Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, La., is building a new facility for its Trenchless Technology Center (TTC).

The university says in a news release that the new facility will provide an additional space for faculty, students, and the trenchless industry as a whole to receive field training and perform research for the trenchless technology industry.

The Trenchless Technology Center was created in 1989 to promote research, development, and technology transfer in the trenchless industry.

“This new facility will provide the Trenchless Technology Center with space to continue providing cutting-edge training to professionals in trenchless technology fields,” says Hisham Hegab, dean of the College of Engineering and Science.

Construction began in November and should be completed in early 2021.

The facility will be constructed on Louisiana Tech’s South Campus, adjacent to the TTC’s National Trenchless Technology Research Facility.

It will provide space for TTC specialty schools such as the Auger Boring School and Utility Investigation School.

This additional space also will be available for international equipment and material manufacturers and technology providers for research and development and technology validation.