Bentley Technology Solutions – The Key to Unlocking Success in the World's Most Iconic Tunnel Projects

In an ever-evolving world, the demand for movement, transportation, and seamless connectivity across space and time has never been more essential. When terrain becomes a barrier— rugged mountain ranges and deep oceans to congested urban centers—tunneling technology offers a solution to bridge seemingly impossible divides.

The seabed stretch of the Channel Tunnel is 37.9km long, making it the longest underwater tunnel in the world. 

Underground infrastructure projects—such as transportation tunnels, water conveyance tunnels, and mining shafts—are becoming more complex and large-scale than ever, requiring not only advanced technical capabilities but also deep geotechnical understanding. Understanding ground conditions and making accurate technical decisions has become vital.

Leading geotechnical software Bentley Systems—including PLAXIS 2D/3D, GeoStudio 2D/3D, Leapfrog Works, OpenGround, and OpenTunnel—is being widely applied in tunnel projects across the globe.

These tools enable engineers and geotechnical experts to simulate soil and rock mechanics in detail, manage subsurface data, and design tunnels with high precision—bringing to life what many consider to be “modern-day wonders beneath the earth.”

Bentley's Geotechnical Solutions in the Journey to Conquer the Underground

Channel Tunnel – United Kingdom and France

As the longest undersea tunnel in the world at 50 km—with nearly 38 km beneath the sea—the Channel Tunnel symbolizes transnational connectivity. Geotechnical solutions Seequent – Bentley Systems enabled engineers to better understand the sedimentary rock strata, guiding 11 massive tunnel boring machines to penetrate the earth efficiently and safely.

Gotthard Base Tunnel – Switzerland

Not only the world’s longest and deepest railway tunnel (57.1 km long and 2,300 m deep), the Gotthard Base Tunnel showcases the perfect integration of precise geological data and modern tunneling technology. 3D models Seequent – Bentley Systems helped predict weak rock zones, enabling accurate tunneling plans, saving millions in construction costs, and accelerating project timelines.

The Gotthard Base Tunnel is notable for being the first flat route through a mountain range.

Stad Skipstunnel – Norway

The world’s first tunnel for ships, this unique structure allows vessels to avoid the hazardous Stadhavet Sea. Geotechnical data integrated into Seequent – Bentley Systems’ digital models enabled risk analysis of complex geological structures between fjords, ensuring absolute safety in design and construction

Mponeng Gold Mine – South Africa

Nearly 4,000 meters below ground, Mponeng is one of the harshest mining environments on Earth. Seequent provides deformation and stress monitoring solutions, offering early collapse warnings, ensuring worker safety, and maintaining continuous mining operations.

Thimble Shoal Project – USA

With a cost exceeding $1 billion, a new parallel tunnel under Chesapeake Bay was built to upgrade traffic flow. Seequent provided solutions for analyzing complex undersea stratigraphy—key to identifying appropriate bore locations and ensuring project progress.

Thames Tideway Tunnel – United Kingdom

The 25 km-long underground sewer system beneath London is the new heart of the city’s wastewater reatment network.

Digital geological models enabled engineers to accurately predict ground conditions and impacts existing infrastructure, ensuring precision in tunnel excavation through the dense urban core.

London Underground Metro Network

Since 1863, London’s underground rail network has continually expanded. With support Seequent’s advanced geological modeling, new lines such as Crossrail have been constructed with unprecedented safety and efficiency.

Seequent and Bentley – The Tech Duo Building the Future of Underground Infrastructure

There’s no denying that today’s modern underground infrastructure projects would not achieve such levels of safety, efficiency, and sustainability without the support of Bentley Systems’ top-tier geotechnical software.

Solutions such as PLAXIS, GeoStudio, Leapfrog, OpenGround, and OpenTunnel have become indispensable tools, helping engineers understand the “language of the earth” to design and build with absolute confidence and precision.

With strategic vision and cutting-edge technology, Seequent and Bentley are not just engineers’ companions—but the silent architects behind some of the world’s greatest underground marvels.