Established in 1979, the renowned Grouting Fundamentals & Current Practice short course has provided unique professional training and education to thousands of grouting professionals worldwide.

This four-day course covers pressure grouting as a method to improve geotechnical properties of soils and rock masses, with special focus on mechanisms, theories, and practical applications of grouting to ground densification and strengthening, permeability reduction and groundwater cutoffs. The curriculum has been developed specifically for Owners, Regulators, Consultants and Contractors seeking increased competence concerning the applications of pressure grouting to a broad array of geo-structural construction and remediation techniques.

The course will be held Sept. 16-19 at Bundeswehr University in Munich, Germany. For information, visit the course website.

RELATED: Dates Set for 2019 Breakthroughs in Tunneling Short Course

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Infrastructure provides the basis for economic development and environmental health, yet as a country our investment in this critical area has not kept pace. Despite their importance, highways, transit systems, utility systems and more are sometimes taken for granted, and our decision-makers face difficult choices when it comes to spending limited resources.

The lack of urgency is apparent. In the run-up to the 2016 presidential election, both parties touted the need for infrastructure investment, yet we have yet to see any substantial progress. Meanwhile the needs only increase with aging structures and a growing and shifting population. This is reflected in the ASCE’s oft-cited Report Card, which grades the overall infrastructure in the United States as a D+. Further, the report cites approximately $2 trillion in needs.

To help raise awareness, Infrastructure Week, a non-profit organization, convenes a national week of education and advocacy that brings together American businesses, workers, elected leaders, and everyday citizens. This year, the 7th annual Infrastructure Week is being held May 13-20.

To help celebrate the week, TBM: Tunnel Business Magazine is highlighting recent projects that showcase how infrastructure projects help to improve our communities. The list includes a mix of end uses – transportation, sewer and water, from across the United States.

So with out further ado, our Top 5 showcase projects for Infrastructure Week 2019, all past winners of the Tunnel Achievement Award:

• Port of Miami Tunnel – Innovative contracting approach and technically challenging conditions improve traffic flow in one of the top destinations in the United States.
• New York No. 7 Line Extension – One of the first major expansions to the subway system in decades, this project helps to re-vitalize an under-served area of Manhattan.
• Las Vegas Lake Mead Intake No. 3 – A fast-track design-build project that helps to protect drinking water supplies for a city of more than 600,000 in the desert.
• DC’s Blue Plains Tunnel – A major component of Washington, D.C.’s program to reduce pollution in one of the country’s most storied waterways.
• Seattle Northgate Link Extension – The most recent build-out of Seattle Sound Transit’s commuter train service helps alleviate traffic in this city suffering from chronic congestion.

How are you planning to celebrate Infrastructure Week? We are happy to hear your stories. Please contact us as jrush@benjaminmedia.com

The post Celebrating Infrastructure Week 2019 appeared first on Tunnel Business Magazine.

Local media got the opportunity to visit the Westerly Storage Tunnel shaft during Infrastructure Week.

In recognition of Infrastructure Week, the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (NEORSD) invited area media for a tour of the Westerly Storage Tunnel on May 15. Westerly is the most recent large-diameter tunnel in the District’s 25-year, $3 billion Project Clean Lake, a CSO control plan that is cleaning up Lake Erie, the Cuyahoga River and other area waterways.

The Westerly Storage Tunnel contract was awarded last spring to a joint venture of Jay Dee–Obayashi, which bid $135 million. The project includes approximately 9,600 lf of 25-ft ID CSO storage tunnel excavated in rock and supported with a bolted, gasketed, one-pass steel fiber reinforced concrete segmental lining, being manufactured in nearby Macedonia, Ohio. The JV will be using a new Lovsuns TBM that is being built in China.

In addition to the tunnel, there are three deep shafts, with slurry walls built by Nicholson Construction:

– WST-1: 46-ft diameter online access shaft at the TBM retrieval site.
– WST-2: 12-ft diameter baffle drop structure, connected to the main tunnel via a 5-ft diameter, 50-ft long adit in rock.
– WST-3: 40-ft diameter baffle drop structure at the TBM launch site.

Ancillary work includes Gate Structure and Gate Control Structure, at both the WST-2 and WST-3 sites, to regulate flow entering the tunnel, approximately 90 lf of 46-in. diameter sewer, and miscellaneous modifications to existing sewers.

The design contract was awarded to a joint venture of Mott MacDonald and MWH Global/Stantec in 2015.

When completed, Westerly will reduce overflows from the Walworth Run Sewer, one of the District’s biggest CSO points. The sewer was a natural stream that was culverted more than a century ago.

A personnel carrier being lowered into the Westerly Storage Tunnel main working shaft with the Cleveland Skyline in the background.

Upon the completion of the Westerly Storage Tunnel, overflows from the Walworth Run Sewer (shown) will be significantly reduced.

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Members of the tunneling community in China gathered to discuss facilitating sharing of TBM data.

On May 4, 2019, more than 80 Chinese industry experts, teachers and students from domestic TBM tunnel engineering planning, design, construction, equipment manufacturing and research positions gathered in Beijing Yun-zen Jinling Lotus hotel to attend “TBM Tunneling Parameter Data Sharing and Machine Learning: Parallel Analysis Seminar.” The seminar was co-sponsored by National 973 Program “TBM Effective Tunneling Whole Process Information Intelligent Control and Supporting Software Basic Research” project team and Chinese Society for Rock Mechanics & Engineering, and organized by Intelligent R&D Institute of China Railway Engineering Equipment Group Co. Ltd. (CREG).

Aiming at the urgent demand for huge amount of data sharing and the fact that the information can exist in isolated islands within the industry, academicians of Chen Zuyu, Qian Qihu, Cheng Gengdong, He Manchao, Yang Huayong and TBM industry leading figures represented by Li Jianbin jointly launched the “Lotus Pond Initiative,” calling for addressing TBM industry data standardization and sharing challenges, promoting the application of big data and artificial intelligence in the industry, to reinforce the overall strength of China’s TBM industry.

The “Lotus Pond Initiative” focuses on: continuing to promote TBM data standardization and data sharing; promoting combination of disciplines and the industry; integrating closely with major engineering projects; giving full play to academic societies.

“TBM R&D has experienced trials and errors and has become the hardware support of large mountain tunnel construction. Machine learning is an interdisciplinary subject in many fields. It is the core of artificial intelligence and the fundamental way to make computers intelligent,” said He Manchao, president of Chinese Society for Rock Mechanics & Engineering, academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Chen Zuyu, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said that, “We call on information experts, electromechanical experts and geotechnical engineering experts to cooperate and work with each other, so as to further improve China’s TBM manufacturing and tunneling technology capability and achieve more outcomes in safe, efficient and intelligent tunneling. We call on the national TBM key projects that have been started and will be carried out in the future, to provide more space for the research and development of big data and artificial intelligence. We also call on the scientific and technical personnel to devote themselves to the TBM projects with a high sense of responsibility and develop an intelligent product for TBM construction.”

