Welcome to the Rapid Excavation and Tunneling Conference, sponsored by the Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration.

RETC is the only conference with a dedicated focus on the developments, technology, trends, and innovations that directly affect the tunneling and underground construction industry. Featuring a wide variety of technical sessions and speakers combined with our expansive exhibit hall, RETC will be a professional event you will truly enjoy and remember.

The Rapid Excavation and Tunneling Conference (RETC) is sponsored by the Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration (SME). Held every two years, RETC is the renowned international forum for the exchange and dissemination of developments and advances in underground construction. The RETC advances the engineering and scientific knowledge of rapid underground excavation and tunneling through interdisciplinary meetings, publications, technical-educational exhibitions and encouragement of research. It also provides innovative solutions to the unique engineering challenges associated with the tunneling industry.

The committee will consider all abstracts covering any/all aspects of the tunneling/underground construction industry including, but not limited to, the following topics:

• Contract Practices – Making a successful Project
• Design – Pushing the Industry Envelope
• Successful Alternative Contract Delivery
• Overcoming Difficult Ground
• Drill and Blast – Faster, Better, Cheaper
• Environment, Health and Safety – lessons learned
• Planning for Future Projects
• Geotechnical Considerations for Managing Ground Risks
• Ground Control, Face Support and Monitoring – Achieving Stability Above and Below Ground
• Ground Support and Final Lining – Advances in Technology and Concepts
• New Methods and Technology for Grouting and Ground Modification
• Advances and achievements with Hard Rock TBMs
• Landmark International Projects
• Large Span Tunnels and Caverns – State of the Art Applications
• Microtunneling and Trenchless Tunneling – Pushing the Envelope
• New and Innovative Technologies and Concepts
• Pressure Face TBM Case Histories on Significant Project Challenges
• Pressure Face TBM Technology – Latest and Future Advances
• Project Planning – Essential Elements and Major Underground considerations
• Risk Mitigation – Successful Application
• SEM/NATM – Unique Application and New Approaches
• Shafts – Challenges in a Built Environment
• Mining – Effective use of Tunneling Technology and Concepts for Mining Applications
• Tunnel Rehabilitation – Technologies and Concepts
• Tunneling for Sustainability – Cost-Effective Solutions

Dates & Deadlines

Please read the following information carefully and mark your calendar with important dates and deadlines.

Prospective authors are asked to submit a 100-word abstract. For detailed guidelines for submitting a successful abstract, please visit Abstract Submission. Submitters will be notified in September 2024 of acceptance or otherwise.