CIVIL ENGINEERING CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY
CV4251 TUTORIAL #3, #4 and #5
1. The first phase of the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) programme in Singapore
involved 22.4 km of bored tunneling, which covered parts of the North-South
line and the East-West line. For the North-South line, bored tunnels were
driven from Toa Payoh station to City Hall station, connecting the following
seven underground stations: Toa Payoh, Novena, Newton, Orchard,
Somerset, Dhoby Ghaut, and City Hall.
The other line, the East-West line, bored tunnels were driven from Kallang
station to Redhill station, connecting the following nine underground stations:
Kallang, Lavender, Bugis, City Hall, Raffles Place, Tanjong Pagar, Outram
Park, Tiong Bahru, and Redhill. All the 22.4 km of 5.2 m internal diameter
bored tunnels, in 38 drives, were scheduled for completion in 3.5 years,
including design (1984-1987).
(a) Discuss the problems encountered in the bored tunneling works for
the MRT project. Mention the types of soil conditions, ground
settlement problems and the control of ground water.
(b) Discuss the use of tunnel linings during the construction of the
tunnels. You should mention both in-situ linings and precast concrete
linings.
(c) Discuss the role of compressed air in the implementation of bored
tunneling for the Singapore MRT project. What are the advantages
and disadvantages of the use of compressed air?
References:
Hulme, T.W. and Burchell, A.J. (1992). “Bored Tunneling for Singapore Metro.”
Journal of Construction Engineering and Management ASCE. Vol. 18. No. 2. pp.
363-384.
2. A contract is awarded for the reclamation of 660 ha of land to site an airport
runway and supporting facilities for a new airport. The contract includes
dredging of 36 million m3 of sand from the adjoining seabed, pumping it
ashore and placing it hydraulically. The subsoil conditions in the area
designated for dredging consist of well-cemented coarse sand and gravel.
Some areas of the seabed are lined with stiff clay.
(a) Outline the factors that affect the choice of dredgers for the above
projects. Identify one type of dredger that you consider the most
suitable for the above operations.
(b) How would you deal with the clay material that is unsuitable for the
reclamation projects?
(c) Discuss briefly the compaction of the hydraulic fill by the use of
dynamic compaction.
3. Excavations for basement construction can be conducted using one of the
following methods.
• With sloping sides – “open cut”
• Supported by timbering or sheet piling
• Supported by a reinforced concrete diaphragm wall built ahead of
main excavation
• Supported by contiguous bored pile wall built ahead of main
excavation
Each of these methods is suitable for specific cases or scenarios of
basement construction – depending on site conditions, layout etc.
(a) Provide some examples of these cases or scenarios.
(b) Overall, what are the few common factors that would determine the
choice of methods for basement construction?
4. A simple case study in London:
The project concerns the redevelopment of a small, urban site that required a
habitable basement for a luxury bungalow (height of basement approximately
4 m). The cramped site was underlain by up to 3.5 m of terrace gravels which
in turn overlay stiff London Clay. The ground water table at the site was
recorded at 2.5 m below ground level within the terrace gravels. In addition, a
guest pavilion and a garage were to be constructed over part of the
basement and the garden reinstated over the completed basement.
The structural engineer for the project determined that the most economic
method of construction would be for the basement retaining structure to carry
a significant proportion of the superstructure loading.
For the above descriptions, what are some of the problems that you could
foresee if sheet piles are selected as a temporary basement retaining
structure?
5. The Republic Plaza in Singapore consists or a 66 storey tower block with a
height of 280 m and a 9 storey podium. The podium is supported on 843
micropiles, 250 mm in diameter. The tower block is supported on 14 caissons
of 5 m. & 6 m diameter. The caisson lengths varied from 32 m to 61.7 m,
depending on the applied load and the soil conditions. It was not possible to
support the tower block on bored piles because of large loads and thus very
close spacing of the piles that would be required.
• The soil conditions at the Republic Plaza site were investigated via 7
boreholes. The soil consists, from the ground level, of 2.3 m to 3.4 m of fill,
1.1 m to 4.2 m of loose sand and/or soft marine clay and of bouldery clay.
Below the bouldery clay is the Jurong Formation consisting of alternating
layers of shale, sandstones, siltstone and mudstone.
• The 14 caissons were built at the same time, each with construction time
varied from 8 to 25 weeks each. The caissons were excavated in 2 m lifts.
(a) Discuss how to construct the caisson, especially through the Jurong
formation.
(b) Discuss the possible change in temperature during mass concreting of
the caisson and how to manage it.
