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Tunnel Design & Specialities

Whiteball Tunnel - CAT3 Check Phase 2B Refurbishment

Owner
Service Performed
Independent design check (CAT 3) of phase 2B refurbishment of the Whiteball tunnel that comprises SCL lining protecting the existing brick lining.
Commencement - Services
April 01, 2019
Completion - Services
July 01, 2019
Location
Whiteball
Somerset
TA21 0LS
United Kingdom
Description

1km rail tunnel named after the nearby village of White Ball built by Brunel (opened 1844 on the Great Western Main Line). Victorian brick-arch lining, which has deteriorated over the years including weathering and chemical reaction from the sulphurous steam trains. A refurbishment scheme was required to make it fit for purpose which was planned through various phases. The early phases of the project involved installation of the RAM Arch System and wire mesh to prevent loose bricks from falling on to the tracks. In latter phases of the refurb - the subject of the CAT3 check - sprayed concrete applied to cover the RAM Arch system coupled with rock bolts with butterfly plates were used to hold the concrete lining.

Activity
Categories
Service areas
Rehabilitation & Tunnel Widening, Tunnel Design & Specialities
Whiteball Tunnel Refurbishment Plan
Whiteball Tunnel Refurbishment
Project number
520C
Project Type
Final cost
£15 million GBP

Bank SCU - Design CAT3 Check

Service Performed
Category 3 design checking of temporary timber heading works and permanent square works structures.
Commencement - Services
March 01, 2013
Location
London
London
EC3V 3LA
United Kingdom
Geology description

The geology comprises London Clay formation overlain by Quaternary superficial deposits comprising river terrace deposits and alluvium which are generally overlain by made ground.

Geology types
Description

Bank Station is a London Underground station located in the City of London financial district. It is a key interchange served by five lines. The Bank Station Capacity Upgrade (BSCU) aims to relieve heavy passenger congestion during peak hours for boarding, alighting and interchange. The capacity upgrade comprises the construction of a new southbound platform tunnel and associated length of running tunnel for the Northern line, connecting passageways to the existing station tunnels, and the provision of step-free access from King William Street. The total length of tunnels is 1,300m with tunnel cross sections that range from 10m2 up to 90m2.

Activity
Service areas
Tunnel Design & Specialities
Construction methods
Tunneling under
BSCU project overview
3D render of existing and new structures
Project number
451D1
Project Type
Final cost
£563.8 million GBP
Completion date
Ongoing

Thames Tideway - Design CAT3 Check

Owner
Service Performed
CAT3 checking of primary and secondary linings of main and connection tunnels at six tunnel junctions. The check included elements of the temporary works: dewatering, pipe arch pre-support and face stability.
Commencement - Services
April 01, 2019
Location
80 Kirtling Street
London
SW8 5BP
United Kingdom
Geology description

The geology transitions from West to East through London Clay, into the complex Lambeth Group (clay, sand and gravel strata) into Thanet Sands, before giving way to the Chalk including flints.

Geology types
Description

The Thames Tideway Tunnel is an under-construction 25km tunnel running mostly under the tidal section of the River Thames through central London. It will provide capture, storage and conveyance of almost all combined raw sewage and rainwater that currently overflow into the river. Once constructed, the main tunnel will have an internal diameter of 7.2m and will run from -30m at Acton, West London for over 25km under central London down to -70m at Abbey Mills in the East. It will connect 34 of the most polluting combined sewer overflows (CSOs), via transfer tunnels. The tunnel will transfer the captured sewage to the Stratford to East Ham part for onward delivery to Beckton Sewage Treatment Works.