Chief scientist of National 973 Program, general manager of China Railway Hi-Tech Industry Corp. Ltd., Li Jianbin stated, “With the increasingly high level of TBM information and data mining utilization in the future, intelligent TBM and intelligent tunnel construction will definitely be realized, and China’s engineering equipment and engineering construction technical strength will also reach the world’s leading level.”

As a leading enterprise in TBM industry, CREG has participated in launching the “Lotus Pond Initiative,” and is dedicated to breaking through the bottleneck of big data and artificial intelligence in TBM and contributing to the development of China’s TBM industry.

RELATED: RETC 2019 Heads to Chicago

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Sciortino

Equipment Corporation of America (ECA), a leading distributor of specialty foundation equipment, has promoted Anthony Sciortino to Northeast Regional Sales Manager. He will manage all of the firm’s product lines in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island.

Sciortino came to ECA when the company acquired New England Construction Products in 2015. He had been serving as a mechanic and sales representative at the time. Sciortino was named Sales Engineer in March 2015 and held that position up until now.

“Anthony is well-rounded with deep roots and in-depth knowledge of the New England market,” said Jeff Harmston, ECA’s Vice President – Sales and Marketing. “We’re looking forward to giving him greater responsibility to develop this region.”

Sciortino earned a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management at the University of Massachusetts. Although he enjoys golfing in summer and snowboarding in the winter, most of his free time is spent with family.

ECA has been a leading supplier of foundation construction equipment in the Eastern United States and Eastern Canada for more than a century.

RELATED: Keville Elected as President of The Moles

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A remarkable addition to the city’s public transport infrastructure, the first part of Doha Metro’s Red Line, started its service for the public on May 8 running from Al Qassar in the North to Al Wakra in the South. Doha Metro consists of four lines serving the Greater Doha area and includes underground and elevated rail sections, bridges and passes. The metro network connects town centers, commercial hubs and residential areas throughout the city and is considered one of the world’s most modern metro and railway systems.

Urbanization and the demands of modern society are posing significant challenges for infrastructure in cities across the globe. More than half of the global population live in cities and towns and by 2025, 37 cities alone will house 10 percent of the world’s population, equaling around 800,000 million people. We need smart transport solutions as a part of the urban development. For over half a century, COWI has been involved in some of the world’s most prestigious and challenging underground infrastructure projects – Doha Metro being no exception.

Tunnels and underground stations in challenging ground conditions

The new line is part of the Qatar Rail Development Program, set up to help the country’s transport authorities in improving the existing public transport infrastructure and reducing urban congestion by 2030. The first part of the new line, also known as Red Line North, has a total length of 13 km. As lead for the design joint venture in a design-build contract, COWI carried out the detailed design for six underground stations, three switch boxes, 11 km of twin bored tunnels, 20 cross passages and a ramp to the elevated section.

The detailed design included all temporary works, permanent structural works, mechanical/electrical/plumbing (MEP) and architecture. In addition to the different design works, COWI was also responsible for the services regarding geological and hydrogeological conditions, materials durability assessment, fire and safety strategies, the sustainability assessment and the temporary traffic management.

A multidisciplinary approach

The design and construction of the works required a multidisciplinary approach for the delivery of the six underground metro stations – Al Bidda, Corniche, QIC West Bay, DECC, Al Qassar and Katara – to facilitate the speedy execution. This included minimizing the required excavation support, followed by detailed and elaborated structural engineering of all bottom up stations and emergency shafts. In addition, came the MEP systems in standard stations and the largest combined station and cross-over box at Al Bidda – no less than 322 m long and 55 m wide.

Station design was done using 3D structural models, while drawing production for interfacing and planning purposes were done utilizing 3D BIM models and elements of 4D and 5D design process. The tunneling part of project consisted of 11 km of twin-bored tunnels with a 6.17-m internal diameter followed by the construction of the mined cross passages and audits. These tunnels and cross passages were constructed in very challenging ground conditions with water bearing layers and karst features.

Read about the Red Line online at the COWI website.

RELATED: Tunneling Complete on Doha Metro’s Green Line

RELATED: Herrenknecht To Supply 15 Tunnel Boring Machines to Doha

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Using AR technology, the project team can experience worksite conditions

In January 2018 Isonomic, a specialist agency delivering bespoke augmented and virtual reality experiences, began an ambitious project to bring to life safety inductions using holographic technology in the Microsoft HoloLens. It would cover roles for the tunnels and station excavation works (TSE project). This project is being delivered as a joint venture by John Holland, CPB Contractors and Ghella on behalf of Sydney Metro.

The tunnel works covered within the AR induction includes; the boring of twin 15.5-km railway tunnels using single and double shield TBMs, a bespoke precast segment factory and additional mined tunnel works.

To deliver complex machinery and work environments using holographic technology required cutting-edge code and understanding the strengths and limitations of the HoloLens technology. Isonomic was also conscious of the end-user: by ensuring the project was user-led, Isonomic could deliver a program that could stand the test of time, be the best fit for the client, while being applicable on multiple training projects where tunneling was involved.

What is the HoloLens and Augmented Reality?

Put simply the HoloLens enables holograms to be placed in a real environment through a series of complex projections built into the headset, complemented by 360 sound. The objects are fixed in 3D space and the wearer can move around freely, untethered to any computer.

Benefits of Augmented Reality technology

The benefits of this as a training tool, is that users are able to see their work environments and tools close up, without having to step foot into the real environment, or in this case being given an induction of a tunnel boring machine and precast factory before, any factory or TBM has even been completed. For big projects this means teams are fully aware of complex work environments and can be on the job quicker.

A second advantage is that the technology enables users to not only see the machinery in space, but also move around it, and see and converse with their fellow inductees simultaneously. This means teams can discuss what they are seeing and ask questions, helping resolve any safety concerns or issues up front. This can be used for design or training of complex machinery.

How we developed a collaborative project

Isonomic believes strongly in user backed design, so for every element the agency built, there were working groups and end-users involved in the design of holograms, scripting, priorities, voice over, sound and overall look and feel. Isonomic wanted the project stakeholders to own the end result and have a set of induction material that could stand the test of time.

Isonomic had three working groups with senior executives down to end-users, and engaged directly with an extensive range of internal stakeholders to ensure the design met the required need.

Any script material contained in the induction was based on the manuals for each machine, all tailored material was from the safety executives on the project and edited to match how the end-users talked in the working environment. This meant that when users had been through the augmented reality induction, they would be familiar with the layout and key safety processes and procedures before they had stepped foot on a machine or into workplace. The aim being to increase safety. With access to CAD, Isonomic was able to build the precast factory and the TBM before they were assembled and in operation.

