standards for design of Water transmitting tunnels

[yabi]

I would like to know what are the European and American standards for design of Water transmitting tunnels? By tunnel I mean an underground structure with a diameter of about 5 meter and 30 km length. Is there any specific and independent standards written for these structures?
Also I would like to know about the TBM technology for excavation of these tunnels in rock to hard rock ground.
Are these kind of structures are categorized under general term tunnel or they are related to hydro-structures?

 

[BigInch]

As a WAG, you're probably looking at something like 3-400 million US. Still interested?

BigInch-born in the trenches.

http://virtualpipeline.spaces.msn.com

 

[yabi]

Thanks for your reply.
The site you refered me to, is about piping, but I am looking for tunnel information.
Annual amount of water to be transmitted is 800,000 ,000 cubic meter. Topography of the site doesn&t allow the pipe alternative. So we are looking for a tunnel solution.

 

[BigInch]

That's just my webpage.

I have worked for an underground construction company and have placed petroleum product pipelines inside 6 m diam. tunnels, one tunnel 12 km long, the other 22 km long. The cost of boring the tunnels was very high so there must be both a very serious committment to the necessity of the project along with solid financial backing before you can think about a 30 km tunnel as a possible alternative.

TBM may work in some areas, grinding in others, or blasting may be needed, or a combination of several types of excavation, depending on the actual material encountered.





BigInch-born in the trenches.

http://virtualpipeline.spaces.msn.com

 

[bimr]

There probably are not any standards for water tunnels since the projects are so few and the work is customized for each project and the geology where the tunnels are located.

 

[BigInch]

I think you're right. The tunneling techniques can vary from km to km along the same tunnel, as can the lining required. Solid rock, fissured rock, water content, permeability, pressure, volume of water above, can all act to require different approaches. The second thing you need (after 500 million US) is a very good geotechnical study to see if its even feasible to start thinking about a tunnel. One of the tunnels we did hit an unknown water reservoir which started draining into the tunnel and required about 18 months to reduce the pressure sufficiently to seal it off. The good news was there was pleanty of wate for the construction camp swimming pool.

BigInch-born in the trenches.

http://virtualpipeline.spaces.msn.com

 

[yabi]

Thanks for all replies.

Tunnel alternative
This is already fixed due to feasibility studies by a consulting firm. It is 30 Km with 5.5 m dia.
Most part of the profle goes through granite and therefore an open TBM is suggested (which needs more elboration and detail study).
Tunnel cross section is under ground water level in some parts which means we have hydrostatoc pressure which makes the job more difficult.
We have got the basic data of soil due to a number of bore holes which has been done along the path.

I am incharge of stress-strain calculation for tunnel cross section and longitidinal direction. I should admit that this is my first assignement for tunnel stress-strain analysis and I should start from the very beginning step.
Through my search in Internet I came to Geo-Slope International as a company who has appropriate softwares for my purpose, which we are planning to procure and use. Your input in this regard, and your experience will be very valuable for me.
For loads and loading combination, I thought haveing a standard in this regard will be very useful.

Offcourse I know digging a tunnel (construction phase of the project) is something totally different. At present I am looking only for the design phase.
Your input and hearing your experience in this regard is very valuable for me.

Thanks

 

[BigInch]

Just curious about my cost "estimate". Was I close?

BigInch-born in the trenches.

http://virtualpipeline.spaces.msn.com

 

[yabi]

I am not in charge of cost calculation, so I dont know. Sorry. If chance arises I will ask PIC.

 

[cousink]

I don't know about obtaining standards, but for at least a pointer you might call up a specialty engineering company and ask to speak with a design engineer about tunneling. Jacobs Associates has performed design and construction of large diameter tunnel design, including aquaducts.

http://www.jacobssf.com/index.html

A project engineer I know is involved with the design and construction of a 20 ft diameter tunnel, 20 miles long, through a local mountain. He was responsible for designing the shape of the concrete sections of the tunnel wall. Once completed, the tunnel is intended to carry raw water from a reservoir.

 

[yabi]

Dear Cousink

Thanks for your data, but I do not live in USA. Also I am a design engineer with carrer in design of buildings. I am studying for design of tunnels. The overall process is same for calculation of stresses and strains but I am looking for guideline or standrad to specify the loads and design criteria.

 

[cousink]

Well, your "remote" location might take some of the edge off of talking with competition on the other side of the world. Why not make a long distance phone call?

The project engineer who designed the sections gave us a tour of the local tunnel while it was being built. The TBM is impressive. It softens up the rock inch by grateful inch.

During the boring, several precast concrete sections are placed to form rings around the circular bore, and the tunnel is built ring by ring. To negotiate the presence of groundwater, a rubber gasket is cast into the section to seal it with the others. The construction is built right into the designed concrete section. There is a hole dead in the center of it. A pump is affixed and sealed to the hole, temporarily. Then the water is sucked through section, as it is sucked into the surrounding mud and earth. Once the suction pressure is strong enough to hold the section in place, grout is pumped through the hole, in order to provide additional strength to the tunnel and alter the groundwater gradient. It's interesting, nonetheless.