You are building a road but a mountain is in the way. Could the road be built over the mountain? That would be rough travelling. What about going around? That would take longer-to build it and to drive on it. What about digging a tunnel? A tunnel is the shortest route, and there are many ways to build one.
Tunnels built through hard rock are usually blasted. Workers use explosives to blast each section of rock. Then they build supports in the newly opened part of the tunnel to keep rock from falling in.
Huge boring machines tunnel through clay or soft rock. As steel tubes dig through the ground, the machine “swallows” the earth and rock. The earth is dumped at the back of the machine the tunnel opening where trucks can haul it away. Reinforced concrete or steel is used to make the floor, walls, and roof of the tunnel.
Cut-and-cover tunnels are built close to the surface. Workers dig a deep trench. Then they build a floor, walls, and roof of reinforced concrete. When the concrete has hardened, the area around the concrete is filled to street level.
The mountain is no longer in the way. You simply drive right through it.
Picture Credit : Google