End Result

Isonomic delivered three of the most extensive and complex holographic experiences to date in the world within eight months. The results delighted and engaged both the client and end-users. For some workers it was the first time they were able to understand the end-to-end processes involved in their work environment; they understood why they needed to be safe at work, and what happened if the quality of their work was not met.

The clients themselves were delighted with the product, the Project Director Terry Sleiman said, “From the minute we saw the potential of the HoloLens and augmented reality, we knew it would add tremendous value to workforce development and training on the project. We knew it was a risk, as it was new technology and the volume and the complexity of machinery we wanted featured in the mixed reality environment had never been done before. That’s what made it exciting, to pioneer the use of technology in a day-to-day working environment. Working with Isonomic on the solution was a breeze, they took control of the whole process and made sure they resolved any problems so that our tight delivery timeframes were met. The end result was amazing”

With over 500 users going through the experiences in the first four months, the augmented reality induction tool quickly added value to the project. Further, as an outcome of both the quality of the design and delivery of the augmented reality experiences Isonomic was accelerated to becoming a partner of Microsoft for Mixed Reality in April 2018. This partnership enables Isonomic to access cutting-edge code and solutions for mixed reality tools, something which has already been useful for the agency on designing their next projects.

Emma Parker, the Managing Director of Isonomic, said, “For us this project was a massive achievement, in both breaking programming barriers with the technology itself, and also in delivering a truly collaborative project that met the end user’s needs. It all comes down to that in the end, making sure what you deliver actually makes a difference to the training of workers, and in this case, we are proud of the impact this training has had.”

What’s next?

The future of augmented and virtual reality training is quickly becoming the norm on complex projects. These tools bring to life potentially dangerous working environments before projects begin. They enable the complex design of machinery, evacuation areas and road networks to be co-designed and discussed before plans are final. There are also now projects underway using the HoloLens to monitor and manage work environments on a day-to-day basis, improving processes and enabling trouble shooting to be resolved quickly. The newest version of the HoloLens to be delivered in 2019 will also have low light and high sunlight capability, meaning it can be used on the job by engineers in the field, accelerating the time from training to being able to be a productive team member. The HoloLens can take live data feeds, integrated BIM data and complex animations. It can be utilized in roles across projects and not limited to training, but encompassing complete project management and community engagement.

Isonomic is now working on three bespoke virtual reality and mixed reality tools, one on harassment and bullying, and another on driving a safety-based culture for use on complex projects. The last project is DreamAwake, a tool to open senior leadership to innovative solutions. This tool is already generating positive feedback. Isonomic welcomes any organizations interested in exploring these projects to contact them for more information. Isonomic has also partnered with another HoloLens partner to deliver a cost-effective, real-time design tool for infrastructure projects.

Isonomic is a Microsoft mixed reality partner. Any enquiries for training or design tools for your project should be directed to emma@isonomic.org.

RELATED: CIMIC’s CPB Contractors Awarded Sydney Metro Works

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Rendering of the Silvertown Tunnel (Source: Atkins)

Ferrovial-owned Cintra Global is preferred bidder on the £1 billion ($1.27 USD) Silvertown Tunnel under the River Thames in London, the New Civil Engineer reported on May 20.

Transport for London (TfL) is developing the highway crossing in East London to ease the strain on the existing crossings. The tunnel will run between Silvertown and North Greenwich.

Atkins has been commissioned to carry out the reference design for the Silvertown Tunnel that shall inform statutory consultation, a Development Consent Order (DCO) application and provide the basis for an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). Yee Associates collaborated and advised on the architectural design.

The DCO was granted in May 2018. Construction could begin as soon as late 2019, with the tunnel opening for traffic in 2024.

The proposed project comprises:

• Two 11.45-m Internal Diameter bores, each of approximately 1.0-km in length, with two traffic lanes per bore and connecting cross-passages.
• Cut-and-cover approaches at Greenwich and Silvertown, each of approximately 0.2km in length. The approaches will carry the same number of the traffic lanes as the bored tunnel, and would comprise emergency cross-passages. Each approach will include a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) chamber at the interface with the bored tunnel in order to facilitate its construction.

The major challenge for the project with regards to design and construction is the fact that it would be built in the area that historically was highly developed by a heavy industry, and underground remnants of redundant and demolished structures are still are present. Additionally, in recent years new infrastructure such as Docklands Light Railway (DLR), Woolwich Branch Viaduct, and Emirates Air Line (EAL) were constructed in the close proximity to the proposed tunnel route.

RELATED: TBMs Millicent, Ursula Sail into London for Super Sewer

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LA Metro is marking the halfway construction milestone for Section 1 of the Purple Line Extension with a community event planned for June 2 at the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum from 11 am to 3 pm. The event will feature live music and performances, games, giveaways and food trucks.

The nine-mile Purple Line Extension Project is being constructed in three sections. The first section, currently under construction, is forecast to open in 2023.

Section 1 is a 3.92-mile long subway alignment with three stations that is being constructed under Wilshire Boulevard in gassy ground and tar sands with prehistoric fossil deposits utilizing the design-build delivery method. NTP for the $1.636 million design-build contract was issued to Skanska/Traylor/Shea JV on Jan. 12, 2015. Tunneling operations began in October 2018. The tunneling operations will be staged through the shoring box of the Wilshire/La Brea Station excavation.

The scope of work includes 17,900 ft of twin-bore tunnel: Reach 1 is 9,600 lf between Wilshire/La Brea Station and Wilshire/Western TBM retrieval shaft; Reach 2 is 4,400 lf between Wilshire/La Brea and Wilshire/Fairfax Stations; and Reach 3 is 3,300 lf between Wilshire/ Fairfax and Wilshire/La Cienega Stations. There is also 600 lf of tail track to the west of Wilshire/ La Cienega Station where the TBMs will be buried. The tunnel is 18-ft, 10-in. inside diameter with 12-in. thick precast concrete lining. Depth varies from 40 ft and 100 ft. The alignment includes three stations and the western retrieval shaft and 23 cross passages. Tunnels are to be mined by two Herrenknecht EPBMs. Cross-passages are planned to be mined by the sequential excavation method using variety of localized ground support systems.

Anticipated ground conditions include: Soft ground consisting of Pleistocene-age (San-Pedro) and Pliocene-age (Fernando) formations; Some alluvium deposits and artificial fill areas above the tunnel; Tar sands comprise almost 25% of tunnel alignment; Expected water table up to 90 lf above tunnel crown; Presence of methane (CH4) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gases (tunnels are deemed “gassy” by OSHA). The project is 44% complete. Reach 1 tunneling is expected to complete in June 2019. TBM tunneling in Reach 2, 3 and the Tail Track is expected to progress through August 2020. Cross passage work in Reach 1 is scheduled to start in October 2019.

The post LA Metro Plans ‘Halfway to La Cienega’ Celebration appeared first on Tunnel Business Magazine.

Brokk Inc. has opened the doors to its new Demonstration and Service Center in St. Joseph, Missouri.

