There is provided a system and method for underground tunnelling and the installation of slabs between a terrain 2 and a subterranean substrate 4. The system comprises a plurality of stacks of slabs 20a, 20b, 40b, a tunnel boring machine 10, a belt and a pushing device configured to push each stack of slabs into the tunnel. Each stack of slabs comprises a belt channel 22a passing from a front end of the stack of slabs to a rear end of the stack of slabs, and the belt passes through the plurality of stacks of slabs via the belt channels when the plurality of stacks of slabs are aligned in a row, to loop around a roller 18a, 18b adjacent to a front one of the plurality of stacks of slabs, and to pass between the subterranean substrate and the lower surfaces of the lower slabs of the stacks. The slabs may also be provided with elastomeric layers 28 to help absorb vertical seismic loading and concave and convex formations to help reduce horizontal loading.
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