Abstract
This article reports on some of the latest developments of equipment and procedures for supporting and stabilising the ground around a tunnel. During the 1990s, there has been an increasing shortage of urban land for infrastructure projects, as more and more transport and public utility systems are constructed underground. Tunnellers are having to pay increasing attention to improving tunnel wall and portal safety by selecting the right support and sealing systems. In many of these projects, it is vital to make rock and soil more watertight. Blue Circle Cement in the UK has advanced the use of fine ground Portland cements for injection grouting to stabilise the ground and make it watertight, by developing its range of Microcem cements for this purpose. The three current Microcem projects have been used successfully in several tunnelling projects. Some new shotcreting products have been used with remarkable results in the construction of the Lisbon metro, which involves some very challenging New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM) work. A new tunnelling technique implements fast, efficient rockbolting by using Atlas Copco Super Swellex rock bolts. Vulcan Technologies International in Germany has taken over the worldwide production and marketing of Harex steel fibres for fibre reinforced concrete.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
