Tunnel Construction

facts about the Adelaide-Crafers Highway project

Part of the Macmahon Concrete Constructions Joint Venture tunneling team - (front) Ray Reynolds, Butch
(John) Gardner with Jake, Graeme King, James Tyrrell (back) Brett Lang, Kevin Nelson, Lee Mullins,
Richard OCallaghan, Gary McLachlan, Andrew Robinson

Top - Michelle Grose, Project Surveyor

GEOLOGICAL CONDITIONS

EXCAVATION

The tunnels are being excavated through a steep sided hill at a depth of up to 60 metres.

The tunnels are being excavated in two stages: First the top
half of the tunnel or heading is excavated and then the
bottom half or bench.

The strength, weathering and jointing characteristics of rocks (particularly the number and orientation of the
joints) are important in developing a safe method of tunnel excavation.

Bottom - To Adelaide breakthrough, August, 1998

 The area is geologically complex, consisting of slate and quartzite with strengths ranging from low to
very high.

Road headers are being used in tandem with drill and blast
techniques (for areas of high strength rock).

 The weathering profile of the rock is variable with sections both extremely weathered to fresh rock.

A road header has a revolving head with 30 steel tungstentipped picks that grind through the rock. The rock falls on
to a steel apron which is scooped onto a conveyor and then
loaded on to tip trucks which haul the spoil out of the
tunnel.

 The tunnel cuts through variable jointing profile with areas of very closely spaced joints and areas with
minimal joints.

Support types
The design of the tunnels is based on eight different support types which are used when different types of
rock are being tunnelled through.
 Type 1 (lowest support type) is used in areas of medium strength to high strength rocks with a slightly
weathered profile and medium spaced joints.
 Type 8 (highest support type) is used in areas of low strength rocks with extreme weathering and closely
spaced joints.

To improve the cycle times a 30 tonne excavator with a

specially designed hydraulic rockbreaker is being used in
tandem with the road header.
Drill and blast techniques are quicker, however, it is
difficult to control the excavation profile and there is a
significant risk that there would be large areas of excessive
overbreak.

The rate of progress depends on the support type being installed:

 Type 1 - tunnel advances in 2.5 metre cycles (more than 20 metres of top heading can be excavated per
week).
 Type 8 - tunnel advances only 0.75 metres per cycle (only 5 to 10 metres can be excavated per week).

The 500 metre twin-tube tunnels on the Adelaide - Crafers Highway are the first tunnels on
the National Highway.

 Construction is by the Macmahon Concrete

Constructions Joint Venture.
 Workers are inducted in specific site safety procedures
before starting work.
 Weekly tool box talks are held to discuss any safety
issues.


Protective clothing includes: hard hats; cap lamps;

safety glasses; ear plugs; steel cap boots; reflective
clothing; dust masks.

SURVEYING
Before starting an excavation cycle the tunnel profile is
marked up with spray paint on the tunnel face.
A motorised theodolite with a laser beam controls this
profile.
Every 20 to 30 metres the site surveyor inputs into the
theodolite the data required for the next section of the
tunnel.
To mark up the face the miners key into the theodolite the
current position of the face.
Using the data stored in the memory of the theodolite a
laser beam is projected on to the face.
A red dot approximately 5 mm in diameter is seen on the
tunnel face and the miner spray paints a dot on the rock
face.
After 10 seconds the theodolite reorientates the laser beam
to the next position on the perimeter of the tunnel and
another dot is sprayed. Approximately 20 dots are sprayed
around the perimeter of the tunnel.
The miners then join the dots and that is the profile to cut.

SUPPORT METHODS
Support during construction
The support methods used in the tunnels is
similar to supports used in tunnels worldwide and
is based on NATM (New Austrian tunnelling
method) theory.
NATM uses the inherent strength in the rock
mass to support the tunnel roof during
excavation.
After each cut cycle long steel rockbolts are
chemically anchored around the perimeter of the
tunnel.
By tensioning the rockbolts the rock mass above
the tunnel forms a stable compressive arch.
Shotcrete is then sprayed around the perimeter of
the tunnel.

Permanent support
When the tunnel excavation has been completed a
permanent concrete lining will be installed.
Maximum thickness of 450 mm and minimum
thickness of 250 mm.

CONCRETE LINING PROCESS

The form travels on rails into the tunnel.
There are hydraulic drive units on the four legs of the form.
After the form is set into position a timber bulkhead is constructed at the
open end of the form.

Placed in 12 metre sections with more than

150m3 of concrete placed every 12 metre section.
One12 metre lining section constructed every
day, five days per week.
Formwork used for constructing the lining
weighs more than 150 tonnes and travels along
the tunnel on temporary rails.

Concrete is placed through openings (hatches) in the formwork on each

side of the form.
Once the sides are full, concrete is pumped through the top of the form.
During concrete placement air-operated vibrators on the formwork vibrate
the whole form and compacts the concrete.
A form release compound is sprayed onto the outside of the form to
prevent concrete from sticking.
Other tunnels which have used this technique include the Sydney Harbour
tunnel, Brisbane Rail tunnels, City Link tunnels (Melbourne) and Airport
tunnels (Sydney).

The Adelaide - Crafers Highway project is fully-funded

by the Federal Government.
For more information contact:
Luigi Rossi, Project Manager, Transport SA
Tel (08) 8343 2219 Fax (08) 8343 2080
e mail: luigi.rossi@roads.sa.gov.au
The project website is at www.transport.sa.gov.au/adelcraf

Government
of South Australia

Information updated June 1999