SHIELD-DRIVEN TUNNELS WITH OR WITHOUT COMPRESSED AIR

The following discussion of major shield-driven tunnels describes the state of the art, the problems, and the imposed restraints. No one particular method is considered superior because the method that is used depends on specific project conditions which vary widely. Construction of shield-driven tunnels under compressed air in Chicago, New York, Oakland-San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. are described. Future research in shield-driven tunnels are recommended in the following areas: safety regulations in tunnel construction; methods to fill tail voids more quickly and more effectively; methods of improving tail seals to prevent grout, pea gravel, or water from running back into the shield; developing a precast concrete primary lining that would be water tight and require no secondary lining; successful foreign methods of filling the tail void should be studied; more efficient backhoes are needed to improve the rate of progress in shield-mined tunnels; lastly, small cities which do not anticipate large crowds utilizing a rail rapid transit system should consider narrower cars, thus saving on the cost of shield driven tunnels.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/sr/sr171/171-006.pdf
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/0360859X
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This article appeared in TRB Special Report No. 171, Tunnel Construction: State of the Art and Research Needs. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Mayo, Robert S
• Publication Date: 1977

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Photos;
• Pagination: pp 14-15
• Monograph Title: TUNNEL CONSTRUCTION: STATE OF THE ART AND RESEARCH NEEDS
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Board Special Report
  • Issue Number: 171
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0360-859X

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Compressed air; Grout; Precast concrete; Railroad cars; Regulations; Safety; Shields (Tunnels); State of the art studies; Structural design; Tunnel lining; Tunneling; Tunnels
• Uncontrolled Terms: Tunnel design
• Old TRIS Terms: Shields (Tunneling)
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Construction; Highways; Law; Public Transportation; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00156035
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Oct 13 1981 12:00AM