Categories
Service areas
Tunnel Design & Specialities
Construction methods
Tunneling under
New shaft, connection and main tunnel structures (Courtesy Tideway)
Isometric of connection between SCL and TBM tunnels
Project number
502C1
Project Type
Final cost
£4.2 billion GBP

East Side Access - Manhattan Tunnels

Service Performed
Design of tunnel support measures in rock mass.
Commencement - Services
April 01, 2007
Completion - Services
July 01, 2019
Location
Manhattan Tunnels
New York City, NY NY 11354
United States
Geology description

Manhattan schist

Description

The East Side Access (ESA) project provides new Long Island Rail Road services to the east side of Manhattan, supplementing the existing service to Penn Station on Manhattan's west side and Atlantic Terminal in Brooklyn. ESA will serve approximately 162,000 customers a day, providing a faster and easier commute to the east side of Manhattan in a new 8-track terminal and concourse below Grand Central Terminal. The project encompasses more than 13 km of tunnelling.

Activity
Service areas
Tunnel Design & Specialities
Construction methods
Tunneling under
East Side Access project overview (web.mta.info)
East Side Access Running Tunnel
Project number
405D
Project Type
Final cost
$12 billion USD (All East Side Access tunnels)

East Side Access - Northern Bouelvard Crossing

Service Performed
Design of the tunnel crossing the Northern Boulevard and of the elements supporting the Sunnyside Yard cut and cover walls (i.e. internal steel bracing and tiebacks).
Commencement - Services
April 01, 2007
Completion - Services
January 01, 2012
Location
Northern Bouelvard Crossing
New York City, NY 11354
United States
Geology description

Soft ground with cobbles and boulders overlying Manhattan schist. Groundwater table at the surface at Sunnyside Yard.

Geology types
Description

The East Side Access (ESA) project provides new Long Island Rail Road service to the east side of Manhattan, supplementing existing service to Penn Station on Manhattan's west side and Atlantic Terminal in Brooklyn. ESA will serve approximately 162,000 customers a day, providing a faster and easier commute to the east side of Manhattan in a new 8-track terminal and concourse below Grand Central Terminal. The project encompasses more than 13 km of tunnelling.

Activity
Service areas
Tunnel Design & Specialities
Construction methods
Tunneling under
East Side Access project overview (web.mta.info)
3D Visualisation of the Northern Boulevard crossing tunnel design
Project number
400D
Project Type
Final cost
$168 million USD

Toronto Relief Line South - Design

Service Performed
15% and 30% design of two mined stations
Commencement - Services
February 01, 2018
Completion - Services
July 01, 2019
Location
1900 Yonge Street
Toronto, ON ON M4S
Canada
Geology description

The tunnel face is predominantly shale, with a thin competent layer above the tunnel crown, overlain by clayey glacial deposits, silty sands and fill.

Geology types
Description

The Relief Line South was a proposed expansion to the TTC Line 1 subway with five new stations planned from Osgoode to Pape Station undertaken by the TTC. The project has since been passed on to a new owner (Metrolinx) and further developed as the Ontario Line. Our role on the assignment included the 15% and 30% design for tunnel geometries, excavation and temporary support of two stations and one crossover. Tasks included production of 3D models, drawings, design reports and finite element analysis based on the SEM approach to tunnelling large caverns keeping surface disruption in urban areas to a minimum.

Activity
Service areas
Tunnel Design & Specialities
Construction methods
Carlaw Station 3D Model
Broadview Station 3D Model
Project number
498D
Project Type
Final cost
$5 million CAD

Highway 401 Crossing - Design

Service Performed
SEM tunnel design consisting of IFC drawings, specifications, 3D FE analysis and detailed design reports.
Commencement - Services
November 01, 2017
Completion - Services
January 01, 2019
Location
97 Front Street West
Toronto, ON ON MJ5 1E6
Canada
Geology description

Granular and cohesive embankment fill underlain by glacial till. Subsurface obstructions such as piles and boulders.

Geology types
Description

The TTP are delivering a new two track rail tunnel of approximately 176m length crossing the Highway 401. The purpose of the tracks is to increase capacity along the Kitchener GO commuter rail corridor as well as to accommodate the new Union-Pearson (UO) Express service. The new rail tunnels are mined under the 401/409 Highway using the Sequential Excavation Method (SEM). Our role on this assignment was to provide tunnel design services addressing the challenging conditions (e.g., very low overburden, intercepting piles and maximum settlement allowance) as well as providing on site design representation.

