News ・ 24.11.2024

The future is still promising – Personal highlights of the 2024 Exchange Meeting on TSP, the tunnelling geological prediction technology

Written by Dr. Guan Peng, November 25, 2024 (original in Chinese)

In mid-November, Kangding has already entered winter, the sky is high and blue, the sun is still shining, and the air is filled with a crisp chill. Kangding, Sichuan, known as the "City of Love Songs", with its unique charm, welcomes elites of the advanced geological prediction technology from all over the country.

Although the cold wind was strong outside, the "Kangding Love Song" that everyone was familiar with singing floated in the large conference room, and the 2024 TSP Exchange Meeting was in the melodious tune, when it "quietly" kicked off. At 9 o'clock in the morning of the 14th of November, the meeting began on time. More than 40 experts, scholars and engineers gathered at the scene, from more than 10 well-known enterprises and institutions such as China Railway Second Institute, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), and China Railway Tunnel Bureau.

For the first time in 21 years, the TSP Exchange Meeting was held on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and this year's protagonist was the TSP 603 Impact system - the pinnacle of the Amberg Geological Forecasting family. In addition, as a new member of TSP Technical Center at Amberg Technology (China), I have already heard about the outstanding influence of this industry event, but this is my first time attending.

General Manager Zhang Wenhui delivered a humorous speech.

First of all, Dr. Shuan Xiao of Amberg Technologies delivered an enthusiastic speech, warmly welcomed the guests from afar, and briefly introduced the remarkable progress made in TSP technology in the past year. Dr. Xiao also thanked the old friends and customers of the Second Institute of China Railway and the Yellow River Design Institute who carried out survey and design work in the Kangding area and invited them to deliver speeches as special guests.

Mr. Wang Faling, a well-known tunnel expert in China, briefly reviewed the development process of TSP technology in China from his unique perspective and pointed out TSP technology not only shows excellent application value in tunnel construction, but also may have great application potential in mine roadways in the future.

Mr. Zhang Wenhui, General Manager of Bonanza Rail Technology Co. in Beijing, a partner of Amberg Technology for over 20 years, came to the 2024 TSP Exchange Meeting in person. He travelled all the way from Beijing, and the tiredness of the journey turned into a trace of warmth in the cold wind in the face of 20 years of friendship.

Dr. Thomas Dickmann was giving a presentation in style, and I was already sweating nervously on the side.

Dr. Thomas Dickmann's presentation is always the highlight of the TSP Tunnel Advance Prediction Technology Symposium. After getting along with him several times, I know that he has been responsible for the research and development of TSP product technology and products since he joined Amberg Technologies in 1996, and has been responsible for 28 years. We are committed to one thing: to explore TSP technology in depth, apply it in practice, and continue to push TSP forward to the leading edge of technology. For a normal person, the happiness of embarking on a career and leading it to excellence and success is undoubtedly one of the ‘strokes of luck’ that one can expect in life, but which are rare.

On the evening of the 13th, Dr. Xiao temporarily asked me to be the translator of Dr. Thomas Dickmann's report. When I heard about this arrangement, my first reaction was to refuse, although I have studied English for 23 years and with the help of various translation software I have published a few English papers, but I have only been able to speak English for a month or two, and I am really afraid that it will affect the interpretation effect of such a perfect report! Recognizing my fears, Dr. Xiao told me a story about the old German tradition of baptizing babies with cold water, which in folklore is seen as a way to exercise children's bodies and strengthen their resistance. Now he is going to throw me into the cold water and baptize me with cold water, hoping that I can stimulate my inner potential and courage by challenging the difficulties.

The participants had a lively exchange and discussion, and Dr. Thomas Dickmann replied seriously.

The topic of this year's presentation by Dr. Thomas Dickmann is: The latest advances in TSP technology and case studies of global applications. The main content is divided into two parts, the first part is to introduce the advanced equipment and technology of TSP 603-Impact, and the second part is to introduce the TSP 603-Impact in four different tunnels in Norway, France, the United Kingdom and India use cases. Although I had asked Dr. Thomas Dickmann to give the presentation as slowly as possible before the meeting, so that I could fully understand, I was still very nervous during the on-site translation process, and even made a few mistakes, and my cheeks were flushed with shame and anxiety until the room erupted in applause at the end of the lecture. I was relieved.

For the rest of the morning, senior experts from China Railway System took turns to give in-depth and insightful reports on the application of TSP in tunnel construction. The detailed and insightful reports immediately aroused widespread interest and heated discussions among the participants, and the atmosphere of learning from each other was lively. The meeting, which was supposed to end at 12 noon, had to be postponed in the midst of heated discussions, until the sumptuous dishes on the lunch table were already slightly cold!

Dr. Cai Wei in the report.

In the afternoon, Dr. Cai Wei from China University of Geosciences (Wuhan) gave a report on "3D Seismic Wave Numerical Simulation Research for Optimizing and Guiding the Design of Underground Mine Observation System", in which he explained the propagation principle of seismic waves and how to optimize it through numerical simulation technology. The prediction effect of TSP in mine roadway has made some forward-looking research for broadening the application boundary of TSP. The content of the report was novel and insightful, and won the applause of the guests present.

Dr. Thomas Dickmann and Dr. Xiao answer questions about TSPs in field applications.

At the end of the report, the on-site engineers introduced and discussed the application scenarios and operation processes of TSP technology in tunnel construction in detail and provided valuable practical guidance for the participants. Attendees will be able to ask Dr. Thomas Dickmann questions about TSP technology and have in-depth exchanges with other peers. This open atmosphere of discussion not only promotes the dissemination and sharing of technology, but also enhances the friendship and cooperation between each other.

The participants took a group photo.

Amberg has held 21 consecutive sessions of the Tunnel Advance Geological Prediction Exchange Conference in early winter. This is a small buffer for TSP technical field engineers to pause, reflect and look ahead to the year ahead at the end of a busy year. Amberg's R&D team is a refuelling station where new ideas and fresh impetus for future technological development are gathered.

I can't wait to see you again next year.

Dr. Shuan Xiao made up the afterword

The 2024 TSP User Exchange Conference came to an end in Kangding, on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and has changed my practice of being both a host and a translator in the past 20 years. Dr. Guan Peng, a fresh blood member of Amberg Technology China, took over some of the important work for my translation and successfully completed the task. Dr. Guan Peng not only majored in civil engineering, but also is very familiar with the TSP technology of tunnel seismic prediction. After the meeting, Dr. Guan Peng has written this WeChat article introducing the TSP Exchange Meeting, which was with full of sincerity and self-assurance. This energetic young man touched me, It's time for a change! The back wave has risen, and the era of the front wave to just escort the back wave has come.

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