A COMPUTER PROGRAM FOR ESTIMATING COSTS OF HARD ROCK TUNNELLING (COHART)

A COMPUTER PERFORMS ALL LOGIC AND COMPUTATIONS CUSTOMARILY DONE BY HAND IN PREPARATION OF ENGINEER'S ESTIMATES OR CONTRACTOR'S BIDS ON TUNNEL-SHAFT SYSTEMS. THE PROGRAM DESCRIBED IS BASED ON CONSTRUCTION METHODS, WORK FORCES AND EQUIPMENT SELECTIONS CORRESPONDING TO THE CURRENT STATE OF THE ART OF TUNNELING. THE PROGRAM CONTAINS LOGIC TO PERMIT THE ESTIMATE, THE PROGRAM WILL ACCOMMODATE A LARGE NUMBER OF VALUES OR CHANGES IN THE VALUES OF THE FACTORS THAT AFFECT COSTS, SUCH AS TUNNEL SHAPE AND SIZE, SHAFT DEPTH, ROCK CHARACTERISTICS, AND CONSTRUCTION METHOD. TO PROVIDE GREAT FLEXIBILITY, THE USER OF THE PROGRAM IS PROVIDED WITH THE OPTION OF SELECTING LINING TYPE AND THICKNESS, PROFIT AND OVERHEAD MARGINS, AND OTHER INPUT DATA. SUGGESTIONS FOR SELECTING AN APPROPRIATE VALUE FOR THESE INPUTS ARE CONTAINED. COMPLETE OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS AND AN ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE ARE PRESENTED. /AUTHOR/