by a thicker concrete lining. Closing of the invert – Especially crucial in soft ground, the quick closing of the invert (the bottom portion of the tunnel) which creates a load-bearing ring is important, and has the advantage of engaging the inherent strength of the rock mass surrounding the tunnel. Contractual arrangements – Since the NATM is based on monitoring measurements, changes in support and construction method are possible, but only if the contractual system enables them. Rock mass classification, ranging from very hard to very soft, determines the minimum support measures required and avoids economic waste that comes from needlessly strong support measures. Support system designs exist for each of the main rock classes. These serve as the guidelines for tunnel reinforcement. Based on the computation of the optimal cross section, only a thin shotcrete protection is necessary. It is applied immediately behind the excavated tunnel face to create a natural load-bearing ring and minimize the rock's deformation. Geotechnical instruments are installed to measure the later deformation of excavation. Monitoring of the stress distribution within the rock is possible. This monitoring makes the method very flexible, even if teams encounter unexpected changes in the geomechanical rock consistency, e.g. by crevices or pit water. Reinforcement is done by wired concrete that can be combined with steel ribs or lug bolts, not with thicker shotcrete. The measured rock properties suggest the appropriate tools for tunnel strengthening, where support requirements can traditionally be estimated using the RMR or Q System. Since the turn of the 21st century, NATM has been used for soft ground excavations and making tunnels in porous sediments. NATM enables immediate adjustments in the construction details, but requires a flexible contractual system to support such changes. Variant names NATM was originally developed for use in the Alps, where tunnels are commonly excavated at depth and in high in situ stress conditions. The principles of NATM are fundamental to modern-day tunnelling, and NATM fundamentally involves specifically addressing the specific soil conditions being encountered. Most city tunnels are built at shallow depth and do not need to control the release of in situ stress, as was the case with the original NATM in the Alps. Projects in cities place a higher priority on minimizing settlement and so tend to use different support methods from the original NATM. That has led to a confusion in terminology in that tunnelling engineers use "NATM"