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Updated: November 01, 2002
Update Statement Hya Everybody Don't ask how it happened!!! I can't explain it..the year has just escaped me and I have no idea how the time has past so quicklyin fact I would have to say swiftly!! It's been an entire year and I have been so delinquent in updating my web site and I apologize.. And now that we are into the last quarter of 2002, I have quite a bit of news to write about that should be of interest to everyone..consultant, designer, contractor, academia, student and those interested in the development of tunnel engineering disciplines. Major projects are still continuing in Japan, France, Spain, Greece, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Australia and other countries, as well as in the United States. I have indicated the status of many of these projects and, in many cases, I have also provided their respective Internet home page address where one can obtain the present status of these projects. And now with "What's Happening". DESIGN STATUS: as of November 01, 2002 the design status of several major tunnel projects are updated for your use and information: Central Artery/Third Harbor Tunnel, MASSACHUSETTS Running through the heart of downtown Boston, the existing Central Artery viaduct is being replaced with an 8-10 lane underground expressway, increasing the flow of traffic through the city. The final portion of this project will be to extend the new artery up and over the Charles River, linking it to I-93, Route 1 (Tobin Bridge) and Storrow Drive. Additionally, the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90) will continue in an easterly direction, under the intersection with I-93, and across the Boston Harbor, directly to Logon Airport. NOTE: As I have noted previously, the Central Artery/Third Harbor Tunnel Project is well underway with all of the tunnel design completed and all major projects under construction!! In fact the finish Contract, (ceramic tile, ceiling panels, walkway railing etc) has commenced and is approximately 85% complete. Upon completion, it will pave the way to the opening ceremonies. The latest schedule is that the east-west corridor (I-90) will open in December 2002 yes that’s correct…..you’ll be able to drive from the Massachusetts Turnpike, I-90, directly to Logan Airport without having to drive through downtown Boston!!!! Soon after, the northbound side of I-93 will open to traffic and major work will start on the Dewey Square Tunnel. The home page for the Central Artery/Tunnel project is still http://www.bigdig.com and it provides all of the latest information concerning the Project as well as a continuous status up-date. I strongly recommend that all tunnel engineers visit this web page, as it is one of the finest sites to learn about all types of tunnel construction and their related disciplines. It includes mechanical ventilation systems, travel surveillance, operations, etc. Additionally, general information can be obtained from the Business Outreach Department, at (617) 951-6367. Port of Miami Tunnel Project, FLORIDA Unfortunately there still is nothing new to report on this sub-aqueous project. After almost 20 years of planning, community input, environmental impact statements, and requirements of the Port of Miami, this project remains in the stages of preliminary design. This project consists of a twin bore, 4-lane, sub-aqueous road tunnel that connects the Port of Miami (Dodge Island) directly to route I-395. It will pass beneath a part of the Intracoastal Waterway. The Port of Miami is the largest passenger cruise port on the eastern seaboard as well as handling ocean freightliners. The new tunnel will permit truck cargo and passengers to have direct access to the Port of Miami from the Interstate highway system without going through the local streets and business community. As of this writing, it still appears that the project will utilize tunnel boring machines (TBM) with earth balancing pressures (EBP) systems at the heading. The project is still awaiting approval of the necessary transportation funding required to commence the final design and subsequently with the advertising process. Wolf Creek Pass Tunnel, COLORADO This tunnel project is part of the widening of State Highway 160 (SH 160) located in the narrow canyon at the southwestern end of the SH 160/Wolf Creek Pass road widening project. The project will improve the alignment and other geometric and civil features of the existing roadway. All tunnel construction is located in the area known as the “upper narrows” and will be conducted while maintaining existing traffic on SH 160. The tunnel is a bi-directional, a two-lane tunnel with allowances for shoulders and walkways. Similar to the Provo Canyon Tunnel, an important factor for this project is that SH 160 is a major regional connection and there is no other feasible alternative route. The Tunnel is under construction and the Contractor is incorporating the Sequential Excavation Method {SEM} or NATM technique; with a center bore and two side slashes in the top heading. His original plan is to “hole thru” before removing the bench. The project should be completed by January 2003. A Phase II contract will be advertised soon….this contract includes mechanical ventilation, lighting and other life safety systems. Devil's Slide Tunnel, CALIFORNIA Final Design has started on this great Project. As I keep saying, the famous Pacific Highway, US Route 1, is a fantastic, simply gorgeous scenic roadway that runs along the Pacific coast of the United States, starting from Washington state, down through Oregon and ending in the southern part of California. However, at a point approximately 20 miles south of San Francisco, there is a portion of the coastal highway that keeps “sliding” into the Pacific Ocean. This section of the