TUNNELING MECHANICS

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 Purpose of tunneling
 Provide a short and convenient route!

 Diversion of canal or reservoir water

 Supplying water into power system

 Underground mining operation

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 What is a tunnel?

 A tunnel is an underground passageway, completely

enclosed except for openings or egress, commonly at
each end.
• A tunnel is relatively long and narrow; in general, the length is more
(usually much more) than twice the diameter.

• A tunnel is an artificially constructed underground passageway for move

of mankind, animals, water or goods.

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 TUNNEL DESCRIPTION
1. Made into natural material (rocks)
2. Empty inside
3. Carry the loads itself
4. Both ends are open to atmosphere
5. Generally horizontal
6. Thick walled structure looks like cylinder

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 Professional teams in the construction of tunnels
Because of the risks and uncertainties in tunnel and shaft construction,
design of underground structures cannot be carried out by one or a few
engineers.
• Engineering geologists
• Hydraulics engineers

• Structural engineers
• Geotechnical engineers
• Civil engineers
• Surveyors
• Environmental
• Construction engineers
• Other professionals involved include at least the specification specialist, the
cost estimator (often a construction engineers, draftsmen, AutoCAD
specialists, etc.

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 Preferred geology for tunnel
 Massive volcanic and metamorphic rock,
thickly bedded sedimentary rock, without
folding and faulting
 Example basalt, granite sandstone compact limestone and
dolomite
 Tunnels are often self supporting
 Amenable to blasting and boring
 Problem of stress concentration and rock burst

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 Soft or jointed rock
 Shale, friable or poorly compacted
sandstone, chalk, limestone, dolomite,
phyllite, slate, rockmass crisscrossed with
joints, folds and faults are in this category
 Amenable to boring
 Problems related to crown and sidewall
stability, swelling and squeezing and
groundwater are common

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EXPLORATION & INVESTIGATIONS RELATED
to SLOPE STABILITY

 Geomorphologic mapping and preparation of longitudinal

& cross sections
 Geological maping & surveyings (aerial photographs)
 Geophysical surveyings
 Underground explorations, boreholes
 Groundwater surveyings
 Laboratory tests
 Model studies
 SUBSURFACE EXCAVATIONS

1. GEOLOGY
1. Soil profile or hard rock geology
2. Structure
3. Groundwater (hydrogeology)
4. Stability

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2. INVESTIGATIONS
1. Mapping (Topographic, geologic, etc...)
2. Geophysical surveying (especially seismic velocity of
rocks)
3. Test pits & boreholes
4. General and local stability analysis
5. Decide excavation method

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FACTORS AFFECTING EXCAVATION of ROCKS
 Mineralogical composition of rocks
 Texture & fabric
 Structure
 Rock mass
 Strike & dip of beds in relation to face of excavation
 Intensity of tectonic disturbances
 Degree of weathering

An excavation blasts against the dip on the

left side and with the dip on the right side
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 EFFECT of GEOLOGICAL STRUCTURES in
TUNNEL EXCAVATION
 Effect of soil layers: inclined, horizontal and vertical layers
have different kinds of loading conditions for tunnels.

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 Effect of faults: the relation between the fault slope
direction and the tunnel direction, width of the fault zone,
type and thickness of the fill material and the hydrostatic
pressures in both sides of the fault are some problems in the
tunnelling.

Relation between the fault zone and the tunnel

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 Tunnel excavations in the slopes: the discontinuities (layers,
fissures) inclined inside or outside of the slope are very
important regarding the stress and strength of the tunnel.

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 Effect of the folds: While tunnel is excavated in an area that
contains folded rocks, different stresses and conditions may
occur depending on the fold type.

Fold axis and the tunnel direction is vertical Fold axis and the tunnel direction is parallel

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Folded bed rocks

Two cases:
• Anticline fold
• Syncline fold
• Groundwater & folding
 When excavations are made in
folded rocks, the strain energy is
likely to be released immediately
soon after or quite late to
tunneling operations; very often
causing the dreaded rock bursts.
Very slow release of small
amounts of strain energy might
cause bulging of walls or caving in
of roofs.

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 I. When rocks are horizontal
 In massive rocks i.e.
when individual layers are very thick and the tunnel diameter not very large,
the situation is especially beneficial, because the layers will then over bridge
flat excavations by acting as natural beams.

