TUNNEL ENGINEERING

Definition

• An artificial underground passage to by pass obstacles

safely without disturbing the overburden to carry freights
,passengers, sewage, water etc.
Advantages of tunnels
• More economical than open cuts beyond certain depths
• Avoid disturbing or interfering with the surface life and
traffic during construction
• In case of aerial warfare and bombing the tunnels would
grant better protection as compared to bridges
• Tunnels avoid dangerous open cut very near to the
structure
• Prove cheaper than bridges or open cuts to carry public
utility services
• Provided with easy gradients, cost of hauling is decreased
Advantages of tunnels (Contd…)
• Safety of tunnel construction has considerably increased
by the improved modern methods and construction
equipments
• Freedom from snow and iceberg hazards
• Overall reduction in cost because of shortening the
distance
• Avoid interference with surface and air rights
Disadvantages
• Initial cost is high
• Necessary to have skilled labour and technical
supervision of high order for construction
• Takes long time for successful completion
• Requires specialised and sophisticated equipmqnts
Alignment of tunnel
• Route will depend on the topography of the area through
which tunnel is passing and also on convenient points of
its entrance and exit
• Right of way and unfavorable geological conditions

Selection site should be made by considering the following

facts
Alignment restraints: Underground area is a
heterogenous mass
Problems like water table
Meeting high temperature zones
Position of fractured rocks etc
Alignment of tunnel (Contd…)
• Environmental considerations : Site should be selected
in such a way that the least difficulty is experienced for
various environmental factors such as disposal of gas,
ground water, muck etc.
Classification
• Classification according to alignment
• Classification according to purpose
• Classification according to type of material met with, at
the time of construction
Classification according to alignment
 Off-spur tunnels : Short length tunnels to negotiate minor
local obstacles which cannot be followed with permitted
curves
Classification (Contd…)
• Saddle or base tunnels : Tunnels constructed in the
valleys along the natural slope till the slope does not
exceed the ruling gradient
• Slope tunnels : Tunnels constructed in steep hills for
economic and safe operations of roads and railways
• Spiral tunnels: tunnels provided in narrow valleys in the
form of loops in the interior of mountain so as to increase
the length of tunnel to avoid steep slopes
Classification according to purpose
• Conveyance tunnels: Include sewer tunnels, water supply
tunnels, hydroelectric power tunnels etc.
• Traffic tunnels : include highway tunnels, railway tunnels,
pedestrian tunnels, navigation tunnels and subway
tunnels
Classification according to type of material
met with in the construction
• Tunnels in hard roack
• Tunnels in soft materials
• Tunnels underneath river bed or in water bearing soil
Tunnel sections
• D section
• Circular section
• Rectangular section
• Egg-shaped section
• Horse-shoe section
D section
• In rock tunnels, the risk of failure caused by external
pressure is non-existent
• A section with arched roof and straight sides called D
section is preferred in such cases
• Also called segmental roof section
• Segmental roof takes the external load and transfers it on
the vertical side walls
• Side walls may be constructed of R.C.C in the case of soft
soils
•
D section (Contd…)
D section (Contd…)
• Advantage
Additional working floor space helpful during driving and
flat floor for moving equipments
Circular Section
• If it is lined properly, strong in offering resistance to
external pressure
• Provides greatest cross sectional area for the least
perimeter
• Best theoretical section for resisting external and internal
forces
Circular Section (Contd…)
Circular Section (Contd…)
• Most suitable for sewers and water carrying purposes
• Not suitable for railways and roads as more filling will be
required for obtaining a flat base
• More difficult for placement of concrete lining
• Best suited for tunnels driven by shield method
Rectangular section
• Suitable in hard rocks
• In the form of an R.C.C box
• Adopted for pedestrian traffic
• Costly and also difficult in construction
Rectangular section (Contd…)
Egg shaped section
• For carrying sewage
• Because it gives self cleansing velocity even in dry
weather flow
• Effective in resisting external as well as internal pressures
Egg shaped section (Contd…)
Horse shoe form
• Semi circular roof together with arched sides and a
curved invert
• Lined cross section offers good resistance to external
ground pressure
• Best shape suited for traffic purposes, as the floor of
tunnel is nearly flat
• Gives working space to the contractor to store the
materials during construction
• Suitable for soft rocks
•