COMPRESSED AIR FOR TOP DOWN

Preliminary or auxiliary wall structures are used to prevent ground water from impeding the construction of tunnels. Wide walls that reach to impermeable ground at bottom ensure watertightness. Grouting or constructing concrete floor slabs are ways to achieve impermeability. However, this method is not always feasible due to adverse geological or hydrological conditions, or environmental demands. Using compressed air to achieve a dry base is a viable alternative in these cases. The following rules should govern such an operation: air should be kept inside a structure that is close to impermeable at its lid and side walls; in order to be kept dry, the static pressure of the compressed air should be the same as the hydraulic pressure of the ground water level at the lowest point; and the static pressure of the air should be constant locally throughout the entire dry hollow space of the structure. An example of a project that has successfully incorporated this method is that of the Audi Tunnel at Ingolstadt in Barvaria, Germany.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/0041414X
• Corporate Authors:

  Polygon Media Limited

  Tubs Hill House, London Road
  Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 1BY,   United Kingdom 
• Authors:
  • Schwarz, J
  • Hehenberger, F
• Publication Date: 2004-2

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos;
• Pagination: p. 49-51
• Serial:
  • Tunnels & Tunnelling International
  • Volume: 36
  • Issue Number: 2
  • Publisher: Progressive Media Markets, Ltd
  • ISSN: 0041-414X

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Compressed air; Groundwater; Tunnels
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Construction; Public Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00971563
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: UC Berkeley Transportation Library
• Files: BTRIS, TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 1 2004 12:00AM