January 14, 2025

Claudio Cabral: ‘We’ve developed a global reputation for our innovative use of 3D numerical models for soil-structure interaction in tunnels’

Ayesa is an international leader in metro and tram projects, having designed or supervised more than 500 km of lines and 250 stations around the world, in addition to numerous roads and highways. One of the key parts of rail and metro projects is tunnelling and Ayesa is leading the way in the design of some of the world’s most complex tunnel projects, The company develops  advanced 3D models to assess ground behavior and the interaction between soil, rock, and the tunnel structure itself. This is essential in ensuring safety, stability, and efficiency in underground transportation and structures.

The company uses leading solutions and methods to design and build new structures, as well as to manage, operate and maintain them without impacting public utilities or surrounding structures and buildings.

One of Ayesa’s most experienced engineers, recently appointed Head of Ground Engineering and Tunnelling, is Claudio Cabral.

 

Can you tell us a bit about your background in structures?

I’m from Viseu in Portugal. I studied civil engineering at Oporto University, specialising in geotechnics. In 2011 I took my first international position. This saw me move to São Paulo (Brazil), where I worked on various metro projects in Latin America, such as the São Paulo Metro and Rio de Janeiro Metro. In 2014, I joined CH2M (now Jacobs) in London as a tunnel engineer. Here, I had the chance to work on projects such as Crossrail, Hinkley Point C and High Speed 2.

Then, in 2020, I had the privilege of joining Ayesa’s Madrid office to lead the geotechnics team for the Silvertown road tunnel project in London. Since then, we have been part of projects such as the Ruby Line of the Oporto Metro and the extension of Line 5 of the Madrid Metro.

 

You were named Young Tunneller of the Year 2023 by ITA. What does this achievement mean for you?

It’s a great honour to receive this award from the International Tunnelling Association as it’s an area I have dedicated my professional life to over the past 12 years. During this time, I have shared incredible experiences with outstanding engineers.

It means a lot for me as well as Ayesa, especially our Ground Engineering and Tunnelling division as it recognises the quality of our work and our participation in tunnel projects around the world.

 

Claudio Cabral, jefe de ingeniería del terreno en Ayesa

 

What have been Ayesa’s main projects in this area? What are the biggest challenges you have faced?

We are currently providing tunnelling and geotechnics services for a number of large design and construction projects, and are expected to grow significantly in this area over the coming years. In addition to the Lima Metro, Oporto Metro, Madrid Metro and Silvertown Tunnel in London, we are also involved in Line 6 of the São Paulo Metro and a residential complex in Chamartín (Madrid), in addition to many other projects in other parts of Latin America and Europe. One particularly notable one is in Bucaramanga (Colombia).

Each project is unique as are the challenges they present. However, generally speaking, working with building contractors has its complexities. These kinds of projects are also fast-paced and involve constant changes. This means we must be flexible and able to quickly react in order to meet the needs of our clients, something we are able to do thanks to our extensive experience in this area.  Reducing the carbon footprint of buildings is another challenge, albeit a relatively new one, which requires us to create innovative solutions aimed at ensuring structures are sustainable and resilient.

 

What new solutions and technologies are you using on your projects?

Some time ago, our colleague Julio Rodríguez developed Python scripts to partially automate the repetitive task of extracting data from a programme and copying it to into another. This is something that the team involved in the Silvertown Tunnel has spent the past few years working to improve, the result being a much quicker and more reliable design workflow.

We are also increasingly using numerical 3D models for soil-structure interactions involving complex tunnels. This is an area we are now recognised as experts in by the industry.

In general, we are trying to optimise our design workflows using new tools, although this is something we are doing with caution alongside our most experienced colleagues and consultants. We are also focused on developing and offering our clients the very best sustainable solutions.

 

Could you tell us a bit more about the Silvertown Tunnel or other big projects the company is involved in?

The Silvertown Tunnel is an extremely interesting project involving a series of very challenging ground conditions. Although people tend to think that London only has ground that is ideal for excavating, such as London Clay, that certainly isn’t the case.

The project resulted in us designing a number of underground structures, such as launch chambers for “Jill”, the largest TBM ever used in the UK. We have also designed an innovative elliptical chamber to allow the TBM to rotate 180° and enable it to cross under the Thames and return to its launch chamber. This allowed the 1450-tonne machine to make a U-turn in less than 48 hours, saving weeks of extra work and cost for the client.

 

Claudio Cabral, jefe de ingeniería del terreno en Ayesa

 

Can you give us an update on the Waterfront South Central, a project involving one of the deepest excavations ever undertaken in Dublin?

A recent milestone has the completion of excavation work. This has involved removing around 75,000 m3 of earth and resulted in a 15.8-metre-deep basement supported by secant piles and ground anchors.

 

What new contracts can we look forward to hearing about?

We are currently participating in tenders for some of the biggest transport projects in Spain, Latin America, Ireland and Saudi Arabia. Clients around the world place their trust in us and we are continuing to gain new experience. This will allow us to bring even greater value to our projects.

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