Brokk, the world’s leading manufacturer of remote-controlled demolition machines, has opened the doors to its new Demonstration and Service Center in St. Joseph, Missouri, expanding its North American coverage and bringing the number of Brokk locations to three. Randy Glidewell and Mike Brott join the Brokk team at the new facility. Glidewell takes on the leadership position as Brokk fleet service manager, with Brott in the role as service technician.

With the acquisition of Aquajet Systems AB in 2016, Brokk realized there was a need for a centralized location in the Midwest to demonstrate machines from both companies. The 10,000-sq ft facility incorporates an outdoor proving ground with various concrete structures to prove out the power and precision of Brokk and Aquajet products, including simulated Department of Transportation materials and steel reinforcement configurations. The building houses an extensive inventory for both companies, including a Brokk service fleet of over 20 machines, for demonstrations, purchase or lease, giving customers the opportunity of a hands-on experience to help them choose the Brokk and Aquajet models and attachments best suited to their needs.

The company plans to host two open house demonstrations later in 2019 in conjunction with Brokk and Aquajet Demo Days, but in the meantime individual demonstrations can be arranged through the Monroe, Washington, office.

“The new facility is going to change how people see Brokk and Aquajet machines,” said Mike Martin, vice president of operations for Brokk. “It’s exciting to be able to show potential customers the capability of these machines. Couple that with how easy it will be to support our existing customers with service and training, and you have a win for customers and prospects alike.”

In addition to demonstrations, the site offers a complete service complex with a wash bay, workshop and welding station. This feature allows for more convenient access and quicker turnaround on service. Several Brokk customers have already sent in their older machines for refurbishing.

“The Demonstration and Service Center allows Brokk and Aquajet to better support our customers across the U.S. and Canada with quicker delivery times, faster service response, and access to our entire service fleet for a try-before-you-buy option,” said Lars Lindgren, president of Brokk Inc. “It is a place for Brokk and Aquajet customers to learn about our products, our company and become part of an enhanced demolition experience.”

The new facility will also be offering exclusive training opportunities.

RELATED: Compact Solutions for First Street Tunnel

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The ShenZhong Link is 24 km in length and consists of two artificial islands, two bridges and a two-way, eight-lane tunnel (Image: COWI.)

Trelleborg’s marine and infrastructure operation has signed a contract with CCCC Fourth Harbor Engineering Co. Ltd., one of China’s largest infrastructure construction services institutions, for the supply of its industry leading tunnel sealing solutions to China’s ShenZhong Link.

The link, which connects Shenzhen and Zhongshan, is 24 km in length and consists of two artificial islands, two bridges and a two-way, eight-lane tunnel that has a width of up to 46 m, making it the largest and widest immersed tunnel in the world upon completion in 2024.

Richard Hepworth, President at Trelleborg’s marine and infrastructure operation, says: “We are delighted to have been awarded the contract for the ShenZhong Link, yet another high-profile infrastructure project, central to China’s 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020), and look forward to yet again working closely with CCCC Fourth Harbor Engineering Co. Ltd. The award of this contract is testament to our unrivaled industry expertise and undisputed reputation as a world leader in the design and manufacture of advanced, high-performance tunnel sealing solutions.”

Trelleborg will supply its Gina gaskets and Omega seals, which are to be used between the sectional elements of the ShenZhong Link’s immersed tunnel to prevent water ingress due to external water pressure.

Zhang Wensen, Project manager at CCCC, says: “Following the success of our partnership for the construction of the Hong Kong Zhuhai Macau Bridge, we had no hesitation in turning to Trelleborg once again. Trelleborg’s unrivaled engineering expertise ensured that the company was a natural choice to supply the project. We look forward to further strengthening our existing relationship.”

Zhong Huihong, Vice Director at ShenZhong Link Administration Center, says: “I’m delighted that we are able to cooperate with Trelleborg for yet another ground-breaking project, such as The ShenZhong Link, which will prove extremely valuable to the future of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Trelleborg is the leading global supplier of tunnel seals and so we are convinced that once complete, the ShenZhong Link will be undoubtedly one the world’s finest infrastructure projects.“

Trelleborg’s Gina gasket consists of different unique ingredients for optimized sealing performance. The Omega seal serves as the secondary, safety seal that can withstand extreme movements. It is designed with two cross-weaved reinforcement layers made of nylon for durability and strength. The combination of the two seals enables the transfer of hydrostatic loads and movements between the tunnel ends, caused by soil settlement, creep of concrete, temperature effects and earthquakes.

For more information on Trelleborg’s sealing systems for tunnels, click here.

RELATED: Officials Celebrate Opening of Elizabeth River Tunnels P3 Project

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The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) Board of Directors on May 22 approved a $48,675,000 contract with Elon Musk’s The Boring Company to design and construct a people mover for the Las Vegas Convention Center that could rapidly and safely carry passengers in autonomous electric vehicles via a loop of underground express-route tunnels.

“Las Vegas will continue to elevate the experience of our visitors with innovation, such as with this project, and by focusing on the current and future needs of our guests,” said Steve Hill, LVCVA CEO and president.

The LVCVA Board of Directors approved the total contract value of $48,675,000. The contract highlights three underground passenger stations, a pedestrian tunnel and two vehicular tunnels with an expected total length of approximately one mile. Other essential system components include:

• An elevator/escalator system for passenger access to each station
• Pedestrian entrances, exits, coverings from the elements and landscaping
• Tunnel lighting, power and video surveillance systems
• A fully equipped control room
• Cell phone, WiFi, intercom/PA, remote data and ventilation/life safety systems

RELATED: LA Metro Plans ‘Halfway to La Cienega’ Celebration

Potential LVCC Loop Station Locations-Final configuration to be determined by the LVCVA Board. Courtesy The Boring Company

“The Boring Company is excited to contribute to the future of Las Vegas, and work with leaders who have a vision for transportation,” said The Boring Company President Steve Davis.

The LVCVA’s approval of the contract with The Boring Company is a result of a multi-step process that started in 2018 with a request for information to gauge interest. A request for proposal was then issued. Interviews with the selected finalists were conducted by an evaluation team who determined the recommended company. The evaluation team was comprised of representatives from the LVCVA, private organizations including a Las Vegas resort property, and a consultant with experience in transportation systems, construction and operations of automated people-moving systems.

RELATED: Robbins TBM Overcomes Multiple Caverns to Make Breakthrough

The contract calls for an underground loop system that offers reduced total costs, less disruption to pedestrian and vehicle traffic, and faster construction time than traditional at-grade or above-ground options while maximizing passenger and pedestrian safety. The loop will be designed for ridership of at least 4,400 passengers per hour and is scalable depending on Las Vegas Convention Center attendance.

Currently in the midst of an expansion, the Las Vegas Convention Center will span 200 acres when complete in time for CES in January 2021. Conventioneers walking the facility from end to end would log approximately 1.5 miles creating the need for an on-property guest transportation solution. In 2018, Las Vegas had more than 42 million visitors. The Las Vegas Convention Center hosts more than 1.6 million attendees annually.

