Drained and Water

Tight Tunnel

Contents

Introduction
Inflow in the construction phase
Groundwater Control during
Construction
Sealed Tunnel/Permanent Lining
Drained tunnel
Sealing (Waterproofing) of Tunnel above
Ground Water Table
Geosynthetics Used in Tunnels
Smart Drains
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Introduction
Tunnels are always encountered with the
seepage of water from the surrounding soil
or rock
below the ground water table
percolating water
groundwater and other waters must be
withdrawn from the tunnel
Ground water must not inter into the tunnel
specially road and railway tunnels during its
service life

Inflow in the construction phase

Heading inflows occur when
tunneling inters a water-bearing
zone
cases with flow rate more than
1,000 I/s are reported
appropriate resources (pumps
etc.) must be available on site
during tunneling
Water in rush, Fussen Tunnel

Inrushing water, Simplon Tunnel

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Groundwater Control during Construction

Dewatering at the Tunnel
Face
Drainage Ahead of Face
from Probe Holes
Drainage from Pilot
Bore/Tunnel
Grouting
Freezing

Sealed Tunnel/Permanent Lining

Sealed tunnels do not influence the groundwater
but their lining has to support full water pressure
To estimate ground water load
Empirical Method
Analytical Solution
and Numerical Method

Sealed Tunnel/Permanent Lining

Factors that affecting water loads on the
underwater tunnel linings due to water flow are
relative ground-lining permeability
relative ground-lining stiffness
geometric factors such as
depth below the water body

Sealed Tunnel/Permanent Lining

Impermeable geosynthetic membrane
final lining may consist of cast-in-place concrete,
precast concrete panels, or shotcrete

TBM excavated tunnel

Sprayed shotcrete lining

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Drained tunnel
Hydrostatic pressure on lining relieved due to
drainage of water
Groundwater penetrates the shotcrete shell
through fissures and ad hoc bored holes
Side pipes guide the groundwater to main
collector

Drained tunnel
Geosynthetic sheet/strip are used

10

Drained tunnel
Ground Water Discharge into a (Drained
circular tunnel)

approximate solution
isotropic permeability
(K)

Solution given by Raymer

K obtained with packer tests

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Drained tunnel

Seepage Force on Drained

Tunnel
pressure
exerted by the ground upon the crown of an undrained tunnel
is given by

ground pressure acting upon the

crown of a drained tunnel

12

Drained tunnel
Environmental Effects of drainage

Zeuzier arch dam (Switzerland)

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Sealing (Waterproofing) of Tunnel above Ground Water Table

protected against
downwards percolating
water
water pressure (3-bar)
water-tight concrete
high water pressure (up to
15 bar) watertight
membranes

Umbrella waterproofing

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Geosynthetics Used in Tunnels

Drained tunnel
Geospacers
Geocomposite

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Geosynthetics Used in Tunnels

Undrained tunnel
Geocomposite
protective
Geomembrane

16

Smart Drains
An effective and long lasting solution for tunnel
drainage
micro channels start collect water, dirt and
particles are held back by in the soil gravity
separating action avoid clogging of drains

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Smart Drains
siphoning action
The drain belts are inserted into the
collection pipes

18

Smart Drains
also available in pipe
form
Clogging and
sedimentation is
avoided

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