Geological Note on Chenab Bridge

Chenab Bridge with a length of 1315m located between Km 50.400 (Bakkal End) with
RL 854.500 m and Km51.715 (Kauri End) with RL 855.517 m is one of the highest Railway
bridge in the world with a height of 359 m is located in the outer Himalayas. The area along the
slopes from the Chenab river bed in the upslope along the bank slopes exposes both thickly and
thinly bedded grayish, whitish cherty dolomite with some thick phyllitic quartzite bands towards
top belonging to Sirban limestone Group. The area further upslope towards the left side of the
rail line section at both the banks exposes thick bands of hard quartzite and cherty dolomite. The
various rock units along banks are favorably disposed dipping almost inside the hill or making an
acute angle with the direction of the alignment. These rock units are further overlain by thin
cover of slope debris with thickness varying from 0.5m to 3m as observed in the slope cuts
particularly along the left bank slope. The rock mass represented by bedded sequence has
variable properties like hardness, compressive strength, prone to wreathing and chemical action
etc.
S 80
At S 80 the rocks exposed are alternate bands of shale and quartzite; at down stream side
bracciated quartzite is also observed. There is folding in alternate bands of shale and quartzite
which is due to the tectonic activities in the Himalayan region. The rock at this location is
weathered and the intensity of weathering decreases from top to bottom of the foundation level.
At the foundation level the rock encountered mostly is quartzite, bracciated quartzite and shale.
The shale at this level is slightly weathered. Mostly the rocks at this level are quiet hard and
resistant to weathering. There is no Major shear zone in the foundation level except few minor
shear seems. In general he dip direction of the rocks is N 030 0 to N 0600 and the dip angle varies
from 300 to 550. Variation in the orientation and dip angle of the rock is due to folding nature of
rock.
S 60
At S 60 foundation level the rock exposed is cherty dolomite of the Precambrian age. This
dolomite is hard and resistant to weathering due to its variable composition. The spacing of this
rock varies from 10 cm to 1m. The rock unit at foundation level is traversed by three sets of joint
which are J1 (bedding joint) J2 and J3. The orientation of the bedding joint is N 030 0 to N 0450
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with dip angle of 250 to350 which is towards up stream side and slightly inside the hill. This type
of orientation is favorable for foundation. The Joint 2 (J2) is just opposite to the bedding having
spacing from 20 cm to 1.20 m. The orientation joint 3 (J3) is N 135 0 to N 1600 and dip angle is
650 to 750 which is slightly oblique to the river Chenab. The spacing of this joint varies from 50
cm to 2.50m. At this foundation level the rocks are slightly folded.