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SEE Tunnel:Promoting Tunneling in SEE Region

ITA WTC 2015 Congress and 41st General Assembly


May 22-28, 2015, Lacroma Valamar Congress Center, Dubrovnik, Croatia

Water Transmission Tunnel Rehabilitation in Thailand


Aphichat SRAMOON, Geotechnical & Foundation Engineering Co., Ltd., Thailand
Supak KUNAVIRIYA, Italian-Thai Development PLC, Thailand
Banjong WONGSA, Metropolitan Waterworks Authority, Thailand

Topic: Operation and Maintenance of Tunnels and Underground Structures

Keywords:

MWA, Water Transmission Tunnel, Tunnel Rehabilitation, Steel Lining

1. Introduction
Metropolitan Waterworks Authority (MWA) intended to improve the existing transmission tunnel of
various sections with the diameters varies from 2.0 m to 2.8 m and the total length of 14 km
approximately, which was constructed more than 30 years. The existing water transmission tunnel
mentioned above has been suffered from the leakage in the entire tunnel section due to
insufficiency of water tightness of the reinforced concrete (RC) secondary lining and construction
joints. This has caused the Authority to reduce water delivery capacity of the transmission tunnel in
order to maintain the transmission flow under minimizing leakage as much as possible, therefore
the tunnel has not been fully utilized its capacity. Moreover, these leakages created the void or soft
spot in the ground surrounding the tunnel that may effect to the adjacent buildings and other
infrastructures as well as inducing risky subsidence. By this reason, it was urgently required that
the tunnel be improved by rehabilitate the existing RC lining to stop leakages.
The Project intends to furnish re-lining on the existing RC lining utilizing more appropriate lining
material rather than the existing RC lining such as steel lining for the whole length of tunnel. Prior
to start the construction, it was concerns that the void surrounding the existing tunnel created by water
leakage from the tunnel should be completely filled in order to avoid the collapse of the void, which will
cause large settlement on the surface. For this purpose the void investigation by resistivity survey and
drilling were carried out. Filling the void by jet grouting or material filling was carried out prior to tunnel
dewatering. It is confirmed that filling the void prior to tunnel dewatering can provide preventive
measures for settlement on the ground surface. The installation of steel tube in such very limited
circumference clearance (10 cm approximately) in the tunnel was really difficult, thus, it was requested
to carry out the survey to check the tunnel inside condition and prepared a wriggle diagram to plan and
arrange the steel tube installation.
The Project has been successfully completed as schedule, by which the Authority has beneficial used
the rehabilitated transmission tunnel for delivering treated water with full tunnel flow capacity to the
downstream water supply system.

2. Project and Work Plan


The works consist of construction of re-lining on the existing RC lining by insertion of steel pipe in
order to rehabilitate four sections of the existing transmission tunnels, as shown in Fig. 1, as follows:
SECTION I
SECTION II
SECTION III

From Si Phraya Valve Chamber to Lumpini Valve Chamber.


Diameter 2.5 m with approximate length of 2.4 km.
From Pradipat Valve Chamber to Si Phraya Valve Chamber.
Diameter 2.8 m with approximate length of 7.5 km.
From Lad Ya (Klong San) Riser Structure to Tha Phra Riser Structure.
Diameter 2.0 m with approximate length of 3.7 km.

SEE Tunnel:Promoting Tunneling in SEE Region


ITA WTC 2015 Congress and 41st General Assembly
May 22-28, 2015, Lacroma Valamar Congress Center, Dubrovnik, Croatia

Fig. 1 Project Location for Tunnel Rehabilitation Works.


SECTION IV

From Lumpini Valve Chamber to Lumpini Drop Structure.


Diameter 2.0 m with approximate length of 0.186 km.