roadway is located in a geologically unstable area of Route 1 at Devil’s Slide in San Mateo County. As the name implies, there has been some movement of the side slopes into the Pacific Ocean since it was construction in 1937. Several geologic factors have contributed to landslides, falling rocks and grade subsidence. The road tunnel alternative is approximately 4000 feet long and will be a double bore with one lane of traffic in each bore, including a shoulder and two safety walks. It will incorporate a longitudinal ventilation system and be in compliance with the life safety provisions of the latest edition of NFPA 502. The existing portion of US Route 1 that will be by-passed, would be modified to accommodate cyclists and hikers, as this would be a scenic bypass around the tunnel along the existing scenic route. The Project is now under final design Gowanus Expressway, NEW YORK Nothing new to report since last year. The existing elevated structure is in need of major structural repairs and there are several alternatives being investigated. Some of the alternatives are (a) to replace the viaduct with a similar structure, (b) repair the existing structure and replace the concrete decking, (c) replace the viaduct with a tunnel alternative or (d) a combination of the alternatives. Therefore, there is a feasibility study being undertaken to determine the optimum location and type of construction capable of replacing the existing Gowanus Expressway with a tunnel alternative. The existing expressway has three lanes in each direction plus an HOV lane and a narrow median separating the two roadways. The tunnel alternative process is a three (3) Tier system wherein the several possible alignments are reduced to two or three most effective solutions. These final alignments would then be completed to a conceptual design stage including construction cost estimates. 3rd Hampton Roads Crossing, VIRGINIA This Project is an ambitious 34–mile tunnel-highway system to provide an improved link to the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. At an approximated cost of $4.4 Billion, the 3rd Hampton Roads Crossing becomes another mega tunnel project in the United States. There are two sub-aqueous tunnels in the project; one is parallel to the existing I-664 Monitor Merrimac Bridge Tunnel beneath the Hampton Roads harbor and the other would cross the Elizabeth River past the Portsmouth and Craney Island port facilities. The crossings would be deep enough to permit the passage of ships with 54-foot drafts. Each crossing is approximately 6000 feet long and will include a three-tube tunnel section. Two of the tubes will carry four lanes of conventional traffic and the third tube will be used for HOV, an exclusive busway or passenger rail. Consideration is also being given to utilizing the design-build (D/B) concept of construction. It should be noted that the D/B method has not been used in the United States for sub-aqueous tunnels. More information will be available at the next writing of MrTunnel. LBJ Corridor Study, TEXAS The economic success of the Dallas/Fort Worth area has caused one of their biggest problems..keeping up with the mobility needs of the community. The LBJ Freeway is an existing six-lane circumferential freeway around the city of Dallas. To improve traffic congestion and mobility, with limited right-of-way acquisition, it is planned to provide six HOV lanes within the median of the existing freeway. This concept works well except in one locale where the right-of-way is constrained and twin rock bored tunnels need to be constructed in lieu of an at-grade roadway. The twin tunnels are being studied for safety, constructibility, cost, maintenance and long-term operation. The tunnel cross section requires three, 12-foot traffic lanes per bore, a minimum vertical clearance of 16’-6 and provisions for ventilation, lighting and emergency egress. The tunnel will be approximately 13,000 feet long with a semi-circular shaped cross-section. When constructed, it will be the widest and longest tunnel in the United States. Hartsfield/Atlanta International Airport Tunnel, GEORGIA The Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport requires a new 9,000-foot Runway and it will cross the existing I-285 interstate highway immediately south of the airport. Based on the projected traffic volumes, the proposed Runway will be built to accommodate a total of eighteen lanes in four separated cells on I-285. Interstate highway operations will be maintained at all times by developing a detailed traffic control plan during construction. The tunnel, a reinforced concrete rectangular box section, will be constructed at its present grade and backfilled to accommodate the new Runway. This will be a Design/Build (D/B) contract and could be ready for advertisement in Spring 2003. Drumanard Tunnel, KENTUCKY A rock tunnel under private property is part of a preferred alternative by the states of Indiana and Kentucky and identified as the Southern Indiana Ohio River Bridge project. After the river crossing (by a bridge), the alignment passes beneath private property necessitating the need for the 2000-foot tunnel. Twin bores carrying three lanes of traffic each, separated by a 60-foot wide pillar, is contemplated during conceptual design. More information will be provided as the planning progresses. RTE 9A – Lower Manhattan Tunnel, NEW YORK In an effort to integrate the development of Route 9A into the overall planning initiative for Lower Manhattan Redevelopment, the New York State DOT is evaluating different tunnel design options to rebuild Route 9A from the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel to the vicinity of Chamber Street. The tunnels would be reinforced concrete rectangular box sections utilizing the cut-and-cover technique during construction. This is only the conceptual stage and