Overall, the tourism industry continues to be crucial to Southern Nevada’s economy generating $60 billion in total economic impact, supporting approximately 383,000 jobs and $16.4 billion in local wages and salaries. These jobs represent 39 percent of Southern Nevada’s total workforce.

RELATED: TERRATEC Secures Contract for Pune Metro TBMs

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The break through ceremony featured a speech by the Prime Minister of Nepal KP Sharma Oli, where he praised the project and its success for the future of TBM projects in the country.

In April 2019, a Double Shield TBM from The Robbins Company defied the notoriously difficult geology of the Himalayas to break through about one year ahead of the overall project schedule, and seven months ahead of the TBM tunneling schedule.

Nepal’s first tunnel boring machine, at 5.06 m (16.6 ft) diameter, achieved over 1,000 m (3,300 ft) monthly advance on two separate occasions and averaged over 700 m (2,300 ft) per month over the course of tunneling. The machine completed the 12.2 km (7.5 mi) Bheri Babai Diversion Multipurpose Project (BBDMP) for the Government of Nepal’s Department of Irrigation (DOI) and contractor China Overseas Engineering Group Co. Ltd. Nepal Branch (COVEC Nepal).

The large and well-attended ceremony featured a speech by the Prime Minister of Nepal KP Sharma Oli, where he praised the project and its success for the future of TBM projects in the country. “It is not just that new technology has entered Nepal; it is a matter of great gain. The government has plans to execute various other multipurpose projects such as the Sunkoshi-Marin Diversion Project.”

The machine’s completion of the tunnel in just 17 months came nearly a year ahead of the DOI’s deadline for completing the tunnel of March 28, 2020, with the contractor’s schedule being more aggressive. “The breakthrough ceremony was great. We’re proud that we finally did it and were ahead of the overall schedule by almost one year,” said Hu Tianran, Project Manager for COVEC.

The 12.2 km (7.5 mi) Bheri Babai Diversion Multipurpose Project (BBDMP) was bored using Nepal’s first ever TBM.

When the BBDMP was fast-tracked as one of the country’s “National Pride Projects” feasibility studies showed that drill-and-blast excavation of the tunnel could take as long as 12 years. The DOI needed a faster option, and they found it in TBMs. They began working with local Robbins representatives MOSH Tunnelling to bring what would be the first Nepalese TBM ever into the country.

The process for the DOI to acquire funding for the project and select a contractor through international competitive bidding took seven years, spanning from 2007 to 2015, when project commencement officially began. “We are proud to have introduced TBM technology successfully,” said Prajwal Man Shrestha, Robbins Representative in Nepal with MOSH Tunnelling. “Despite roadblocks and resistance along the way, we eventually introduced this technology, which broke all tunneling records in Nepal. The country has received international attention and contractors and developers from around the world are now considering Nepal for future TBM projects.”

RELATED: Robbins TBM Overcomes Multiple Caverns to Make Breakthrough

The tunnel is located in the Siwalik Range, part of the Southern Himalayan Mountains, where geology consists of mainly sandstone, mudstone and conglomerate. “Using the TBM method instead of the conventional drill-and-blast method was the key factor for the success of this project. It has set a good example for the implementation of a large number of similar tunnels in Nepal’s water/energy/transportation projects in the future. There are promising prospects in the application of TBM technology in Nepal in my point of view,” said Hu.

To ensure the best TBM performance and to prevent downtime, machine maintenance occurred daily at a fixed time. Geological engineers analyzed the ground conditions twice daily to adjust the tunneling parameters if needed. The careful plan of excavation worked: The knowledgeable COVEC team traversed a risky fault zone, the Bheri Thrust at the 5.8 km (3.6 mi) mark, with no problems, and overcame a stuck TBM shield at another point with a bypass tunnel constructed in just five days. To cope with the conditions, the Robbins machine was designed with Difficult Ground Solutions (DGS), a suite of features including enhanced probe drilling and forepoling capabilities, as well as a stepped machine shield and smooth cutterhead design to avoid becoming stuck in collapsing ground.

The Robbins Double Shield TBM was designed for known fault zones, and featured a stepped shield and enhanced probe drilling capabilities for difficult ground.

The secret to the machine’s rapid excavation is good planning, says Hu: “As the contractor and the equipment supplier jointly carried out in-depth research and detailed design in the preliminary stage, the TBM was matched to the various conditions of the project. Together with the advantages in hard rock construction that The Robbins Company has, we made an excellent performance of the TBM on this project.”

Once the BBDMP is operational, it will irrigate 51,000 hectares of land in the southern region of Nepal, and provide 48 MW annual generating capacity. It will divert 42 cubic meters (1,500 cubic feet) of water per second from Bheri River to Babai River under a head of 150 m (490 ft) using a 15 m (49 ft) tall dam, providing year-round irrigation in the surrounding Banke and Bardia districts. The estimated annual benefit in Nepalese Rupees is $2.9 billion for irrigation, and $4.3 billion for hydropower, making a total of NPR $7.2 billion (approximately USD $64 million) in benefits once the project becomes active.

RELATED: Robbins EPB Breaks Through in Mexico City

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The conference featured 36 technical presentations on regional and national projects and research.

More than 500 deep foundation professionals attended SuperPile ’19 May 1-3 at the Sheraton Grand Seattle. This annual conference, hosted in partnership with ADSC, was organized by nine DFI Technical Committees including Augered Cast-in-Place (ACIP) Piles, Drilled Shafts, Driven Piles, Ground Improvement, Helical Piles and Tiebacks, Marine Foundations, Micropile, Seismic and Lateral Loads and Testing and Evaluation.

The conference featured 36 technical presentations on regional and national projects and research, an Industry-Owner Collaborative Forum, a panel discussion on Foundation Test Methods, more than 80 exhibitors showcasing innovative technologies and services, technical committee and working group meetings, and networking events.

Highlights of SuperPile ’19 included the presentation of two DFI Lectures and Awards. The Osterberg Memorial Lecture, “Capacity Testing of Deep Foundations: Successes and Pitfalls,” was delivered by Samuel Paikowsky, Ph.D., Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at University of Massachusetts Lowell and president of GeoDynamica. The 2019 Ben C. Gerwick Award for Innovation in Design and Construction of Marine Foundations was presented to Robert Mast, P.E., S.E., senior principal, BergerABAM, and Arthur R. Anderson, ScD, Concrete Technology Corporation (posthumous), for the development and use of precast concrete piles for marine foundations.

SuperPile ’20 is being held from June 3-5, 2020, at the Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark in Missouri. The deadline to submit abstracts for technical presentations is September 27. Visit www.dfi.org/SuperPile20 for details.

