Overview

This webinar will be focused on the design of large underground caverns, a crucial topic with the current development of multiple Pumped Hydro schemes. The main speaker will be Mousa Hazrati Aghchai, who has a PhD in rock mechanics and a solid background in geotechnics/rock mechanics in Tunnelling, Hydropower, and Dam engineering with 20 years of experience.

Learning outcomes 

In this presentation you will learn:

• Key aspects of large underground caverns design for pumped hydro projects.
• Main risks to consider when designing this kind of high-complexity structures.
• Case studies of real projects.

About the speaker

Mousa Hazrati Aghchai
Technical Director Tunnels & Underground Space, GHD

Mousa has a degree in Rock Mechanics, and a Masters and PhD both in Rock Mechanics as well. He has been in GHD for 2 years. Mousa has 20 years of experience in the design of surface and underground excavations applied in Civil Engineering such as Tunnel engineering including Roadway, Railway and water conveyance tunnels both in conventional (drill and blast) and mechanized methods, Dam engineering, Hydropower projects, and Pump storage power plants. As a special expertise, he has designed several large caverns and deep shafts. Having a solid technical background, he has extensive experience in empirical, analytical, and numerical methods in Tunnel engineering. He has also experience in solving challenges during design, construction, and operation periods. Mousa has been involved in design and execution of several national and international projects.