The rehabilitation works for Sections I and III were started at the same time with 6 months period
for preparation work and void filling at the leakage points, 4.5 months for void grouting and steel
tube installation and 2.5 months for test, reinstallation and restoration works. The total
construction period for Sections I and III was 13 months.
Section II was started at 7th month with 6 months for preparation work and void filling at the
leakage points. After finish the works of Sections I and III, the steel tube installation work was
started at 14th month with 7 months for void grouting and steel tube installation works. Test,
reinstallation and restoration works took about 4 months. Thus, the total construction period for
Section II was 17 months.
Sections IV was started at 19th month with 6 months for preparation work and void filling at the
leakage points and the whole works for tunnel rehabilitation including steel tube installation, test,
reinstallation and restoration works was finished within 2 months. The total construction period for
Section IV was 8 months.
The total construction period for the whole project was 26 months.

3. Construction Methodology
The construction sequence for each section of tunnel rehabilitation is described in the following:
(1)

Survey and void investigation along the tunnel.


In order to prepare the suitable methodology for void filling, the survey of the void condition
is necessary and carried out around and along the tunnel by means of Resistivity Survey.

SEE Tunnel:Promoting Tunneling in SEE Region


ITA WTC 2015 Congress and 41st General Assembly
May 22-28, 2015, Lacroma Valamar Congress Center, Dubrovnik, Croatia
The additional void condition investigations were carried out in the area of specified leakage
points in a manner similar to the geological investigation. Fig. 2 shows an activity of
Resistivity Survey along the tunnel.

Fig. 2 Resistivity Survey Along the Tunnel.


(2)

Void filling and grouting.


Prior to shut down the water transmission system for existing tunnel to be rehabilitated, the
void around and along the tunnel should be grouted and filled with suitable material.
Necessary number of location for void filling and void grouting were identified by leakage
point survey in the tunnel and on the ground surface. The void filling by jet grouting from
the ground surface is demonstrated in Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 Void Filling by Jet Grouting.

SEE Tunnel:Promoting Tunneling in SEE Region


ITA WTC 2015 Congress and 41st General Assembly
May 22-28, 2015, Lacroma Valamar Congress Center, Dubrovnik, Croatia

Fig. 4 Tunnel Conditions after Dewatering and Cleaning.


(3)

Working shaft and valve chamber preparation.


The valve chambers and working shafts were prepared for starting point of steel tube
installation, drainage point and ventilation according to the plan and schedule of steel tube
installation.

(4)

Removal of existing pipes, valves and fitting.


The existing pipes, valves and fitting are removed from the working shaft and valve chamber
in order to make the area available for steel tube installation. The pipes and valves were
reconditioned and reinstalled or replaced when finish the steel tube installation.

(5)

Dewatering and cleaning.


Once the water transmission tunnel is shut down, the dewatering would be started
immediately by pumping. When the water level inside the tunnel is lower down about 0.5 m
to 1.0 m above the tunnel invert, the leakage and damage of the tunnel inside were
observed and marked for repair after cleaning the tunnel surface. Fig. 4 shows the tunnel
conditions after dewatering.

(6)

Repair and stop water leakage inside the existing tunnel


The injection of PU foam resin was applied to stop the water leaking through RC lining into
the tunnel. The damage of RC lining has to be repaired by epoxy injection or patching
mortar then coating by cement base material. Fig. 5 demonstrates an injection of PU foam.

(7)

Steel tube installation, welding, infill mortar and testing.


There are three types of steel tube used in the Project; Dia. 1,800 mm with 8 mm thick
lining, Dia. 2,300 mm with 9 mm thick lining and Dia. 2,600 mm with 10 mm thick lining as
shown in Fig. 6. Length of steel tube is varies from 2 m to 5 m depending on the alignment
of the tunnel and available space of working shaft. The steel tubes are fabricated at the
factory and transported from factory to store at storage yard then transported into the
tunnel by crane. The steel tube is then placed on the carrier car bringing onto the installation
location. Fig. 7 shows transportation of steel pipe in the tunnel.