RELATED: Dates Set for 2019 Breakthroughs in Tunneling Short Course

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In January 2019 the final breakthrough took place for the Victory Boogie Woogie Tunnel, the underground section of the new Rotterdamsebaan road link. The new transport link is an essential infrastructure project for the greater The Hague area. (Photo: Frank Jansen.)

In The Hague, a refurbished tunnel boring machine (Mixshield, Ø 11,340 mm) has successfully excavated the twin tubes of the Victory Boogie Woogie Tunnel. After only 12 months, in January 2019 the final breakthrough took place near the city center of the Dutch coastal city. With a length of around 1,600 meters per tube, the tunnel section built using mechanized tunneling technology is the centerpiece of Rotterdamsebaan, the largest infrastructure project in The Hague.

Tunneling projects in the Netherlands face a special challenge: more than half of the country is below sea level. When mechanized tunneling technology was used to build the two approximately 1,600 meter long tubes of the Victory Boogie Woogie Tunnel, the project partners were able to draw on their experience with this challenging ground: between 2013 and 2015, the same Herrenknecht Mixshield had already excavated the Sluiskil Tunnel. Following professional refurbishment of the TBM at the Herrenknecht plant in Kehl, the machine has again proven its worth when reused for the new Rotterdamsebaan road link.

From January to July 2018, the more than 1,600 tonnes and about 80 meter long borer produced the first of the two 1,600 meter long road tunnels with an inside diameter of 10.15 meters. Following disassembly, return transport and reassembly, the site crew then quickly excavated the second tube between September 2018 and January 2019.

RELATED: Herrenknecht Wins Bauma Innovation Award

The reused TBM achieved outstanding advance rates of up to 16.9 meters per day at the tunnel project in The Hague. At the beginning of this year the Combinatie Rotterdamsebaan joint venture celebrated the final breakthrough.

The Herrenknecht TBM in Kehl: here the machine was professionally reprocessed for reuse. This is economical, environmentally friendly and good for the carbon footprint of a construction project.

The project-specific machine design had already been adapted to the heterogeneous ground conditions with sand, silt and clogging-prone clay of the Sluiskil Tunnel. With an open spoke cutting wheel with direct material transport from the cutting wheel center as well as the optimally adapted slurry circuit, more than 3,200 meters of new tunnel have been created in Holland’s provincial capital in just 12 months. In a reference to Dutch painter Piet Mondrian’s work of art “Victory Boogie Woogie” from which the tunnel takes its name, the cutting wheel was painted in yellow, red and blue. Due to the low abrasiveness of the soil conditions, the colors were still clearly visible even after the final breakthrough.

Mixshields from Herrenknecht are specialized in tunneling through complex ground conditions, especially with high water pressures and very large diameters. In order to support an unstable tunnel face, this method uses a liquid medium or suspension, which is kept under a controlled pressure. When the support pressure corresponds to the surrounding earth and groundwater pressure, the necessary balance has been reached. This stabilizes the tunnel face, avoids uncontrolled inflow of soil into the machine and minimizes settlement or heave on the surface. A decisive advantage when the tunnel alignment runs through busy inner-city areas, as in The Hague.

The Victory Boogie Woogie Tunnel is an integral part of Rotterdamsebaan, a new road link between the Ypenburg interchange (A4/A13) and the ring road of The Hague. After commissioning in July 2020, the new road link will improve traffic for commuters in particular and significantly reduce congestion on the Utrechtsebaan and other traffic routes in the area.

RELATED: U-turn for Herrenknecht TBM in Germany’s Filder Tunnel

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O’Dwyer

Thomas P. O’Dwyer, PE, has joined McMillen Jacobs as a Principal and Tunnel Ventilation/Fire Life Safety Practice Leader and is based in the New York office. In this role, O’Dwyer will be leading tunnel ventilation design and analysis on tunnel design, rehabilitation/upgrade, and construction projects.

He is a licensed Professional Engineer in New York with 27 years of experience in design and analysis of transit and road tunnel ventilation systems, tunnel inspection, computer model programming, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), Subway Environment Simulation (SES), HVAC design, construction management, and training. He earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from The Cooper Union and earned his MBA in Management from Baruch College.

O’Dwyer’s extensive tunnel ventilation experience has included several major vehicular, transit and rail tunnels, including the CFD and SES analysis and design of Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Agency’s Regional Connector, Westside Extension of the Purple Line, and Gold Line Eastside Extension; the conceptual study and preliminary analysis of Metro Transportation Authority/New York City Transit’s No. 7 Subway Line Extension; and the evaluation of various alternatives for the improvement of the ventilation and fire life safety systems for the Monitor Merrimac Memorial Bridge Tunnel for the Virginia Department of Transportation. O’Dwyer’s greatest professional achievement has been being appointed to the NFPA 130 Committee. NFPA 130 is the National Fire Protection Association’s Standard for Fixed Guideway Transit and Passenger Rail Systems and is created and maintained by professionals from transit and rail agencies/owners, consultants, and equipment manufacturers.

He also has extensive experience in computer programming and has been an integral part of efforts to advance and improve the Subway Environment Simulation (SES) computer program and various other tools used in tunnel ventilation analysis. As a recognized expert in the use of the SES computer program, O’Dwyer has led several training sessions for new users of the program, including both lectures and hands-on training sessions geared toward engineers and outside clients.

O’Dwyer belongs to numerous professional organizations including National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), where he is a committee member on NFPA 130; and American Society of Heating Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), where he is a corresponding member of TC 5.9: Enclosed Vehicular Facilities. His most recent publication entitled “The Development of an Emergency Tunnel Ventilation Strategy for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA) System” was in 2017 on the work he performed for WMATA following the fatal train fire outside of L’Enfant Plaza Station in January 2015.

RELATED: Wilson Elected as McMillen Jacobs Associates’ Board Chair

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Freese and Nichols Inc. is leading a team conducting Phase One of a study for the Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) to determine whether deep underground tunnels can help improve resiliency in the region by alleviating persistent and destructive flooding.

HCFCD is responsible for approximately 2,500 miles of bayous and tributaries that drain stormwater from Harris County, including Houston and some of Texas’ fastest-growing suburbs. It is using a federal grant to study the feasibility of tunnels that would convey large volumes of stormwater by gravity away from vulnerable neighborhoods and businesses.

The Phase One study intends to determine the feasibility of constructing large-diameter deep tunnels in Harris County. The study will assess geotechnical and geologic conditions, hydraulic capacity and impacts, scheduling and cost projections, and compare conditions in Harris County with other active and completed tunnel projects around the United States and the world.

“Many large urban areas in the United States including Chicago, Dallas and Washington, D.C., have turned to tunneling to mitigate flooding risk and protect lives and property from potentially devastating damage,” said Freese and Nichols’ Tunneling Services Leader Brian Gettinger, who has been involved in tunneling and flood control projects across the United States.

“Decades of advances in tunneling technology have made this a solution worth investigating for the Houston region despite its soft clay, sandy soils, high groundwater and flat terrain.”

