Update on the U.S.-China Collaborative Research Directions on Trenchless Technology and Critical Underground Infrastructure Issues

The lack of technical resources and limited experience in developing new and emerging underground technologies has created needs for research, development and outreach throughout the world. An important element in addressing the underground infrastructure challenges is international collaboration among industries and researchers, specifically from the developing countries and world powers, where the problems and possible solutions may be addressed. Funded by a grant by the U.S. National Science Foundation (Grant No. 0741764), an international workshop on Trenchless Technology and Critical Underground Infrastructure Issues was held in October 2007, in Wuhan, China. This workshop was co-sponsored by The University of Texas at Arlington and China University of Geosciences. As result of this workshop, the China-U.S. Joint Center for Trenchless Research & Development, at the College of Engineering, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan) was established. In October 2009, the ASCE Pipeline Division sponsored a follow-up International Conference on Pipelines and Trenchless Technology (ICPTT 2009) in Shanghai. Between 2007 and 2009, several site visits by Chinese and U.S. industries and researchers were arranged. This paper provides an overview of these activities, future activities planned, and recommendations for future research, outreach, and development between the U.S. and China.