1. AN EXCLUSIVE Q&A WITH
DR. ABDULSSAMIE HAIMONI
DEPUTY DIRECTOR RAIL PROJECTS
CONSTRUCTION DEPARTMENT
ROADS AND TRANSPORT AUTHORITY (RTA), UAE
FOR
13 - 16 MARCH, 2011, BEACH ROTANA, ABU DHABI, UAE
CONDUCTED BY
All opinions and statements in this interview are of the interviewee themselves and do not reflect
the opinion(s) of IQPC and/ or its personnel.

2. IQPC: There is a lot of buzz in the industry regarding the infrastructure
projects currently in place in the Middle East, and particularly with the
tunneling projects in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt.
In your experience, what are the immediate short term effects these
projects can have on the said economies?
Dr. Haimoni: The world has seen a major slow down following the financial crisis
of 2008. The Middle East did not escape the effects and many investors were
hesitant to start new projects which generally lead to a slow down in the
construction market and a reduction in prices.
Tunneling works which are generally carried out within large infrastructure
projects and attract large amounts of publicity are useful tools to generate
confidence and kick start the economical cycle. There is also the added benefit of
prices being cheaper.
IQPC: What is the biggest challenge facing tunneling projects in the
Middle East?
Dr. Haimoni: Tunneling works are relatively new in the Middle East. Therefore, it
is usually unlikely to find experienced work force locally. Importing the experience
from abroad has its own difficulties and challenges and is not always possible
particularly when large amount of similar work is taking place elsewhere. In
addition, imported work forces often lack the local knowledge needed for these
kind of specialized works.
Moreover, many decision makers often shy away from works which do not have
an established track record in the locality. This places further burden on the
designers and suppliers to inform and educate the concerned local individuals
and decision makers.
IQPC: Many of these on-going projects are in established communities and
localities in the larger cities. How can disruption to these communities be
minimized?
Dr. Haimoni: Tunneling is a useful technique to reduce disruption in cities and
congested areas. However, some activities still need to take place over ground
and these have to be planned well to minimize disruption. The effects of the
works should be studied at early stage by proper investigations such as
environmental studies, traffic impact studies and public consultations/awareness
programs. The correct choice of the best tools and techniques is essential for
reducing disruptions and to ensure success.
All opinions and statements in this interview are of the interviewee themselves and do not reflect
the opinion(s) of IQPC and/ or its personnel.

3. IQPC: The UAE is leading the way in terms of successful tunneling projects.
What is the one piece of advice you can give other countries in the GCC
who are actively tendering and executing new tunneling projects?
Dr. Haimoni: Choose an experienced specifier, experienced constructer and
experienced supervisor. Good experience is essential for success in tunneling.
Do not allow short cuts.
IQPC: What can attendees to the 2nd Annual Tunneling and Underground
Construction Summit expect from your session? Please do give our
audience a summary.
Dr. Haimoni: Tunneling on Dubai Metro project has been a success on all
counts. This was a result of good planning, choice of the right techniques, and
close follow-up by the supervisory team.
The team was formed from experienced representatives from the contractor, the
consultant and the client. My presentation will focus on the experience gained
and the methods used to avoid failure and ensure success. I will discuss the
tunneling and grouting technique used and other techniques used to deal with
water.
I will also touch on the control and monitoring techniques used to ensure that all
activities are closely monitored, analyzed and evaluated in real time to allow safe
and smooth tunnel advancement. The effect of the tunneling works on the
surrounding area will be presented and discussed.
To learn more from Dr. Haimoni’s session and network with your peers while gaining
knowledge and best practice in tunneling techniques in the middle east, register today
for the 2nd Annual Tunnels & Underground Construction Middle East Summit by:
Visiting www.tunnelconstructionme.com or by emailing us on enquiry@iqpc.ae. You
may also call on +971 4 364 2975
All opinions and statements in this interview are of the interviewee themselves and do not reflect
the opinion(s) of IQPC and/ or its personnel.