THE TRANSPORTATION OF TUNNEL MUCK BY PIPELINE

The view reflected herein is that if the advancement of the technology of muck removal does not keep pace with advances in tunneling machine technology, muck removal can become the limiting constraint on the forward movement of the tunnel face, and hence on the growth of tunneling. The objective of this study is to advance the technology of tunnel excavation by increasing the rate of muck removal from the tunnel face. The highlights in this report are on muck haulage systems by pipeline, and the emphasis is on investigating better techniques and technology, rather than costs. This report updates muck quantities and to some extent muck quality (in terms of its hardness and geology). Crushing equipment is examined as is extensible conveyor belt equipment. A survey of extensible equipment is made to aid in suggesting approaches for their application in tunnels to pipeline muck haulage. Recent headloss data for coarse slurries are presented for the hydraulic muck haulage system. Consideration is given to a jet pump eductor for feeding a centrifugal pump from a mixing tank. A more compact and less expensive dewatering system is also analyzed. Appendixes A through D provide background material for the systems and concepts herein and include: Pneumatic Pipeline Systems, CONOCO-CONSOL System, Dewatering Equipment, and Coal Hoisting in the U.K. A previous and related study, 'Pneumatic-Hydraulic Material Transport System for the Rapid Excavation of Tunnels' (DOT-TSC-75-17), suggested a transportation system for muck haulage with a pneumatic pipeline or a slurry pipeline.

• Corporate Authors:

  Colorado School of Mines

  1500 Illinois Street
  Golden, CO  United States  80401

  Transportation Systems Center

  55 Broadway, Kendall Square
  Cambridge, MA  United States  02142

  Urban Mass Transportation Administration

  400 7th Street, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Faddick, R R
  • Martin, J W
• Publication Date: 1978-1

Media Info

• Pagination: 174 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Belt conveyors; Dewatering; Excavation and tunneling; Hydraulic equipment; Materials management; Mucking; Pipeline transportation; Pipelines; Pneumatic equipment; Teachers; Tunneling
• Old TRIS Terms: Muck tunneling; Tunnel excavation; Wet pumps
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Construction; Pipelines; Public Transportation; Terminals and Facilities;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00176258
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: DOT-TSC-UMTA-78-7 Final Rpt.
• Contract Numbers: DOT-TSC-1114
• Files: NTIS, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Aug 19 1978 12:00AM