When the layers are thin or heavy fractured, they can not be depended upon
as beams; in such cases, either the roof has to be modified to an arch type or
has to be protected by providing lining.
 Sides of tunnels in horizontal bedded rocks may even then be
left unsupported except when precarious sheared and jointed.

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When rocks are horizontal

Safe condition

Unsafe condition
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 II) Moderately inclined strata (<45°)
Two cases: Tunnel parallel to dip
 Tunnel axis parallel to dip
 Tunnel axis parallel to strike
 a verities of rocks may have to be
encountered while cutting through a rock
sequence across the strike
 When the tunnel is driven parallel to the
strike of the beds, the pressure
distribution due to bedding plain is
unsymmetrical along the periphery of the
tunnel opening; one half will have Tunnel parallel to strike
bedding planes opening into it and thus
face potential threats for sliding.
 The bridge action also gets weekend
because of this very reason.

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 (III) Steeply inclined strata (>45°)
Two cases:
• Tunnel axis parallel to dip
• Tunnel axis parallel to strike

• Tunnels running parallel to the strike

of vertical beds, it is more than likely
a number of bedding planes-planes
of weakness – are intersected at the Tunnel parallel to dip
roof and along the arch so that
natural beam action gets
considerably weekend

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Tunnel parallel to strike
CLASSIFICATION of ROCKS for TUNNELING PURPOSES

Rock classification and determination of unsupported span 22

LONGEST IRRIGATION TUNNELS in the WORLD

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 Tunneling methods
The choice of tunnelling method may be dictated by:
 geological

 hydrological conditions,

 cross-section and length of continuous tunnel,

 local experience and time/cost considerations (what is the

value of time in the project)

 limits of surface disturbance, and many others factors.

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 The process for bored tunnelling involves all or some of
the following operations:
 Probe drilling (when needed)
 Grouting (when needed)
 Excavation (or blasting)
 Supporting
 Transportation of muck
 Lining or coating/sealing
 Draining
 Ventilation

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Tunnel construction methods:
 Mechanical drilling/cutting
 Cut-and-cover: constructed in shallow then covered over
 Drill and blast
 Shields tunnel method
 Tunnel boring machines (TBMs): without removing
ground above

 Hard Rock Tunnel – mostly used TBM

 Soft Ground Tunnel – Use Tunnel Shield

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 1. SHIELD TUNNELLING METHOD
 has protective structure used in the excavation of tunnels
through soil that is too soft or fluid to remain stable.
 Used mostly for deep tunnel
 the shield serves as a temporary support structure for the
tunnel while it is being excavated.
 This construction method causes minimal disruption to traffic
and the environment because all the work takes place below
ground and the ground level environment is unaffected.

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 2. CUT and COVER TUNNELLING METHOD
 Cut-and-cover is a simple method of construction for shallow
tunnels where a trench is excavated and roofed over with an
overhead support system strong enough to carry the load of what is
to be built above the tunnel.
 Two basic forms of cut-and-cover tunneling are available.
 Bottom-up method: A trench is excavated, with ground support as
necessary, and the tunnel is constructed in it.
 Top-down method: Side support walls and capping beams are
constructed from ground level.

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 3. TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine)
A. Mechanical-support TBM
B. Compressed-air TBM
C. Slurry shield TBM
D. Earth pressure balance machine

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 Tunneling Machines or Moles

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Soft Ground TBM

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 A- Mechanical Support TBM
 It has a full-face cutterhead which provides face support by
constantly pushing the excavated material ahead of the
cutterhead against the surrounding ground.
B- Compressed-Air TBM
 A compressed-air TBM can have either a full-face cutterhead
or excavating arms. Confinement is achieved by pressurizing
the air in the cutter chamber.
C- Slurry Shield TBM
 It has a full-face cutterhead. Confinement is achieved by
pressurizing boring fluid inside the cutterhead chamber.
 most suited for tunnels through unstable material subjected
to high groundwater pressure.
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 D - Earth Pressure Balance Machine
 It has a full-face cutterhead. Confinement is achieved by
pressurizing the excavated material in the cutterhead chamber.
 in which spoil is admitted into the TBM via a screw conveyor
arrangement which allows the pressure at the face of the TBM.

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 Quiz - 1

Compare the two sites of tunnel construction and which one do you
thick is relatively better site?

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 Quiz - 2

Compare and contrast the two slopes with regard to attitude of

discontinuities which one is relatively stable?

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