more information will be provided as planning progresses. CONSTRUCTION STATUS: As of November 01, 2002 the construction status of several major tunnel projects are updated for your use and information. Central Artery/Third Harbor Tunnel, MASSACHUSETTS Contract C09A4: I-93/I-90 Interchange, I-93 Northbound----This section incorporated the jacking of three reinforced concrete, rectangular, box sections beneath the existing Amtrak, Conrail and Boston "T" railroad track embankment. A freezing technique was used, as a means of soil modification, to permit jacking the tunnels beneath the embankment with minimal disruption to the railroads. All of the three jacked tunnels are completed and the remaining reinforced concrete box sections are under construction in the jacking pits. This project is approximately 95 percent complete. Contract C17A9: I-93 over MBTA Aquarium Station---The Central Artery will pass over the existing "Blue Line" (Boston "T" subway system) and require the removal and replacement of a portion of the subway structure. All work will be conducted with minimal disruptions to the commuting passengers or the traveling public. The Contractor (Modern Continental) was not able to use explosives to "implode" the arch portion of the existing structure, but the project is proceeding in a satisfactory manner. Contract C11A1: I-93 Northbound Tunnel - Atlantic Avenue----At this location the Central Artery passes under the "Red Line" (Boston "T" subway system), requiring the underpinning of the "Red Line" without disrupting the present scheduling of train operations, and with complete and total safety to the traveling public. The access shafts for underpinning operations of the "Red Line" were completed, all of the underpinning post-tension, prestressed concrete girders, (that directly support the "Red Line") were in place and were then post-tensioned. The entire tunnel area under the Red Line has been excavated and the underpinning operation was a total SUCCESS. The project is approximately 95 percent complete and, as is my policy, will not be referenced in any future reports Contract C09B2: Fort Point Channel-Concrete Immersed Tube Tunnel----Six reinforced concrete, rectangular, box structures have been constructed in a Casting Basin and floated onto the Fort Point Channel to form the Fort Point Channel Tunnel. Each of the six sections were successfully lowered into a pre-dredged trench, in the channel bottom, and connected to each other to form a 1400-foot, six-lane road tunnel beneath the existing Fort Point Channel. The original cofferdam was breached for the last time and a new cofferdam has been constructed utilizing the two easterly most immersed tubes as part of the cofferdam scheme. The remaining reinforced concrete rectangular box sections will be constructed in the Casting Basin as the final stage of this contract. It is contemplated that the project will be completed in the Summer of 2002. Whittier Tunnel, ALASKA This Whittier Access Project is the first Design/Build tunnel project in the United States. The Design/Build process was successfully administered and the low bidder was a team with the design and construction efforts headed by Kiewit Construction Company. It project entails the modification of an existing railroad tunnel to convert the existing rail tunnel into a joint use facility, which will accommodate both vehicular and rail traffic!! It will improve the overland connection between the south-central Alaska road network and the Prince William Sound Port of Whittier. Whittier is a small Alaska coastal community with year round residents. Whittler's current transportation system includes a deep-water, ice-free port served by the Alaska marine Highway system, a small gravel airstrip and rail service provided by the Alaska Railroad Corporation (ARRC). There is no direct vehicular access to Whittier other than the loading of such vehicles onto the ARRC rail. Access to the project site from the West Side is currently possible only via the ARRC tracks. The rail line used by the ARRC was built by the military in the early 1940's and passes through two long tunnels just west of Whittier. The Anton Anderson Memorial (AAM) Tunnel is the longer of the two tunnels---approximately 4 kilometers (2.6 miles) in length-and is the tunnel to be improved as a part of the Whittier Access Project. The tunnel work included construction of tunnel portal structures and the following:
The Contractor completed installation of 7-foot preformed concrete panels necessary to "pave" the 2.6-mile tunnel to Whittier and provide access to the western Prince William Sound port. Each panel has a textured concrete driving surface and steel rails embedded in grooves to accommodate the railroad. The mechanical ventilation system used in this project is the energy efficient jet fan, longitudinal ventilation system. The jet fans are attached to the tunnel crown and will be used in conjunction with the more traditional vane axial, bi-directional, portal fans. This is the fifth time, in the United States, that jet fans are being incorporated in vehicular tunnels; but it will be the first time that jet fans, which look like engines on jet aircraft, will be used with portal fans that are located at the tunnel portals. There are six 75-horsepower jet fans for normal operations and four 300-horsepower portal fans for emergencies. The powerful portal fans will essentially be used to "cleanse" the tunnel of diesel fumes and soot after the diesel operated railroad trains pass through the tunnel. They would also be used to supplement the jet fans, in case of a fire emergency, to blow the heat and smoke away from any stopped vehicles in the tunnel. MrTunnel is happy to report that the Project is completed and the Whittier Tunnel is open to the public and you can now drive to the City of Whittier throughout the year!! An excellent web site has been established for this project by the Alaska Department of Transportation and it can be found at http://www.dot.state.ak.us/whittiertunnel. MRTUNNEL'S NOTE: Although this project is complete, it is such a fascinating, unique type facility that I decided to make an exception to my policy and leave this intact, again, for this reporting period!! Wolf Creek Pass Tunnel, COLORADO See the section under DESIGN STATUS Lambert-St. Louis International Airport Tunnel, MISSOURI The expansion
