Cover Page

TBM Excavation in Difficult Ground Conditions

Case Studies from Turkey

Nuh Bilgin

Hanifi Copur

Cemal Balci

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This book is dedicated to our lovely wives
Ayfer Bilgin, Nurten Copur and Nurgul Balci
and our beloved children
Damlanur Bilgin, Serkan and Busra Copur and Cem Eren Balci

Preface

The use of tunnel boring machine (TBM) tunneling has increased considerably in the past ten years in Turkey. It is planned to excavate 200 km of tunnels in the near future in Istanbul alone, and 100km of tunnels in other parts of Turkey. Thirty new TBMs are predicted to start working in Istanbul during 2017.

The geology of Turkey is complex, and the country is in a tectonically active region; on a broad scale, the tectonics of the region are controlled by the collision of the Arabian Plate and the Eurasian Plate. The Anatolian block is being squeezed to the west. The block is bounded to the north by the North Anatolian Fault and to the south-east by the East Anatolian Fault. The effects of these faults are seen clearly on the performance of TBMs used in these regions.

This book is written with the intention of sharing the tunneling experiences gained during several years in difficult ground and complex geology. The methane explosion in an earth pressure balance (EPB) TBM chamber, the clogging of a TBM, the need to change disc cutters to chisel cutters, the need to change CCS-type discs cutters to V-type disc cutters, excessive disc cutter consumption, the optimum selection of TBM type in complex geology, magmatic inclusions or ‘dykes’, the effect of blocky ground on TBM performance, the mechanism of rock rupture in front of TBMs, TBM face collapses and blockages, the effect of opening ratio in EPB-TBMs in fractured rock, squeezing of the TBM or jamming of the cutterhead, probe drilling and the use of umbrella arching ahead of TBMs are discussed within this book.

We hope that the experiences shared in this book may help project designers and practicing engineers dealing with TBM drivages in complex geology in different parts of the world.

Istanbul, June 2016

Nuh Bilgin
Hanifi Copur
Cemal Balci

Acknowledgements

The contents of this book were discussed at some of the World Tunneling Congresses organized by the ITA, and some of the data has been published in different technical journals such as Tunneling and Underground Space Technology, Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering and International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences. However, the topics in this book include more data and it has been analyzed more comprehensively. We are grateful to the organizers of the World Tunneling Congresses and cited journal authorities who gave us the chance to discuss the subject in advance.

The following contractors and state organizations have given us the opportunity to access field data and have helped in analyzing tunneling performances. Without their generous help it would have been impossible to write this book.

Contracting companies:
Aga Enerji
Celikler-Akad JV
Dogus
E-Berk
Eferay-Silahtaroglu JV
Fugro-Sial
Gulermak
Gulermak-Kolin-Kalyon JV
Intekar-Biskon JV
Kolin
Mosmetrostoy
NAS-YSE JV
NTF
Ozka-Kalyon Construction JV
Sargin Construction
Statkraft
STFA
Unal Akpinar
Yapi Merkezi
Yertas

Government organizations:
Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB)
State Hydraulic Works (DSI)
State Railway Organization (TCDD)
Istanbul Water and Sewerage Administration (ISKI)

Our thanks are also due to Istanbul Technical University authorities and Mining Engineering Department Staff, especially to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Deniz Tumac, and PhD students Emre Avunduk, Aydin Shaterpour Mamaghani and Ugur Ates. Finally we must thank also to Prof. Dr. Ergin Arioglu who has always encouraged us to write papers, articles and books since our school days.