One-pass and Two-pass

Precast Segmental Linings Applicable to:

Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) tunneling
Wern-ping (Nick) Chen
Not for:
Jacobs Hand mining, such as drilled and blast or excavation
by roadheader or other mechanized means
UT Austin Seminar, April 4, 2007
Presentation starts from big questions and narrows
down to details

Outline 1. Definitions
1. Definitions
Primary/initial lining
2. Factors that drive the use of segmental
lining • The ground support installed
3. Tunnel alignments immediately after the
4. Rationale for choosing one or the other excavation
5. Types of precast segmental linings/Material • It is a temporary structure
6. Geometries for safety and operation
7. Segment joints
during tunneling
8. Segment construction tolerance
9. Design/Modeling
• Normally in associated with
10. Construction considerations hard rock tunneling
11. References • Examples are rock dowels,
12. Q/A steel set, or shotcrete

1. Definitions 1. Definitions

Secondary/final lining One-pass lining

• Tunnel support or lining • Lining used as both
installed following and initial support and final
independent of lining of a tunnel;
excavation to satisfy normally it is precast
user/function segmental lining
requirement
• Normally it is cast-in-
place concrete

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 1. Definitions 1. Definitions

Two-pass lining Two-pass Segmental lining

• With primary/initial support • Use segmental lining as initial ground support and cast-in-
installed as temporary ground place (CIP) concrete as final tunnel lining
support and followed by an in-
situ final concrete lining

Segment, Open Face, Single Shield

1. Definitions

TBM Shield/Segment

TBM Shield/

1. Cutterhead 2. Shield 3. Articulation (option) 4.Thrust ram

5. Segment erector 6. Muck extraction conveyor 7. Muck transfer Conveyor
8. Gathering arm 9. Muck hopper 10. Motor
11. Tailskin articulation (option) 12. Thrust ring

Schematic Earth Pressure Balance Schematic Slurry Shield Machine

Machine (EPBM)

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 Open Gripper TBMs
1. Definitions
Main Beam TBM
• The family of open TBMs is developed for excavating in rock.
• The thrusting force is obtained by reacting on the grippers.
• The head is equipped with cutting disks.

1. Cutter head 2. Cutter head shield 3. Erector to place rib and mesh 4. Inner kelly
5. Outer kelly in two positions with grippers and telescope jacks 6. Push jacks 7. Cutter head drive
8. Rear support 9. Belt conveyer 10. Roof bolting drill 11. Probe drill

2. Factors that drive the use of 2. Factors that drive the use of
segmental lining segmental lining
Case Study - Upper Rouge Tunnel Project
• Ground stability during tunneling Limy Shale – Fissile (disking) behavior; 30 ft ID
1. Soft ground tunneling
2. Adverse geological condition in hard rock
tunneling; such as in laminated shale,
embedded with clay
• Construction schedule – pending on the contractor,
the construction schedule may be reduced
• Potential of excessive groundwater infiltration
Notes:
• To be cost effective of employing a TBM, the length of the tunnel shall
be roughly greater than 1.2 miles (2 Kilometer) long
• Generally speaking, the cost of a two-pass lining is lower than the one-
pass segmental lining

2. Factors that drive the use of

segmental lining
URT case study

• Original design – Rock dowel and steel rib as initial

ground support with CIP concrete final lining
• Final design – Revised to one-pass or two-pass
segmental lining

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 URT – Shallow cover tunnel in Antrim Shale

4. Rationale for choosing one or the

3. Tunnel alignments other
• Horizontal – public right of way; geological One-pass Segment Advantages:
features; 3rd party issues (transportation and muck
handling); distance/function • Smaller excavation diameter
• Better concrete quality control (precast)
• Vertical – cover above tunnel crown; 1 to 2 D, • May shorten tunnel total construction schedule (but longer
pending on ground condition (design issue);
mucking duration)
function/operation; geological condition
• Robust – designed for the worst ground condition
• Radius of curvature of tunnel • Less water treatment required (TSS &Ph)

Diameter of TBM (D) Minimum Radius of

in meters curvature in meters
10 400
7 300
4 80

4. Rationale for choosing one or the 4. Rationale for choosing one or the
other other
One-pass Segment Disadvantages One-pass Segment Disadvantages
• Higher cost • Quality of installed bolted/gasketed
• Tight alignment tolerance/control system
• Difficult to repair • Tight segment construction & installation Gasket
• Difficult interface design and construction tolerance
• Relatively delayed initial support • Need to patch bolt pockets and caulking
Precast
Segment
groves (water/wastewater tunnel)
• Segment flotation during construction
• Bolt corrosion (water/wastewater tunnel)
• Design consideration for internal
pressure at gaskets (water/wastewater
tunnel)
• Maintenance