program of this international airport requires the construction of an
additional runway that necessitates relocation of the existing Lindberg
Boulevard. This requires a realignment of Lindberg Boulevard and since
it crosses the new runway, it has to be placed underground as a road
tunnel. The resulting facility is a 1400-foot long, four-lane tunnel
on a relatively sharp horizontal curve. The tunnel will be a reinforced
concrete framed structure, constructed by a cut and cover technique
applicable to this type of structure. The tunnel is a design-bid-build
contract and was successfully advertised and the Contractor is awaiting
a notice to proceed. Memorial Tunnel Fire Ventilation Test Program The Memorial Tunnel fire Ventilation Test Program (MTFVTP) consists of a series of full-scale tests that were conducted in an abandoned road tunnel, the Memorial Tunnel in West Virginia. Various tunnel ventilation systems and configurations of such systems were operated to evaluate their respective smoke and temperature management capabilities. These tests generated a significant database relevant to the design and operation of road tunnel ventilation systems under fire emergency conditions. The need for such a program was identified by members of ASHRAE Technical committee 5.9, Enclosed Vehicular Facilities (TC5.9), which formulated the goals and scope of work. They recognized our society's increasing emphasis on life safety, but, as yet, the lack of a definitive and generally accepted consensus regarding the proper design and operation of road tunnel ventilation systems in a fire emergency. Further, as a result of significant decreases in vehicle engine emissions over the past three decades, the ventilation rates required to meet contaminant level criteria in road tunnels may not provide adequate ventilation capacity for a fire emergency. The Memorial Tunnel, located near Charleston, West Virginia, is a two-lane, 2800-foot (853-meter) long, mountain tunnel having a 3.2 percent grade. In preparation for the MTFVTP, the tunnel was modified and instrumented to allow operation and evaluation with the following ventilation system configurations:
The tunnel was equipped with instrumentation and recording equipment for data acquisition. Sensors measuring air velocity, temperature, carbon monoxide (CO), and carbon dioxide (CO2) were installed at various tunnel sections. Data from these sensors were recorded. Smoke generation and movement and the resulting effect on visibility was assessed using seven remote-controlled television cameras with associated recording equipment. Ventilation system effectiveness in managing smoke and temperature movement was tested for the following fire sizes: 10, 2, 50 and 100 megawatts (MW). The heat release of a 20 MW fire is approximately equivalent to a bus or truck fire and a 100 MW fires is equivalent to a flammable fuel sill feeding a pool approximately 480 square feet (sq. ft) {45 square meters [m2]} in area. The test portion of the Project consisted of three separate phases, which are completed and documented. Additional information on the program and how to obtain a copy of the CD-ROM is at the Internet address www.tunnelfire.com where sets can be ordered. Phase IV of the project was the development of a computation fluid dynamics (CFD) model that permits the data obtained form the Memorial Tunnel Tests to be extrapolated, or interpolated, to any road tunnel configuration. It now permits the design alternative of longitudinal ventilation in either new and/or existing tunnels since it will be possible to observe how any particular tunnel behaves under an emergency fire condition. It also allows tunnel managers of existing tunnels to develop an emergency procedure, utilizing their existing ventilation system, to effectively combat heat and smoke in case of fire. The CFD model has been developed, tested and evaluated and is available for everyone!!. After many years of development, the Project is completed and extremely successful. The program is called SOLVENT and available at the www.tunnelfire.com Internet site for additional information and purchase. It is a best seller and has been purchased worldwide from transportation agencies, consultants and tunnel owners Publications and Conferences on Tunnels There are several excellent magazines available that provides the latest information on tunneling activities within the United States and around the world. Most of them can be found in public libraries that contain a technical and/or scientific section. They are:
Additionally, a multitude of conferences, symposiums, colloquiums, etc, on tunnel design, construction, environmental and safety systems, are held throughout the year, throughout the world. The Independent Technical Conferences Ltd. in Bedford, MK organizes these forums at locations around the world. They can be reached on their Internet home page at http://www.itc-conferences.com A one day Conference entitled "Tunneling in New York" will take place on January 28, 2003 in New York City. There will be six presentations on various aspects of tunneling that is taking place in NYC. A contact person is Carrin Mindell at ccm@mcg.net. | Major USA Road Tunnel Projects | International Happenings | Transportation Research Board | Tunnel Talk | Main | Copyright©1997-2003 Mr Tunnel All rights reserved. mrt@mrtunnel.com |