GUIDELINES FOR AVOIDING TUNNEL COLLAPSES

The causes of tunnel collapses during construction and repair methods are considered. Such failures are rather infrequent as demonstrated by the authors' own experience of 30 years and 1000km of tunnels and as noted by other experts in the tunnelling profession. Normally, the large industrial activity of tunnelling is invisible, comparatively less noisy and less dangerous than surface construction, and generally devoid of fatalities, even in the case of collapses. The rare occurrence of a collapse that reaches the surface in an urban area makes headlines in the media and is a negative advertisement for the profession. Of course, there are inordinate costs and schedule delays associated with significant tunnel collapses. Regardless of who pays for the consequences of the collapses, the ultimate burden is transferred to the profession and, finally, to the citizens or taxpayers. In any case, it is important to know what causes the collapses and how they are repaired. In addition to answering these questions with the help of some examples, authors will also attempt to answer the contentious question- are tunnel collapses unavoidable? The authors are aware of, and acknowledge, a large number of coordinated studies and initiatives to resolve the above questions.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/08584869
• Corporate Authors:

  GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING INTERATIONAL RESOURCES CENTRE

  ASIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, PO BOX 4, KHLONG LUANG
  PATHUMTHANI 12120,   Thailand 
• Authors:
  • PELIZZA, S
  • Grasso, P
• Publication Date: 1998-9

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 191-8
• Serial:
  • GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING BULLETIN
  • Volume: 7
  • Issue Number: 3
  • Publisher: GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING INTERATIONAL RESOURCES CENTRE
  • ISSN: 0858-4869

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Construction management; Failure; Prevention; Tunnels; Urban areas
• Uncontrolled Terms: Causes
• ITRD Terms: 9003: Cause; 3666: Construction method; 5520: Failure; 9149: Prevention; 3374: Tunnel; 313: Urban area
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Construction; Security and Emergencies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00765651
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD
• Created Date: Jul 1 1999 12:00AM