CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT OF TUNNELLING IN SEVERE GROUNDWATER CONDITION

For a hydro power plant project, the headrace tunnel having a finished diameter of 3.3m was constructed in volcanic rocks with well-developed vertical joint and high groundwater table. The intake facility was located 20.3 km upstream of the powerhouse and headrace tunnel of 20 km in length and penstock of 440 m in height connected the intake and the powerhouse. The typical caldera lake, Lake Toba set the geology at the site; the caving of the ground caused tension cracks in the vertical direction to be developed and initial stresses at the ground to be released. High groundwater table(the maximum head of 20 bar) in the area of well-connected vertical joints delayed the progress of tunnel excavation severely due to the excessive inflow of groundwater. The excavation of tunnel was made using open-shield type TBM and mucking cars on the rail. High volume of water inflow raised the water level inside tunnel to 70 cm, 17% of tunnel diameter (3.9 m) and hindered the mucking of spoil under water. To improve the productivity, several adjustments such as modification of TBM and mucking cars and increase in the number of submersible pumps were made for the excavation of severe water inflow zone. Since the ground condition encountered during excavation turned out to be much worse, it was decided to adopt PC segment lining instead of RC lining. Besides, depending on the conditions of the water inflow, rock mass condition and internal water pressure, one of the invert PC segment lining with in-situ RC lining, RC lining and steel lining was applied to meet the site specific condition. With the adoption of PC segment lining, modification of TBM and other improvement, the excavation of the tunnel under severe groundwater condition was successfully completed.