The HCFCD study is being conducted through a $320,000 grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration and an $80,000 cost share from HCFCD funded with bonds approved by Harris County voters in a 2018 election. FNI is partnering on the project with Parsons, Brierley Associates, Terracon, HVJ, Sowells Consulting Engineers and Middleton Brown.

RELATED: Freese and Nichols Hires Gettinger to Lead Complex Tunneling Projects

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Infrastructure provides the basis for economic development and environmental health, yet as a country our investment in this critical area has not kept pace. Despite their importance, highways, transit systems, utility systems and more are often taken for granted, and our decision-makers face difficult choices when it comes to spending limited resources.

The lack of urgency is apparent. In the run-up to the 2016 presidential election, both parties touted the need for infrastructure investment, but we have yet to see substantial progress. Meanwhile the needs only increase with aging structures and a growing and shifting population. This is reflected in the ASCE’s oft-cited Report Card, which grades the overall infrastructure in the United States as a D+. Further, the report cites approximately $2 trillion in needs.

To help raise awareness, Infrastructure Week, a non-profit organization, convenes a national week of education and advocacy that brings together American businesses, workers, elected leaders and everyday citizens. This year, the 7th annual Infrastructure Week was held May 13-20.

In recognition of Infrastructure Week, Cleveland’s Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (NEORSD) invited area media for a tour of the Westerly Storage Tunnel on May 15. Westerly is the most recent large-diameter tunnel in the District’s 25-year, $3 billion Project Clean Lake, a CSO control plan that is cleaning up Lake Erie, the Cuyahoga River and other area waterways. When completed, Westerly will reduce overflows from the Walworth Run Sewer, one of the District’s biggest CSO points. The sewer was a natural stream that was culverted more than a century ago.

Sharing these stories with the public is helpful in demonstrating the value of these projects, which are – naturally – out-of-sight and out-of-mind. The commissioning of the Westerly Storage Tunnel alone, one of seven large tunnel projects that are part of Project Clean Lake, will significantly reduce the approximately 300 million gallons of untreated water discharged from Walworth Run annually. In total, Project Clean Lake will reduce 4.5 billion gallons of untreated water to less than 500 million gallons annually.

These projects provide not only environmental benefits, but provide jobs and contribute to economic growth. Due to investment in infrastructure, the Cuyahoga River and Lake Erie have come a long way since the river famously caught fire in June of 1969. We need to make sure that people are aware of these success stories – whether it’s water, sewer or transportation infrastructure. Understanding the value of a project – vs. the cost – goes a long way toward public buy-in and investing in our infrastructure for generations to come.

Jim Rush, Editor/Publisher

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TERRATEST Completes World-Record Project under Gulf of Mexico

The Sur de Texas-Tuxpan gas pipeline is an offshore natural gas pipeline between Brownsville, Texas, and Veracruz, Mexico. The $3.1 billion project is being developed by the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) of Mexico, and is the country’s first subsea pipeline.

A joint venture between TC Energy (formerly TransCanada) (60%) and Sempra Energy’s Mexican unit IEnova (40%) (known as Infraestructura Marina del Golfo or IMG) is constructing the project. The JV won a 25-year build-own-operate (BOO) contract from CFE in 2015. Construction of the nearly 500-mile long pipeline, mostly under the Gulf of Mexico, commenced in the port of Altamira, Mexico, in May 2017.

The pipeline will transport up to 2.6 billion cubic feet of natural gas a day, and will interconnect with a number of other proposed pipelines, including Nueces-Brownsville gas pipeline and Tuxpan-Tula gas pipeline. The pipeline is also expected to link with an existing network in Cenagas’s pipeline system in Altamira, as well as others in the region.

Altamira port will serve as the production and logistics center for the project, which will primarily transport gas to power plants operated by CFE in the Mexican states of Tamaulipas and Veracruz, as well as to various plants in the eastern, central and western regions of the country.

It will also supply natural gas to several power generation plants that are scheduled for construction, as well as existing facilities currently operating on fuel oil, which will be converted into natural gas-powered plants.

Pushing the Limits

A key component of the Sur de Texas-Tuxpan project was the Altamira Landfall. This piece of work included a world record 7,360-ft microtunneling drive of 10.5-ft OD pipe connecting offshore pipeline installed by lay barge to the shore. The project required an underwater recovery in the Gulf of Mexico and also involved two vertical curves.

Coastal mangroves in the area of the landfall are protected by law prohibiting any disturbance, leading project officials to opt for the long trenchless installation. In addition to the microtunnel, the landfall required 6 HDDs and an additional 72-m bore to get the pipeline to the compressor station site.

The Altamira Landfall underwater tunneling contract was awarded to TERRATEST, a Spain-based ground engineering and tunneling multinational conglomerate. The tunneling works were executed by the wholly owned subsidiary Europea de Hincas Teledirigidas SA (Eurohinca). Eurohinca ranks among the most experienced contractors in outfall tunneling, having completed over 25 outfall projects worldwide.

TERRATEST is active in the U.S. market through GeoStructures Inc., based in Purcelville, Virginia, providing a range of ground improvement, structures and foundation support in addition to microtunneling.

Proposals were evaluated in fall 2015 with the contract signed in spring 2017 and work beginning on site in June 2017. Upon the completion of shaft construction in October 2017, the MTBM was commissioned in November 2017, and completed its drive on July 27, 2018. Pull-in of product pipe was completed in January 2019.

Crews used a Herrenknecht AVND2000 with Push-Module extension kit to achieve the historic drive. The Push-Module includes a rotary ring erector to install precast segments as a contingency method. Crews recorded a best daily performance of 25.5 m, and a best weekly performance of 111.2 m. The 2,246-m drive eclipsed the company’s 2013 Black Sea outfall by more than 200 m as its longest project.

TERRATEST not only completed the tunnel at Altamira Landfall but built the launching shaft, the ramp to allow the bundle installation and conducted other civil works such as foundations for the gantry cranes and auxiliary equipment. Crews elected to use a double jacking frame to be able to push up to three segments of RCP at once.

Many challenging aspects of the $55 million USD tunneling project were successfully overcome, such as tunnel completion having a very low skin friction (0.4 kN/m2) and an average jacking force of (0.65 T/m); the bundle was effectively installed inside the tunnel (which involved two 42-in. gas transmission pipelines and one 24-in. water line); and both the TBM and Push-Module were successfully recovered from the seabed.

Equipment/Support

Like any challenging project, the Altamira Landfall project took a team of partners and suppliers working together to make the job a success.

In addition to the Herrenknecht AVN2000 + Push-Module, TERRATEST used reinforced concrete jacking pipe (ID/OD 2600/3200 mm) from Grupo Fabrega Consolis. A total of 766 pipes were installed, along with 21 Intermediate Jacking Stations (IJSs) installed. Of the 21 IJSs installed, four were activated.