Radial Joint Detail

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 4. Rationale for choosing one or the 4. Rationale for choosing one or the
other other
Two-pass Segment Advantages
Two-pass Segment Advantages
• Robust initial ground support
• Easier alignment control • Less stringent construction tolerance; easy for
• Less joints in final lining erecting
• Easier interface design and • Easier alignment control
construction Pattern Dowels
• Highest TBM production rate

4. Rationale for choosing one or the URT South Tunnel Cost Analysis
other
2
1.8
Two-pass Segment 1.6
Disadvantages 1.4
1.2
• High cost if not using “junk” 1
0.8
segment

ExpandedSegment

Two-pass Rib only

Two-pass - Dowels

One-pass segment
• Design the worst ground

Two-pass -
condition for initial support ($)
& Rib

• Few, about four (4) in the US,

contractors have done junk
segment
• The largest expanded segment
in the US is NBC of 26’ ID
tunnel • South Tunnel Baseline - 30-ft ID; 19,000 ft long; 20%
• Required more contact grout steel rib + 6” shotcrete ; 20% 16’ pattern dowels with
mesh; 12’ dowels and mesh for the rest of the tunnel

5. Types of precast segmental 5. Types of precast segmental

linings/Material linings/Material
• Selection of segment type to suit the tunnel usage,
ground condition, construction methods, and cost.
• For present time in US, concrete segment is the most
popular one (highest compression capacity, but is the
heaviest for handling)

(RC/FRC)

Cross Section of Segments

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5. Types of precast segmental 5. Types of precast segmental
linings/Material linings/Material
• As light (thin) as possible
• High strength concrete (> 6,000 psi) to accommodate
shear force
• Low W/C ration (>0.4; 0.35 is normal); Adding silica
film or fly ash, as cementitious replacement to
Portland cement, to reduce permeability; however,
with the consequence of excessive spalling in a fire
event
• Small rebar cover to avoid spalling and chipping
during erection (1 to 11/2” cover)
• Consider fiber to prevent cracking
Segment Components

5. Types of precast segmental 5. Types of precast segmental

linings/Material linings/Material

Welding a segment cage Segment cage for a large

for a large diameter diameter highway tunnel
Cracking and splaaing highway tunnel
during erection
Spalling of joints

6. Geometries 6. Geometries

Side
View K segment inserted in K segment inserted in
Cross Section radial direction longitudinal direction

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 6. Geometries 6. Geometries

• αr = θk /2 + θω • αl - based on construction
• θω - determined based on consideration; the length of
workability and design to the shield; and the length
transmit thrust; as small as of the segment; normally
possible; it is about 2 -5o; 3o is from 17 -20o
recommended
• αl = 0o

Segment inserted in
Segment inserted in longitudinal direction
radial direction Section a-a

6. Geometries 6. Geometries
Shape and dimensions of steel segment (in mm)
• Shape and width of segments normally
based on handling and transportation
considerations

• The thickness is normally determined

from design requirements

6. Geometries 6. Geometries
Shape and dimensions of concrete segment (in mm) Case 1 - key segment inserted in radial direction

Thickness is based on
security load case

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6. Geometries 6. Geometries
Case 2 - key segment inserted in longitudinal direction

6. Geometries 6. Geometries
• Tapered ring – to
accommodate
curved tunnel
alignment/or
alignment
adjustment

6. Geometries 6. Geometries

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 7. Segment Joints 7. Segment Joints

Circumferential Joints

Radial
Joints Curve bolt (out of date)
Straight bolt and sleeve

Dowell Shear Cone

7. Segment Joints 7. Segment Joints

Connection by drifting

Dowell

Radial joint by bolt and sleeve

Circumferential joint by dowel

7. Segment Joints 7. Segment Joints

Radial joint by rod Circumferential joint by cone

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 7. Segment Joints – Gasket Seal 7. Segment Joints – Gasket Seal

T configuration testing

Elastomeric gasket
Typical pressure curve for a Typical load deflection
given displacement curve

7. Segment Joints – Gasket Seal 8. Segment Construction Tolerance

• The selected gasket
must meet
watertightness
rating and tolerance
specified

8. Segment Construction Tolerance 8. Segment Construction Tolerance

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 8. Segment Construction Tolerance 8. Segment Construction Tolerance

Sample ring built (normally without gasket)

9. Design/Modeling – Beam/FEM 9. Design/Modeling

Radial joint model:

