Controlled Blasting for Removal of Concrete Plugs in Draft Tube Tunnels at Sardar Sarovar Project

Abstract

During construction of the Sardar Sarovar (Narmada) Hydro Electric Project in India, an unprecedented flood entered the power house cavern through draft tube tunnels and caused damage to underground structures. After this incident, these draft tubes were plugged with concrete/reinforced concrete to prevent future flooding. After heavy gates were erected at the exit end of the draft tube tunnels, these plugs had to be removed by drilling and blasting without causing any damage to the concrete lining and the ribs erected in the tunnels. Controlled blasting was designed and executed successfully for removal of the plugs in the same manner as for tunnel blasting. This paper describes the details of concrete plugs, details of drilling and blasting adopted, and some interesting observations in respect of drilling and blasting in the concrete plugs. A seismic method based on the measurement of P-wave velocity in the concrete lining before and after blasting was used to quantify the changes (damage) to concrete lining.