The European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) is currently investigating the feasibility of the "Future Circular Collider" (FCC) as a potential successor to the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The civil engineering team at CERN have employed a bespoke, interactive, geological tool to consider the suitability of multiple layout options for the FCC, situated in the Geneva Basin, in particular quasi-circular options with circumferences in the order of 100 km. The tool has been used to provide feedback on potential lattice designs that are assessed based on criteria such as geological risk, shaft depth and the environmental sensitivities of access and experimental sites. This paper describes the impact the tool has had on optimising the design and location of the FCC and also the key construction challenges, in particular deep shafts and large span caverns.
Subjects: CERN. Tunnelling. Feasibility. Technology. Geographic Information System.
Author: John Andrew Osborne Senior Civil Engineer at CERN and Joanna Louise Stanyard, Civil Engineering Consultant
Publisher: DFI, EFFC