Week 23 Tunnelling & TBM Course: Microtunnelling & Trenchless Tech.

During the Week 23 (23rd June to 27th June) of our MAS course on Tunnelling and TBM, we had a special lecture by Dr. Ray Sterling, P.E. (Professor Emeritus at Louisiana Tech University) on Microtunnelling and Trenchless Technology.

Prof. Sterling's lecture gave an overview of the different trenchless technologies available (displacement methods, HDD, Pipe jacking & Hybrid methods). The three day lecture series was focussed on:

• Suitability and advantages of various trenchless methods
• Estimation of jacking loads and ground loss during microtunnelling
• Estimation of Direct, Indirect and Social cost of a typical trenchless project

Prof. Ray Sterling's Lecture on Trenchless Technology and Microtunnelling

Prof. Sterling also presented two case studies on the use of trenchless technology for installation of Sewer system in Berlin [5] and experience in Europipe project [6].

References:

[1] Stein, D., 2005. Trenchless Technology for the Installation of Cables and Pipelines, Ernst and Sohn, Germany.

[2] Bennett, D., 1998. Jacking Loads and Ground Deformations Associated with Microtunneling, Ph.D. Thesis, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

[3] Milligan, G. W. E., and C. D. F. Rogers. "Chapter 19: Trenchless technology." Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering Handbook. Springer US, 2001. 569-592.

[4] Microtunneling and Horizontal Drilling, Recommendations by French Society for Trenchless Technology, Hermes Science Publishing Ltd, 2004

[5] Mohring, K. "Berlin- capital city of microtunnelling." No-Dig International 4.5 (1993): 5-6.

[6] Lauritzsen, R., O. K. Sande, and A. Slatten. "Europipe landfall tunnel." Publikasjon-Norges Geotekniske Institutt 197 (1996): G2-1.

Week 22 Tunnelling & TBM Course: Safety in Tunnelling

As in any construction site, underground worksites poses many dangers. In addition to the general hazards typical to any worksite, there are some specific hazards particular to underground worksite. To cover these aspects, Week 22 (16th June to 20th June) lectures were focussed on Health and Safety of Worksite and Equipments. Mr. Achille Sorlini from Geodata and Prof. Mario Patrucco from Politecnico di Torino gave us an overview of the topic with some case studies and engineering design control methods.

Examples of specific measures to be taken in case of following typical events were discussed:

• Event of fire
• Event of gas in-leakage
• Event of water inrush
• Event of cave-in / rock burst
• Compressed air interventions

Major Tunnelling safety codes [1-6] of practices were discussed. ITA Working Group on Health and Safety in Works [3] gives a brief summary of important aspects to be covered while preparing HSP (Health and Safety Plan) for a Tunnelling site and serves as a quick reference. TBG Handbook prepared by ITA [4] gives an illustrative examples of safe and un-safe practices, particularly very useful for Tunnel workers and first line supervision.

Example of safe practices given in TBG handbook [4]

References:

[1] British Standard 6164 Code of practice for safety in tunnelling in the construction Industry,2001.

[2] DAUB Recommendations for Planning and Implementation of Occupational Health and Safety concepts in Underground Worksites, 2007.

[3] ITA WG: Health and Safety in Works - Guidelines for Good Occupational Health and Safety Practice in Tunnel Construction, November 2008

[4] ITA WG: Health and Safety in Works - Safe Working in Tunnelling TBG Handbook 

[5] European Standard EN 12336: Tunnelling machines - Shield machines, thrust boring machines, auger boring machines, lining erection equipment - Safety requirements, 2005.

[6] Council Directive 92/57/EEC on the implementation of minimum safety and health requirements at temporary or mobile construction sites

[7] OSHA 29 CFR, Safety and Health Regulations for Construction - Underground Construction, Caissons, Cofferdams and Compressed Air (1926.800), US Department of Labor.

[8] OSHA 3115, Underground Construction (Tunnelling), US Department of Labor.

[9] European Standard EN 815: Unshielded tunnel boring machines and rodless shaft boring machines for hard rock - safety requirements

[10] European Standard EN 12111: Tunnelling machines - Boring machines, continuous miners and impact rippers - safety requirements

[11] European Standard EN 12110: Tunnelling machines - pressure zone access - Safety requirements.