Activity
Service areas
Tunnel Design & Specialities
Construction methods
Tunneling under
3D Finite Element Model
Plan View
Project number
487D
Project Type
Final cost
$117 million CAD

Lima Metro Line 2

Service Performed
Investigation of unexpected progressing settlement of ground surface and constructed Metro Line 2 tunnel, shaft and station structures in Lima’s Santa Anita district.
Commencement - Services
March 01, 2014
Location
Av. Aviación 2494 – San Borja
Lima
Peru
Geology description

All Metro Line 2 structures in the Santa Anita district were constructed in dense gravels which is underlain by a sequence of clay, sand and gravel layers. The bedrock lies an assumed 30m to 150m below ground surface.

Geology types
Description

Lima's Metro Line 2 project comprises 27 km of all-underground Line 2, plus an 8 km underground spur to the airport which will make up the first section of Line 4. Thirty-five new stations are being constructed, seven of them mined and the rest constructed by cut and cover. The MDL2 consortium is to design, finance and build the new line and to operate and maintain it for the following 30 years.

Activity
Service areas
Construction methods
Overview of Lima's Metro Line 2 project (www.thinglink.com)
Results plot of the 2D finite element consolidation analysis
Project number
473C
Project Type
Final cost
$5.7 billion USD
Completion date
Ongoing

North Yorkshire Polyhalite Project

Client
Service Performed
Dr. Sauer & Partners provided commercial support, SCL design verification and functioned as a mediator between Sirius Minerals’ mining and construction team.
Commencement - Services
April 01, 2019
Completion - Services
October 31, 2019
Location
Whitby
Yorkshire
YO11 3ZB
United Kingdom
Geology description

Most of the MTS is developed within the Redcar Mudstone Formation. It comprises alternating layers of silty mudstone and clayey siltstones with subordinated thin beds of limestone and sandstone.

Bands of ironstone nodules and fossil shells as well as pyrite are present in places. Multiple major fault systems were identified that cut the MTS alignment. 

Geology types
Description

North Yorkshire holds one of the largest, high grade polyhalite reserves worldwide. It is located within the North York Moors National Park, ca. 1800m below surface. Once processed, this mineral functions as an organic fertilizer to boost harvest. Sirius Minerals plc are currently developing the infrastructure to mine the polyhalite. This operation requires deep shafts to access the mineral body but also demands an extensive mass transport system (MTS) to keep the impact on the National Park to a minimum. Therefore, at ca. 350m below surface, a series of SCL tunnels link the deep shafts to a conveyor belt system, which again connects the mining operation via a 37km TBM tunnel to its material handling facility.

Activity
Service areas
Site Supervision & CM, QA/QC, Tunnel Design & Specialities
Construction methods
Tunnel length
37km
Project overview
Woodsmith mine site close to Whitby
Project number
515C
Final cost
£4.2 billion GBP

Walthamstow Central Station Capacity Upgrade (WCSCU)

Service Performed
Ground movement impact assessment and conceptual design of four structures connecting a new station box with the existing Victoria line platform tunnels.
Commencement - Services
April 01, 2019
Location
55 Broadway
London
SW1H 0BD
United Kingdom
Geology description

London Clay.

Geology types
Description

The WCSCU project will deliver additional capacity and step free access to the Victoria line at London Underground's Walthamstow Central station. A new station box will provide a new station entrance, a new subsurface ticket hall and connecting routes to both Victoria line platforms via escalators, stairs and lifts. Four new tunnel structures will connect the new station box with the segmental cast iron lining of the Victoria line platform tunnels. The use of traditional timber headings was chosen as the preferred construction method during conceptual design primarily due to the length of the structures (i.e. approximately 2 m each).

Activity
Service areas
Tunnel Design & Specialities
Construction methods
Tunneling under
3D View showing the four proposed connection structures
A construction stage of the timber heading structures
Project number
512C
Project Type
Final cost
£15 million GBP
Completion date
Ongoing

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