in Australia’s renewable energy landscape for more than a century. As ageing infrastructure is upgraded to meet future energy demands\, engineers are increasingly required to balance operational continuity\, complex geology\, environmental considerations\, and modern construction approaches. \nThis presentation will provide an overview of the Lake King William upgrade works delivered by Hydro Tasmania and Entura\, with support from PSM as part of the Integrated Owner’s Engineering Team. Located in Tasmania’s Central Highlands\, the project involved excavation through challenging Jurassic dolerite and required innovative engineering and construction solutions to manage geotechnical risk\, site constraints\, and long term asset performance.  Attendees will gain practical insights into the delivery of large scale hydropower infrastructure projects\, including stakeholder collaboration\, engineering decision making\, and lessons learned from working in complex geological conditions. The session will also explore the broader importance of hydropower modernisation in supporting Tasmania’s renewable energy future and maintaining resilient energy infrastructure. \nProgram timeline\nOnline \n6.00pm – Presentation commences \n7.00pm – Presentation concludes \nIn-Person \n5.30pm – Registration opens\, catering & refreshments \n6.00pm – Presentation commences \n7.00pm – Presentation concludes \n7.30pm – Event concludes \nLearning outcomes\nIn this presentation\, you will learn : \n\nHow hydropower infrastructure upgrades support Tasmania’s future energy system\nKey engineering and geotechnical challenges encountered on the Lake King William upgrade\nPractical approaches to managing excavation and construction risks in complex geological environments\nLessons learned from collaboration across integrated engineering and project delivery teams\n\nAbout the speaker\n\n\n\nHarry Buchanan\nSenior Geotechnical Engineer\, PSM\n\nHarry is a senior geotechnical engineer with a keen interest in underground structures and mining. He has over 4 years experience in a variety of projects from feasibility studies to detailed design and construction phase services in both mining and civil works. Harry has been involved in the design and construction of wide span caverns\, mined tunnels and shafts on the Cross River Rail project.
URL:https://australiantunnellingsociety.com.au/ats-event/modernising-tasmanias-hydropower-legacy/
LOCATION:Online and in person at: Level 9\, 340 Adelaide Street\, Brisbane
CATEGORIES:Online,Queensland
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://australiantunnellingsociety.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-04-121654.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260813
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260821
DTSTAMP:20260620T210145
CREATED:20260618T013701Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260618T014228Z
UID:318101-1786579200-1787270399@australiantunnellingsociety.com.au
SUMMARY:ATS Tunnelthon 2026 - Team registration
DESCRIPTION:Overview\nATS Tunnelthon 2026 is an innovation focused\, in person hackathon designed specifically for the Australian tunnelling and geotechnical engineering industry. Organised by the Australian Tunnelling Society Young Members (ATSym)\, the event brings together industry professionals\, researchers\, and students to collaborate on real world tunnelling challenges using artificial intelligence\, automation\, and digital engineering approaches. \nUnlike traditional conferences or seminars\, Tunnelthon is highly interactive and outcome driven. Participants work in multidisciplinary teams during a structured\, time bound session to explore defined problem statements through rapid ideation\, collaboration\, and solution design. The hackathon format encourages creative thinking\, systems based-problem solving\, and the practical application of emerging technologies within a professional engineering context. \nParticipants are expected to commit approximately 12–15 hours of their own time across the week to actively engage in the program. \nThe event is designed to be accessible to participants with varied technical backgrounds. While familiarity with digital tools is beneficial\, no advanced programming or AI expertise is required. \nPlease refer to the attached document for more information on the program and participation guidelines. \nTunnelthon 2026 – Event Description \n  \nProgram timeline\nNOTE: Tunnelthon is delivered as a two-part hackathon spread across two event days\, with an independent working period in between.  \nDay 1 – 13th August – Problem Definition & Team Formation \n5.00pm AEST – Arrival and informal networking \n5.30pm AEST – Introduction to the event theme and overview of problem statements \n6.00pm AEST – Team formation\, brainstorming\, development of solution frameworks and work allocation within the team \n7.00pm AEST – Submission of team frameworks and work allocation to the organisers \nDay 2 – 20th August – Presentations & Judging \n2.00pm AEST – Access to shared collaborative workspace at Engineers Australia office for final solution development \n5.00pm AEST – Arrival of industry audience \n5.30pm AEST – Team presentations and interactive discussions with judges \n6.30pm AEST – Judges’ deliberation and announcement of winners and runners‑up \n7.30pm AEST – Prize distribution and event close \n  \nLearning outcomes\nKey outcomes of this event are: \n\nGain exposure to innovative\, practical approaches to tunnelling related challenges\nDevelop an understanding of how AI\, automation\, and digital engineering tools can be applied in tunnelling projects\nStrengthen collaboration and systems thinking skills through multidisciplinary teamwork\nIncrease professional visibility and confidence in presenting technical ideas\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHosted by the Australian Tunnelling Society (ATS)
URL:https://australiantunnellingsociety.com.au/ats-event/ats-tunnelthon-2026/
LOCATION:Level 9\, 340 Adelaide Street\, Brisbane
CATEGORIES:National,Queensland
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://australiantunnellingsociety.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Image-19-e1781746416259.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Brisbane:20260820T170000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Brisbane:20260820T193000
DTSTAMP:20260620T210145
CREATED:20260618T015105Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260618T015605Z
UID:318121-1787245200-1787254200@australiantunnellingsociety.com.au
SUMMARY:ATS Tunnelthon 2026 - Team showcase
DESCRIPTION:Overview\nJoin us for the ATS Tunnelthon 2026 Showcase event\, where participants will present the innovative solutions developed during this industry-focused hackathon. Tunnelthon 2026 brings together professionals\, researchers\, and students from the tunnelling and geotechnical engineering community to tackle real-world challenges using artificial intelligence\, automation\, and digital engineering approaches. Throughout the program\, participants have worked in multidisciplinary teams to explore problem statements\, apply creative thinking\, and design practical solutions within a fast-paced\, collaborative environment. \nThis showcase event offers a unique opportunity for attendees to: \n\nDiscover the projects developed during the hackathon\nEngage with participants and learn about their problem-solving approaches\nGain insights into emerging technologies shaping the future of tunnelling and geotechnical engineering\n\nThe event highlights the innovation\, collaboration\, and forward-thinking ideas generated through Tunnelthon. Whether you are an industry professional\, student\, or simply interested in engineering innovation\, this is a great opportunity to connect with the community and see the outcomes of this dynamic initiative. \nProgram timeline\n5.00pm AEST – Arrival of industry audience \n5.30pm AEST – Team presentations and interactive discussions with judges \n6.30pm AEST – Judges’ deliberation and announcement of winners and runners up \n7.30pm AEST – Prize distribution and event close \nLearning outcomes\nBy attending this event\, participants will: \n\nGain insight into how multidisciplinary teams approach real-world tunnelling challenges\nUnderstand how emerging technologies such as AI\, automation\, and digital engineering can be applied in practice\nExplore different problem-solving methodologies used in a fast-paced\, collaborative environment\nLearn about key considerations in designing innovative and practical engineering solutions\nConnect with professionals\, researchers\, and students within the tunnelling and geotechnical community
URL:https://australiantunnellingsociety.com.au/ats-event/ats-tunnelthon-2026-showcase/
LOCATION:Level 9\, 340 Adelaide Street\, Brisbane
CATEGORIES:National,Queensland
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://australiantunnellingsociety.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-18-115344.png
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