• Empirical formula by Allan Muir-Wood (1975) -
homogenous rigid ring by reducing the bending
• I = IS + In • (4 / m)²
• I … reduced area-wise moment
• IS … area-wise moment of the force transmission zone
• In … area-wise moment of complete section
• m … number of segments (small key-segment not
counted)

Solid beam with full

Other joint simulations:
Ring with • Radial – Janssen (1983)
or partial bending
hinges Ring with shear and
rigidity • Circumferential - Gijsbers and Hordijk (1997)
rotational springs

9. Design/Modeling 9. Design/Modeling
Design Loads:
• Ground load – soil, long term rock, rock wedge…
• Hydrostatic pressure
• Functional – vehicular (highway, transit), surge
(water/wastewater), insert support (M&E, Utility…)
• Contact grouting pressure - > 30 psi net (offset the groundwater
pressure)
• Construction loads – stacking, lifting/transportation, jacking,
gasket compression…

Moment distribution
because of the joints
Stacking load

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9. Design/Modeling – construction loads 9. Design/Modeling – construction loads

Lift/Grout socket

Lifting load
Contact grout

9. Design/Modeling – construction loads 9. Design/Modeling – construction loads

Ring erector

Jacking load

9. Design/Modeling – construction loads 10. Construction Considerations –

Work Shaft
• Work shafts – shaft size
to accommodate TBM
access and exist,
specifically considering
the shield size and its
interaction with vent
duct, convey belt, and
other utilities in the shaft
during construction.

EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer)

gasket compression

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 10. Construction Considerations – 10. Construction Considerations –
Work Shaft Work Shaft
Length of tail section
Length (L) to Diameter (D) Ratio

L/D

Cutter outside diameter (mm)

10. Construction Considerations –

10. Construction Considerations – lining match mark
lining placement
Lifting lug

Match Marks Segment ID

10. Construction Considerations – 10. Construction Considerations –

Contact Grout Contact Grout
Grouting Criteria – by refusal
or by volume
Removable
Lifting Insert

Grout Tube

Non Return Valve

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 10. Construction Considerations – 10. Construction Considerations –
Tunnel Break-in Tunnel Break-in (launching pit and cradle)

Mostly required in soft

ground tunnelling

10. Construction Considerations – 10. Construction Considerations –

Break-in, TBM Jacking Frame Break-in, TBM Jacking Frame

Front/Middle/
Tail shields
with Jacking
Frame

TBM Tail Initial Lining

10. Construction Considerations – 10. Construction Considerations –

Tunnel Break-in (w/o ground modification) Tunnel Break-out

Mostly required in soft

ground tunnelling

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10. Construction Considerations – 10. Construction Considerations –
Tunnel Break-out Tunnel Break-out

Receiving Pit

10. Construction Considerations – 10. Construction Considerations –

Tunnel Break-out Tunnel Break-out

10. Construction Considerations –

10. Construction Considerations –
Tunnel Break-out (w/o ground
Tunnel Break-out
modification)

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 10. Construction Considerations –
Tunnel Break-out (w/o ground 10. Construction Considerations
modification)
• Obstructions – headache to the shield tunneling in
soft ground; identified and removed as soon as
possible or baselined

• Contract documents
• Specifications – GC; DRB, VECP, EBD, Division 1,
technical specifications, measurement and
payment
• Drawings
• GBR – baseline for DSC
• GDR
• Alternative Bid concept

11. Reference
1. Design Philosophy of Concrete Linings for tunnels in soft soils by C.B.M.
Blom, 2002.
2. Gijsberg, F.B.J., Hordijk, D.A., 1997, “Experimenteel onderzoek naar het
afschuifgedrag von ringvoegen”,TNO-rapport COB K111
3. ITA Guidelines for the Design of Tunnels, in Tunnelling and Underground
Space Technology, 1988
Q and A
4. ITA Guidelines for the Design of Shield Tunnel Lining, in Tunnelling and

5.
Underground Space Technology, 2000
Janssen, P., 1983, "Tragverhalten von Tunnelausbauten mit
Nick.Chen@Jacobs.com
Gelenktübbings", Report-No. 83-41 University of Department of civil
engineering, Institute for structural analysis.
6. Japan Society of Civil Engineer 1996. Japanese Standard for Shield
Tunneling.
7. Muir Wood, A.M., 1975, "The circular tunnel in elastic ground",
Géotechnique 25(1)
8. Tunnel Boring Machines, Trends in Design & Construction of Mechanized
Tunnelling. 1996
9. Specification and Guidelines for the use of Specialist Products in
Mechanized Tunnelling (TBM) in Soft Ground and Hard Rock, EFNARC,
April 2005.

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