Technical - Page 3

Stay up to date with the latest technical features from the global tunnelling industry

Lining innovation at Marche-Umbria 16 May, 2013 Italy's Quadrilatero Marche-Umbria project is benefitting from a new tunnel lining system reinforced by tubular arches. Pietro Lunardi, Fabrizio Romozzi, Andrea Simonini, Dino Bonadies, Cesare Avignone and Carla Luigina Zenti describe the application, installation and safety aspects of this new system

Pipe Dreams 13 March, 2013 In this second of a two part series Diana Pfeff of Herrenknecht focuses on project implementation of Direct Pipe, from start to finish with case studies around the world. For part one, see Tunnels February

Largest segments 06 March, 2013 The largest operational EP BM in the world is currently excavating the south bore of the Sparvo highway tunnel project in Italy. The outstanding size of the 15.615m Herrenknecht machine and complex geology has required 700mm thick segments with a high level of steel bar reinforcement. This paper is written by Maurizio Pepino, Gianluca Comin and Alfonso Di Cara of main contractor Toto Costruzioni Generali

Segment Moulds specified 06 March, 2013 In this technical review, engineers on the Sparvo tunnel project take us through the complete process of segment design and casting on-site to handling and finally installation. Alex Conacher speaks to Alain Préaut, sales director for segment mould and system manufacturer CBE to get the other side of the coin

NATM - from a construction method to a system 28 February, 2013 This paper by Wulf Schubert and Harald Lauffer was the basis for a presentation at the 2012 Salzburg Geomechanics Colloquium. In it, the authors cover the development of the New Austrian Tunnelling Method. In presenting this paper, Schubert, wishes for the tunnelling community to come to regard “tunnelling as a regular engineering task, and reduce the emotions and mysticism involved”

Direct to the point 28 February, 2013 In the first of a two-part series Diana Pfeff of Herrenknecht provides an introduction to direct pipe with reference to alternative methods

Blast vibration influence on existing tunnels 16 January, 2013 Work by Lun Gong, Wenge Qiu, and Hui Hu, postgraduate students at Southwest Jiantong University in China has studied the influence of vibration rock blasting of a tunnel under construction on a nearby existing tunnel. The work developed a formula to calculate blasting vibration velocity, validated numerical simulation and suggested counter measures

Blast perception and monitoring 15 January, 2013 Technical journalist Maurice Jones provides an introduction to current technology for monitoring the undesirable effects, real or just perceived, of tunnel blasting

An art for humble men 19 October, 2012 Tunnels revisits the traditional methods. Hand mining and its health and safety related concerns are well known, while the traditional soft ground timber supports are increasingly forgotten, as the old methods get pushed aside by the march of mechanisation. Alex Conacher reports

Traditional shields 15 October, 2012 Japan-based Hitachi Zosen has been manufacturing TBMs since 1967. Yasuharu Hanaoka of the manufacturer’s industrial machinery business unit notes the decline in the open, semi mechanized shields that the company did brisk business within previous decades, as closed EPBMs and slurry machines have come to prominence. He explores the technology, and gives a recent example of a ‘traditional method’ shield in operation

Can someone please explain exactly what is SCL? 30 August, 2012 A speedy and uncomplicated method has fallen prey to overdesign and endless codes. David Hindle, partner of OTB Engineering speaks out on the present state of SCL design in the United Kingdom

The thin sprayed line 30 August, 2012 P H Ferreira and Alfredo Piroddi of South African material and services supplier Minova RSA look at the use of thin sprayed liners and lessons that can be learned from experience in the mining industry

Advances in SCL design and construction 30 August, 2012 This article presents the state of the art use of sprayed concrete with a variety of waterproofing solutions on major projects in the UK. It discusses the current design of permanent sprayed concrete and sprayed waterproof membranes and how SCL design may progress in the future. Report by Andrew Pickett and Simon Stephenson of Mott MacDonald

Crossrail planning dock breakout 16 July, 2012 When Crossrail took over the ancient Connaught Tunnel as part of its route through east London, it was envisaged that it would be brought up to standard with a fill and re-excavate procedure, but further site investigations led to concerns that will now be tackled by open excavation through the Royal Docks

Back to basics with cut and cover 13 July, 2012 Cut and cover. Bachy Soletanche UK’s director Chris Merridew and business development manager Paul Hodgson get back to basics on the cut part of the method, while Alex Conacher speaks to Bernhard Lindner of Germany-based Peri about the concerns of formwork manufacturers in providing the cover

An improved jet fan 03 July, 2012 This paper presented by Harald Rudelgass and Carlo Barbetta of Systemair explores the results of converging nozzles on loss of impulse, a history of the research and the latest solution

Nazzano method 02 July, 2012 The first tunnel in the world to be widened during continued traffic is revisited. Pietro Lunardi of Lunardi’s Geo-Engineering Office, Mario Cangiano of Stone and Andrea Belfiore of Rocksoil tell the prolonged story of a twin bore motorway tunnel widening through complex geography

Shielding tunnels with built-in fire protection 28 June, 2012 Passive fire protection is an essential requirement for any type of transport tunnel, but as Promat’s marketing manager, Sean Appleton explains, choosing the right passive protection is not an easy task

Largest frozen ground excavation in North America 27 June, 2012 Regional manager Joseph Sopko, consultant Bernd Braun and project engineer Robert Chamberland all from Moretrench American Corporation give this paper on the largest excavation using ground freezing in North America. The 61m diameter, 35m deep excavation was needed for a zinc mine in Quebec.

Fire shields and other guardians 21 June, 2012 Maurice Jones examines methods and materials used for passive fire protection in tunnels

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