Week 20 & 21 Tunnelling & TBM Course: Tunnel Facilities and Quality

Week 20 and 21 (2nd June to 13th June) of the specializing course on Tunnelling and TBM covered the design aspects of the following Auxiliary Tunnel Facilities:

• Underground Railway Transportation (Rails, Rolling stock and Locomotives)
• Underground Ventilation System [1] [3]
• Conveyor Belts
• Compressed Air
• Separation Plant for Slurry Shield [2]
• Water Treatment Plant [2]
• Lighting [1]

Above design aspects were discussed by the designers from the leading industry suppliers (Atlas Copco, Swedvent, Marti Technik) and contractors (Salini Impregilo).

Mr. Marco Arato from Atlas Copco - Lecture on Locomotives and Ventilation

Mr. Antonio Nicola - Overview lecture on Auxiliary Tunnel Facilities

Prof. Oggeri (also the Animateur of WG 16 : Quality in Tunnelling), discussed about the recommendations on how to achieve Quality in Tunnelling and how to identify, evaluate and specify Quality Management measures to be taken by all parties in the Conceptual Planning, Procurement, Design, Construction, Operation and Maintenance phases of underground projects involving tunnels [4].
References:
[1] Kolymbas, Dimitrios. "Chapter 2: Installations in tunnels." Tunnelling and Tunnel Mechanics: A Rational Approach to Tunnelling (2005): 31-56.

[2] Maidl, Bernhard, Markus Thewes, and Ulrich Maidl. "Chapter 8: Ventilation During the Construction Phase." Handbook of Tunnel Engineering I, First Edition (2013): 409-425.

[3] Swiss SIA Standard 196, Underground Ventilation (edition 1998), Swiss Engineers and Architects Association.

[4] Oggeri, Claudio, and Gunnar Ova. "Quality in tunnelling: ITA-AITES working group 16 final report." Tunnelling and underground space technology 19.3 (2004): 239-272.

[5] Wood, Alan Muir. Tunnelling: management by design. CRC Press, 2002.

[6] American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. Best Practices for Implementing Quality Control & Quality Assurance for Tunnel Inspection. AASHTO T-20, 2009.

My Winning Shot - ITA Photo Contest 2014

Prize Winning Photograph - Senthil Nath G T Photography

I am very happy to share with my readers that one of my photographs has been selected as the prize winning photograph in International Tunnelling Association - (ITA) Photo Contest 2014, held during World Tunnel Congress 2014 at Brazil.

Photo contest results: http://www.ita-aites.org/en/ita-photo-contest-2014-winners. The winning participant gets a free registration for WTC 2015 to be held in Dubrovnik, Croatia (details).

This small recognition gives me a lot of encouragement for my hobby in photography. I would welcome my readers to visit my photography page at: facebook.com/sgt.photos

Tunnelling & TBM Course: Contracts & Claims

During the specialising course on Tunnelling and TBM at Politecnico di Torino, we had a module on Contracts and Claims. Understanding contractual nuances plays a very important role in managing complex projects such as Tunnelling, which is prone to a lot of claims. Only a keen and comprehensive understanding of the contracts will help in avoiding disputes and accompanying cost and time overruns. 

Mr. Romano Allione, Chairman of Dispute Resolution Board Foundation, took us through the clauses of the FIDIC, Red Book (Conditions of contract for construction) and briefly introduced the other forms of Contracts (Short form, EPC-Turnkey, Plant, Design and Build). Emphasis was made on Clause 20 (Claims, Disputes and Arbitration) and the timeline to be followed as per FIDIC form of contract.

Different forms of FIDIC Contract

Following the above lecture, Mr. Patrizio Torta from PM&E s.r.l gave us an overview of claims, calculation of claims under different scenarios with case studies.

References:

[1] Bunni, Nael G. The FIDIC form of contract: the fourth edition of the Red Book. Oxford: Blackwell Science, 1997.

[2] Glover, Jeremy, and Simon Hughes. Understanding the FIDIC Red Book: A Clause by Clause Commentary. Sweet & Maxwell, 2011.

[3] Jaeger, Axel Volkmar, and Götz-Sebastian Hök. FIDIC: A guide for practitioners. Springer, 2009.

[4] Perry, John G. "The New Engineering Contract: principles of design and risk allocation." Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management 2.3 (1995): 197-208.