Special Issue on Advances in Trenchless Technologies for Underground Infrastructure

Introduction

Trenchless technology is an essential approach for the construction, rehabilitation, and upgrading of underground infrastructure systems, including pipelines, utility tunnels, transportation facilities, and municipal networks. With rapid urbanization and increasing demands for sustainable and low-disruption construction methods, trenchless technologies are becoming increasingly important in modern underground space development.

In recent decades, extensive underground infrastructure networks have been constructed worldwide using trenchless methods such as pipe jacking, microtunneling, horizontal directional drilling, and various trenchless rehabilitation techniques. These methods enable efficient construction in densely populated urban areas while minimizing surface disturbance, environmental impact, and social disruption. However, underground infrastructure constructed or rehabilitated using trenchless techniques is often subjected to complex geological conditions, groundwater effects, long-term loading, and aging-related deterioration, which pose significant challenges to design, construction, and long-term performance.

The technical issues to be addressed include ground–structure interaction mechanisms, construction-induced ground deformation, control of jacking forces and alignment, performance evaluation of trenchless-installed structures, and long-term behavior of rehabilitated pipelines. Moreover, the integration of monitoring technologies, numerical modeling, and performance-based design methods into trenchless engineering practice is still evolving.

This Special Issue aims to present the recent advances, innovative methods, and practical engineering experiences in trenchless technologies for underground infrastructure. It seeks to bring together contributions from researchers, engineers, and practitioners to share state-of-the-art developments, discuss existing challenges, and explore future directions in trenchless engineering. By disseminating high-quality research and engineering case studies, this Special Issue will contribute to the safe, efficient, and sustainable development of underground infrastructure systems worldwide.

Topics covered

• Pipe jacking and microtunneling technologies
• Horizontal directional drilling for urban infrastructure
• Ground deformation and control in trenchless construction
• Soil–structure interaction in trenchless engineering
• Design and performance evaluation of trenchless-installed pipelines
• Monitoring and instrumentation during trenchless construction
• Rehabilitation and renewal of underground pipelines using trenchless methods
• Case histories and best practices in trenchless engineering
• Innovative equipment, materials, and digital technologies for trenchless applications

Important Deadlines

• Submission deadline: 15 August 2026
• Final decision: 28 February 2027 

Submission Instructions

Please read the Guide for Authors before submitting. Submission website: Editorial Manager®; please select the special issue "Trenchless Tech"

Guest Editors

Kehjian Shou, Professor, Tongji University, China. E-mail: kjshou@tongji.edu.cn 

Dominic E.L. Ong, Associate Professor, Griffith University, Australia. E-mail: d.ong@griffith.edu.au