Mike Mooney

Professor Mike Mooney directs the Center for Underground and leads the Heavy Construction Studio. His research group focuses on advancing technology for smart, rapid and cost effective construction, including mechanized tunneling in urban areas and in challenging ground. His group’s research involves integrating instrumentation into mechanical construction processes (tunnel boring machines, horizontal directional drilling, flow systems), understanding robotic excavation systems such as mechanical earthworms, material behavior studies (using chemicals, foams, polymers, cements to transform soil) and characterization of complex ground-mechanical system interaction using physics models and data driven machine learning. His group blends modeling, visualization and theory with extensive field experimental campaigns often embedded into actual construction projects across the US and world. In recent years, Prof. Mooney’s group:

(1) developed a real-time vibration monitoring technique to improve foundation construction at the seabed floor for the Venice lagoon restoration project;

(2) developed a real-time instrumentation-based boulder detection system for tunnel boring machines in Seattle and Toronto;

(3) advanced understanding of ground control using pressurized TBM tunneling and soil conditioning in Seattle, Los Angeles, and New York City; and

(4) developed machine learning algorithms to characterize the advance rate of tunnel boring machines in Seattle, Washington DC and Los Angeles.

Dr. Mooney teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in underground construction and tunnel engineering, instrumentation and monitoring, nondestructive evaluation and intelligent geosystems, and infrastructure engineering. Mike is a registered Professional Engineer and actively consults on construction projects in the US and internationally.

EDUCATION

• PhD Civil Engineering, Northwestern University, 1996
• MS Civil Engineering, University of California, Irvine, 1993
• BS Civil Engineering, Washington University, St. Louis, 1991
• BA Physics, Hastings College, 1991
• Registered Professional Engineer, Colorado #39682

Recent and Relevant Publications

(student authors underlined)

• Shetty, R., Samaniuk, J, Mooney, MA. Development of Annular Pump to Enhance Drilling Distance and Cuttings Return in Horizontal Directional Drilling, Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology, 2023, 140(105324), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tust.2023.105324.
• Yu, H and Mooney, MA, Characterizing the as-encountered ground condition with tunnel boring machine data using semi-supervised learning, Computers and Geotechnics, 2023, 154(105159), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2022.105159.
• Yu, H, Zhou, X, Zhang, X, and Mooney, MA. Enhancing earth pressure balance tunnel boring machine performance with support vector regression and particle swarm optimization, Automation in Construction, 2022, 142 (104457), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2022.104457.
• Yu, J., Appleby, BA, Mooney, MA, Samaniuk, J.R. Characterizing the non-Newtonian Viscosity of High-Solids Drilling-Fluid Suspensions by Flow Loop, Physics of Fluids, 2022, 34 (053313), doi: 10.1063/5.0083982.
• Grasmick, J and Mooney, MA. A Probabilistic Geostatistics-Based Approach to Tunnel Boring Machine Cutter Tool Wear and Cutterhead Clogging Prediction, ASCE J. Geotechnical & Geoenv. Engineering, 2021, 147(12), https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0002701.
• Mifkovic, M., Swidinsky, A. and Mooney MA. Imaging ahead of a Tunnel Boring Machine with DC Resistivity: A Laboratory and Numerical Study, Tunnels & Underground Space Technology, 2021, 108 (103703), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tust.2020.103703.
• Mokhtari, S and Mooney, MA, Predicting EPBM Advance Rate Performance using Support Vector Regression Modeling, Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology, 2020, 104 (103520), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tust.2020.103520.
• Yu, HJ, Mooney, MA. and Bezuijen, A. A Simplified Excavation Chamber Pressure Model for EPBM Tunneling, Tunnelling & Underground Space Technology, 2020, 103 (103457), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tust.2020.103457.
• Wu, Y., Mooney, MA and Cha, M. An Experimental Examination of Foam Stability under Pressure for EPB TBM Tunneling, Tunnelling & Underground Space Technology, 2018, 77, 80-93.
• Mooney, M., Grasmick, J. and Gangrade, R. Methods to Visualize Big Data Integration to Improve Uncertainty and Reduce Risk in Subsurface Infrastructure Projects, Proc. Geocongress 2023, Los Angeles, CA, March 26-29, 2023.
• Mooney, M., Yu, H., Gangrade, R. EPB Shield TBM Automation using the Autonomous Vehicle Framework, Proc. North American Tunneling, Nashville, TN, June 7-10, 2020.
• Mokhtari, S and Mooney, MA. Feasibility Study of EPB TBM Automation using Deep Learning, Proc. World Tunnels Congress, Naples, Italy, May 3-8, 2019.
• Parikh, D., Wu, Y., Peterson, C., Jarriel, S., Mooney, MA and Tilton, N. The Coupled Dynamics of Foam Generation and Foam Pipe Flow on Tunnel Boring Machines, Intl. J. Heat and Fluid Flow, 2019.
• Kimmel, S.C., Bearce, R.G., Rinehart, R.V. and Mooney, M.A. Development of a Machine Integrated Strain-Based Contact Force Sensor for Pad Foot Soil Compactors, J. Terramechanics, 2014, 51, 31-41.
• Gharahbagh, E.A., Mooney, M.A., Frank, G., Walter, B. and DiPonio, M.A. Periodic Inspection of Gauge Cutter Wear in EPB TBMs using Cone Penetration Testing, Tunnelling & Underground Space Technology, 2013, 38, 279-286.
• Grasmick, J.G. and Mooney, M.A. Comparison of Multiple Sensor Deflection Data from Lightweight and Falling Weight Deflectometer on Layered Soil. Geotechnical Testing Journal, 2015, 38(6), 851-863.
• Buckley, J., Mooney, M.A., Toohey, N., Planes, T., Alavi, E., and DiPonio, M. Cutterhead Protection in a Boulder Field using Real Time Vibration Monitoring. Proc. Rapid Excavation and Tunneling, San Diego, CA. June 4-7, 2017, 15 pp.
• Planes, T., Mooney, M.A., Rittgers, J.B., Parekh, M.L., Behm, M. and Snieder, R. Time Lapse Monitoring of Internal Erosion in Earthen Dams and Levees using Ambient Seismic Noise, Geotechnique, 2016, 66(4), 301-312, doi: 10.1680/jgeot.14.P.268.
• Bearce, R.G., Mooney, M.A. and Kessouri, P. Electrical Resistivity Imaging of Laboratory Soilcrete Column Geometry, J. Geotechnical & Geoenv. Engr., ASCE, 2016, 142(3), 10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0001404 , 04015088.
• Planes, T., Mooney, M.A., Rittgers, J.B., Kanning, W. and Draganov, D. Monitoring the Response of a Sea Levee to Tidal Loading with Ambient Seismic Noise, J. Applied Geophysics, 2017, 138, 255-263, doi:10.1016/j.jappgeo.2017.01.025.
• Schaeffer, K. and Mooney, M.A. Examining the Influence of TBM-Ground Interaction on Electrical Resistivity Imaging ahead of the TBM, Tunnelling & Underground Space Technology, 2016, 58 (82-98), doi:10.1016/j.tust.2016.04.003.
• Kravitz, B., Mooney, MA,Karlovsek, J. and Hedayat, A. Void Detection in Two Component Annulus Grout behind a Pre-Cast Segmental Tunnel Liner using Ground Penetrating Radar, Tunnels & Underground Space Technology, 2018, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tust.2018.09.032.