Areas of research on the construction of tunneling underground machines of the Geokhod class

The article presents the features that characterize the complexity and novelty of the main functional systems of underground machines of the "Geokhod"class as an object of design and production. The authors discuss the problems that developers encountered at all stages of creating test models and prototypes of a new class of underground machines "Geokhod". The lack of special scientific and methodological support is a deterrent to the creation of a new class of underground vehicles. Taking into account the peculiarities of work, interaction with the geo-environment of tunneling underground machines of the "Geokhod"class, the need arose to create a scientific specialty that will be associated with the design and construction of tunneling underground equipment. Thus, by analogy with the aircraft industry, the support for the creation of underground machines interacting with the geo-environment should be assigned to a new scientific profile and the scientific specialty "Construction of underground machines that interact with the geo-environment". A new scientific direction is considered as a key element of an advanced technological structure for the development of underground space on the basis of advanced development and new approaches in construction geotechnology and geotechnics.