Welcome to the North American Tunneling Conference

NAT, (North American Tunneling conference) is sponsored by the Underground Construction Association of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration (UCA of SME). The North American Tunneling Conference (NAT) is the premier biennial tunneling event for North America, bringing together the brightest, most resourceful and innovative minds in the tunneling and underground construction industry.

Held in Anaheim, California, this four-day conference focuses on the information, advances and projects in North America and around the globe along with the victories and challenges of working in diverse environments.

This conference is ideal for contractors, engineers, vendors and owners in the tunneling and underground construction industry. No matter how experienced you are in the field of tunneling and underground construction, NAT 2026 is positioned to advance your future and that of the industry.

The committee will consider all abstracts covering any/all aspects of the tunneling/underground construction industry including, but not limited to, the following topics:

Tunnel Boring Machines

Ground Conditioning  & Modification

Equipment Automation

NATM/SEM – Conventional Tunneling

Caverns

Small Diameter Tunneling

Shaft Construction

Emerging Technologies

Risk Management

Lining Design Advances

Fire & Life Safety

Rehabilitation

Design

Contracting Methods

Alternative Delivery Methods

Financing

Labor Training

Case Histories

Future Projects

Futuristic Tunneling

Dates & Deadlines

Please read the following information carefully and mark your calendar with important dates and deadlines.

Prospective authors are asked to submit a 100-word abstract. For detailed guidelines for submitting a successful abstract, please visit Abstract Submission. Submitters will be notified in September 2025 of acceptance or otherwise.

Please seek ALL APPROVALS TO SUBMIT AN ABSTRACT PRIOR TO SUBMITTING.

If your abstract is accepted, it is a commitment to submit a MANUSCRIPT and PRESENT IN PERSON. If you cannot commit to both of those, please do not submit an abstract for consideration.