SEE Tunnel:Promoting Tunneling in SEE Region


ITA WTC 2015 Congress and 41st General Assembly
May 22-28, 2015, Lacroma Valamar Congress Center, Dubrovnik, Croatia

Fig. 5 PU Foam Injection.

Fig. 6 Tunnel Configuration after Rehabilitation.

SEE Tunnel:Promoting Tunneling in SEE Region


ITA WTC 2015 Congress and 41st General Assembly
May 22-28, 2015, Lacroma Valamar Congress Center, Dubrovnik, Croatia

Fig. 7 Steel Pipe Transportation.


Welding were performed in two stages; first staged welding was carried out after the steel
tube is placed on the designed location with sufficient number of steel tube for infill mortar,
the later welding stage was carried out after finish infill mortar not less than 48 hrs and shall
be within 7 days. Dye penetrant tests were performed to confirm the quality for all welding.
The completed steel pipe installed in the tunnel is illustrated in Fig. 8.

Fig. 8 Completed Steel Pipe Installation.


(8)

Pressure and leakage test and disinfection.


After finish installation of steel tube sufficiently for pressure and leakage tests, the
disinfection for the water transmission tunnel was carried out following the AWWA C652-86:
AWWA standard for disinfection of water storage facilities. The pressure and leakage tests
were then carried out with specified pressure.

SEE Tunnel:Promoting Tunneling in SEE Region


ITA WTC 2015 Congress and 41st General Assembly
May 22-28, 2015, Lacroma Valamar Congress Center, Dubrovnik, Croatia

(9)

Reinstallation of existing pipes, valves and fitting.


The existing pipes, valves and other fittings were reinstalled to be in function ready for
services after all tests are completed.

(10) Working shaft and ventilation shaft restoration.


The working shaft and ventilation shaft were restoration as the conditions before
rehabilitation.

4. Conclusions and Recommendations


The following is the comments and recommendations on the tunnel rehabilitation works over entire
period of the construction:
(1) Prior to start the construction, it was concerned that the void surrounding the existing tunnel
created by water leakage from the tunnel should be completely filled in order to avoid the collapse
of the void, which will cause large settlement on the surface. For this purpose the void
investigation by resistivity survey and drilling were carried out. Filling the void by jet grouting or
material filling was carried out prior to tunnel dewatering. It was confirmed that filling the void
prior to tunnel dewatering can provide preventive measures for settlement on the ground surface.
(2) It was also concerned for installation of steel tube in such very limited circumference clearance
(10 cm approximately) in the tunnel where the tunnel inside diameter are expected not to deviate
substantially. In order to confirm the tunnel inside condition, after the tunnel was dewatered, it
was requested to carry out the survey to check the tunnel inside condition and prepared a wriggle
diagram to plan and arrange the steel tube installation. Finally, it was confirmed that all steel
tubes can be transported for its installation without any obstruction.
(3) It was another concerned that steel tube with thin wall thickness (8 mm for Dia. 1,800 mm, 9 mm
for Dia. 2,300 mm and 10 mm for Dia. 2,600 mm) could withstand for outside grouting pressure
during infill mortar to filling circumference clearance between the existing lining and new steel lining.
In order to demonstrate and prevent the problem, the model was constructed with an actual
diameter and 8 m long, which consisting of the RC lining and insert new steel lining with four
numbers of bracings in the workshop. It has demonstrated the infill mortar on the model to evaluate
the workability and stability of the steel lining. The model test discovered that the provided bracings
were sufficient and method of mortar placing was acceptable. This finding is one of the reasons that
steel tube installations have been performed without any major problem during the construction.
(4) The Project has been successfully completed as schedule, by which the Authority has beneficial
used the rehabilitated transmission tunnel for delivering treated water with full tunnel flow
capacity to the downstream water supply system.

5.

References
[1]

American Water Works Association. (2004) Steel Pipe: A Guide for Design and
Installation, Manual of Water Supply Practices-M11, 4th Ed., 239p.

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