Tunnel Boring Machine Seminar Sponsored by The Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, PA and College of Engineering, Villanova University, Villanova, PA Thursday, April 23, 2009 8:30 to 11:30 am Connelly Center, Cinema Theater  Villanova University Richard Robbins Recipient of the 2009 Benjamin Franklin Medal in Engineering Online Registration   8:00 – 8:30 am Complimentary Breakfast and On-site Registration   8:30 am Welcome Dr. Gerard Jones Associate Dean, College of Engineering (VU) 8:35 am Introduction and Overview Mr. Fred Brecher Fellow, ASCE 8:45 am Tunneling History and Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) Development Summary of traditional tunneling The history of mechanical tunnel excavation, concepts and working machines, up to 1950 The first Robbins TBM, 1952 Technical developments and innovations of the past 50 years, including development of: Hard rock open machines and disc cutters for rock Double shield machines Earth pressure balance machines and cutters for working under pressure Slurry shields 10:15 am Mechanized Tunneling Impact: Safety, Environment, Quality of Life and Commerce Benefits of TBM: safety and speed Commercial impact: The global growth of the tunnel boring machine industry in the past half century and expansion of underground contracting, rapid development of projects, jobs Environmental impact: Global clean water programs made possible Examples of well-known technically challenging major projects 11:15 am The Future Challenges for today’s TBM designers 11:30 am Question and answer session

Presenters

Richard J. Robbins – Laureate
Mr. Robbins received a bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering, Michigan Technological University, 1956, and a PhD (Honoris Causa) Michigan Technological University, in 1996. He assumed the presidency of The Robbins Company on the tragic death of his Father in 1958 and served in that role from 1958 through 1993, when Robbins was bought by Atlas Copco. He served as Vice Chairman of Atlas Copco Robbins from 1993 to 1998. The Robbins Group LLC was spun off in 1995 by Copco, and he became its President. Mr. Robbins holds 11 U.S. patents and 56 foreign patents in the field of underground mechanical excavation.

Shani Wallis
Shani Wallis is a technical journalist who has worked in the tunneling industry since 1982. She was born in Australia, studied newspaper journalism in California, and moved to London in 1978. There she began working for the trade magazine Tunnels & Tunneling in 1982 and has never looked back. Beginning in 1990, Shani worked as a freelance journalist in the industry for the next 17 years, traveling to projects all around the world and preparing articles for publication in many different magazines. In early 2008 she launched as Editor the web magazine TunnelTalk. She continues travels to report on tunneling projects worldwide.

Lok Home
He was recruited by the Jarva Company, a tunnel boring machine manufacturer owned by Atlas Copco. When Atlas Copco moved Jarva to Sweden, Mr. Home formed his own company, Boretec. Atlas Copco sold the Robbins Company to Boretec in 1998. All products of the company were merged into the Robbins brand. Mr. Home is currently President and Chairman of the Board of the Robbins Group. LLC Mr. Home graduated from Haileybury School of Mines, Ontario, Canada.

Joe Roby
Mr. Roby received his bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Washington and has held positions with the Robbins Company since college. He is currently Manager of the Robbins Group's Kent, Washington, USA Office.