Introduction
The building of tunnels dates back to the canal age. The first English canal tunnel was that of James Brindley on the Bridgewater canal directly entering Worsely coal mine (Muir 14). It was opened in 1761 and subsequently extended. This marked the beginning of tunneling, with numerous tunnels on the extending canal network. Brindley’s next achievement was the Harecastle tunnel built on the summit of the Grand Trunk Canal that was later damaged by mining activities. Since then tunneling has been an important aspect as far as infrastructure is concerned not only in the construction industry but also ...