Lubrication was especially important on a project of this length. TERRATEST used one Mixing tank for drilling fluids MD-2000 (Mud-Data), four Injection Pumps TWG7-22 (Tecniwell), and one Stand-alone lubrication system (HK).

For solids control, the contractor used one Scalping Screen GS-500 (Bauer), two Separation Plants (one MAB-500 (Schauenburg) and one BE-425 (Bauer)), one Centrifuge BD-90 and Flocculant Unit (Bauer), and one Filter Press SP1500 (Tecofil).

Additional equipment was deployed on site due to encountered geology, specifically an unexpected amount of fines, silt and clay. This included one desander, one desilter and one centrifuge.

Besides the above-mentioned equipment, diaphragm wall and bored piling equipment, miscellaneous earth moving equipment, three gensets of 1260 kVA and two gensets of 800 kVA were deployed as well as other auxiliary equipment for both operation (gantry cranes, mixers, water storage tanks and so forth) and contingency.

In dealing with the challenging and unexpected soil conditions that affected lubrication and slurry, TERRATEST worked with Baroid for field support and additives. Also, Jackcontrol supplied hydraulic joints to assure that jacking forces were distributed evenly and avoid damage to the pipe string during construction. This proved critical as at one point the MTBM got stuck for a week before crews were able to get the pipe string moving again. At the end of the project, crews were recording 900 tons of jacking force at the end of the tunnel.

RELATED: Small-Diameter Tunneling: A Historical Perspective

Record Microtunnel at a Glance

• Location: Altamira, Mexico
• Contractor: TERRATEST Group (Eurohinca/GeoStructures)
• Tunnel length: 7,362 ft (2,244 m)
• Tunnel Inner Diameter: 102 in. (2600 mm)
• Max. depth: 55 ft (17 m)
• Number of drives: 1
• Complexity of drive: 2 curves
• Ground conditions: Local geology with high percentage of fines and water sensitive clay, sand and gravel. Potential saltwater contamination.
• Unique considerations: Longest drive Sea Outfall in an environmental sensitive area (mangroves and coral reef).

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Transport for London (TfL) on May 30 confirmed that the Riverlinx consortium, comprising of Aberdeen Standard Investments, BAM PPP PGGM, Cintra, Macquarie Capital and SK Engineering & Construction (SK E&C), has been nominated as the preferred bidder to build the Silvertown Tunnel – a new river crossing under the Thames in east London.

The tunnel, which is set to be open in 2025, will link the Greenwich Peninsula and the Royal Docks together and effectively eliminate the serious congestion and reduce the associated environmental impacts caused by miles of standing traffic around the Blackwall Tunnel area. It will remove barriers for people in east London needing to cross the river for work or leisure as well as improve the reliability and resilience of the road network for local residents, commuters and businesses. It is also the first permanent road crossing to be constructed across the River Thames east of Tower Bridge since the QE2 Bridge at Dartford opened in October 1991.

The Blackwall Tunnel is the least reliable of London’s crossings and was closed more than 700 times in 2017/18. The lack of alternative crossings east of Tower Bridge has resulted in almost constant congestion and the approach roads having some of the highest levels of air pollution in London.

By effectively eliminating congestion, the new tunnel will deliver an overall improvement in air quality. A user charge at both the new tunnel and the existing Blackwall tunnel will ensure overall traffic volumes and associated carbon emissions do not increase. At locations where TfL’s air quality modelling showed that there may be a small localized impact, mitigation will be delivered further to ensure any increase is minimized. Both tunnels and the surrounding area will also fall within the expanded Ultra Low Emission Zone which will do more to improve air quality across all of inner London ahead of the new tunnel opening in 2025.

The tunnel will also significantly improve cross-river public transport connections, with around 37 buses an hour in each direction using the tunnel, including the current six single-decker buses per hour which run through the Blackwall Tunnel. All of the new double-decker buses that use the Silvertown Tunnel are expected to be zero-emission from launch. These routes will link places such as Stratford and Canary Wharf to Eltham, Grove Park and Charlton for the first time, unlocking new journey options and supporting wider regeneration across the Greenwich Peninsula and Royal Docks. Across London, 75 per cent of buses across are already Euro VI emission standard or higher, and from 2020, all new single-deck buses will be zero-emission from 2020. The entire fleet of around 9,000 buses will be zero-emission by 2037 at the latest.

As well as improved access across the river, the project will also deliver a range of improvements in the areas around the tunnel on both sides of the river. These include additional noise barriers along the approach roads, new green spaces around the tunnel entrances and walking and cycling upgrades to Boord Street and Tunnel Avenue in the south and Silvertown Way, Tidal Basin Roundabout and its approach roads in the north. This has been designed to improve access to key development sites on either side of the river, particularly in the Royal Docks area, and unlock major regeneration across Newham and Greenwich.

Following an extensive tender process, the Riverlinx consortium have now been nominated as preferred bidder to complete detailed design and build the Silvertown Tunnel. The project will be procured through a Design, Build, Finance and Maintain contract, with payments by TfL starting only once the tunnel is open and available for use. TfL will also be able to reduce payments should the tunnel not meet certain key standards, such as availability for use by traffic and physical condition. Over the last 20 years TfL has developed significant experience in how to manage similar contracts, which have successfully helped deliver extensions to the Docklands Light Railway. Funding the project this way not only shifts financial risks onto the private sector, but also incentivises them to deliver the scheme as efficiently as possible. It also reflects the fact that TfL receives no ongoing investment for roads from the Government – and that from 2021, the £500m Vehicle Excise Duty paid by Londoners and collected by central Government will nearly all be invested in roads outside the capital. This, along with the fact that TfL’s funding arrangements with Government are currently only certain until March 2021, means it has no dedicated income stream to pay for capital roads projects like this.

Throughout the Summer, the consortium will work to confirm financial arrangements with lenders in respect to the project and set up the supply chain. Only once these are all agreed will TfL award them the contract for the project. Construction and maintenance costs will be covered via a user charge on both the new tunnel and the existing Blackwall Tunnel, which will also help to manage traffic demand and journey reliability and ensure predicted air quality improvements are delivered. This user charge is a legal requirement as part of the planning approvals and therefore will need to be implemented when the tunnel opens. The exact charge levels for various types of vehicles using the tunnel will be decided closer to the opening date.

Alex Williams, Director of City Planning at TfL said: “The need for more river crossings in East London, to unlock growth and give residents and businesses better access to jobs and services, has been clear for decades. The Silvertown Tunnel, which is vital to support London’s economy, has been designed to resolve the existing congestion problem around Blackwall, improve overall air quality and enable new cross-river bus routes to be introduced.

“We are absolutely committed to ensuring that the project is delivered with minimal impact to local residents. We will closely monitor noise and air quality during construction and traffic levels and emissions once the tunnel is complete.”

For more information, visit the Silvertown Tunnel project website.

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