Development and Use of Thermally

Conductive CLSM for the Zoo

Interchange Project
ACI Spring Convention

April 20, 2016

Project Summary
Large, multi-disciplinary project
Unique electric infrastructure
Aggressive / compressed construction
schedule
Assets must remain in-service during
construction
Need to maintain circuit capacity

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WisDOT Construction Schedule by Year

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Background Information (contd.)
4 double barrel tunnels for electric transmission
and distribution facilities were constructed under
various portions of the interchange coincident
with the original Zoo Interchange (IC)
construction:
Zoo Tunnel located north of Zoo IC under US-45 (600)
Bluemound Tunnel located west of Zoo IC under I-94 (360)
Adler Tunnel located east of Zoo IC under I-94 (550)
Hwy 100 Tunnel located south of Bluemound Road under HWY
100 (200)

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Background Information (contd.)

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Tunnel Feasibility Study
Structural investigation
Utilized visual inspection techniques
Schmidt hammer tests (rebound or Swiss hammer)

Soil borings performed

Design integrity analysis performed
Original design was conservative for the loads applied
Structural analysis showed that the tunnel could support the
additional loads resulting from proposed increase in overburden
(depth of soil) with minor modification
Geo-technical analysis shows significant settlement is likely

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Typical Tunnel 6 high X 6 wide

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Bluemound and Zoo Tunnels

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Tunnel Challenges
Depth of soil overlying the tunnels to increase by 20 feet or more
Changes in the depth of soil overlying the tunnels are nearly vertical
in places
Settlement of soils underlying the tunnels in some areas are
estimated to be in the range of 0.75 to 2.5 due to increase in
overburden
Bluemond and Zoo Tunnels need to be extended due to widening of
the freeway
Both barrels of the Adler tunnel were in direct conflict with multiple
new feeder ramps
Potential cable ampacity concerns due to mutual heating

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Solution for Bluemound and Zoo Tunnels
Extend Zoo tunnel by 300 on west end of the tunnel with overbuilt
encased duct packages
Extend Bluemound tunnel 200 on east end and 300 on west end of
tunnel with overbuilt encased duct packages
Address increased overburden and related settlement issue by
implementing controlled settlement measures on existing tunnel
structures
Convert existing Zoo and Bluemound tunnels into 2 large encased
duct packages
Lower total cost
Higher cable ampacity
Reduced time to construct
Reduced future maintenance costs

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Bluemound & Zoo Tunnel Extension

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Bluemound & Zoo Tunnel Extension (contd)
Installed
Conduit at Zoo
West, looking
east

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Bluemound & Zoo Tunnel Extension (contd)

Backfill progress
at Zoo West,
looking east

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Bluemound & Zoo Tunnel Extension (contd)
Pouring granular
thermal backfill
(GTB) at Zoo
West, looking
east

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Bluemound & Zoo Tunnel Extension (contd)
Installed conduit and
GTB at Zoo East,
looking east

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Bluemound & Zoo Tunnel Extension (contd)

Red-dyed
concrete cap at
Bluemound West,
looking west

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Bluemound & Zoo Tunnel Conversion

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Bluemound & Zoo Tunnel Conversion (contd)

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Bluemound & Zoo Tunnel Conversion (contd)
Expansion joint in
Zoo North package
at tunnel

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Bluemound & Zoo Tunnel Conversion (contd)
Expansion Joint
Box in Zoo South
Tunnel

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Bluemound & Zoo Tunnel Conversion (contd)
KS crew fixing
expansion joints in
Bluemound West
Shaft

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Bluemound & Zoo Tunnel Conversion (contd)

Pumping highly
flowable thermal
backfill into Zoo
South Tunnel at
Zoo West, looking
west

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Bluemound & Zoo Tunnel Conversion (contd)
Pouring highly
flowable thermal
backfill at
Bluemound West,
looking east

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Bluemound & Zoo Tunnel Conversion (contd)
Flowable thermal
backfill progress in
Zoo West Shaft,
looking north

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Solution for Adler Tunnel
Lower the southern 350 of the west barrel
of the existing tunnel and convert into 1
very large encased duct package
Advantages over other alternatives:
Significant lower total cost
Reduced time to construct
Reduced future maintenance costs

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Adler Tunnel Modification
Adler Tunnel
East tube,
looking north
towards 96th
Street Substation
headhouse

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Adler Tunnel Modification (contd)

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Adler Tunnel Modification (contd)

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Adler Tunnel Modification (contd)

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Adler Tunnel Modification (contd)
Braced tunnel floor
opening and ramp
to box tunnel

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Adler Tunnel Modification (contd)
Adler box tunnel
progress, looking
south

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Adler Tunnel Modification (contd)
Casing installation
in Adler Street
Shaft

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Effects of Overheating
Most cross link polyethylene (XPLE) and
ethylene propylene rubber (EPR) insulated
cables maximum continuous conductor
temperature is limited to 90 degree C
Operating a cable above 90 degrees C results in:
Reduction in cable life
Excessive heating at joints which increases likelihood
of cable joint failure
Increases mechanical stress levels in cable which can
lead to premature joint or cable failure

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Backfill Materials
Thermal Resistivity (Rho)
Rho is Measured in DEGREE C x CENTIMETERS /
WATTS
Rho < or = 60: no loss in cable ampacity
Rho < 90: minor loss in cable ampacity
Rho 90 120: acceptable loss in cable ampacity
Rho > = 120 Unacceptable loss in cable ampacity

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Backfill Materials (cont)
Other factors affecting thermal
performance of fill materials
Moisture content
Compaction
Heat flux sensitivity
Proximity of fill material with respect to cable
(direct bury vs. conduit)
Load factor

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Application of Backfill Materials

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WisDOT CLSM - 6524
Pumpable and flowable
Used where high thermal conductivity is not required
Low strength requirement; diggable
Availability; Qty = 1300 yd

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Tunnel Fill FTB - 6639
Pumpable and flowable
Use of water reducing + retarding admixture
Favorable thermal conductivity properties
Low strength requirement 100 psi @ 28 days
Availability; Qty = 2000 yd

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Tunnel Fill FTB 6639 (contd)
IEEE 442: IEEE Guide for Soil Thermal
Resistivity Measurements
Desired Thermal Resistivity (TR)
TR < 40 C-m/W @10% moisture (wet)
TR < 110 C-m/W @0% moisture (dry)
Measured TR by Test (average of 3 samples)
TR(avg) = 35 C-m/W @10% moisture (wet)
TR(avg) = 91 C-m/W @0% moisture (dry)

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Tunnel Fill FTB 6639 (contd)

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Benchwall Grout 6506GRO
Higher strength requirement; use of bond breaker and flexible joints
Favorable thermal conductivity properties
Flowable
Availability; Qty = 1600 yd

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Trench Backfill GTB (fluid) 9952P
Favorable thermal conductivity properties
Low strength requirement; diggable
Pumpable and flowable
Availability; Qty = 2400 yd

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Construction Cautions
Liquids exert hydrostatic pressure
Consider adjacent structures capacity
Place in lifts if necessary
Quick Sand Hazard until setup I deep fills
Protect construction site from accidental entry
Some mixes may be too strong for future
excavation

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Construction Cautions (contd)
Liquids will splash and spill
Transport stiff and add water at site
Segregation for long flow distances with
coarse aggregate components
Is a coarse aggregate component really
needed?
Pipes, Tanks and Cables Will Float!

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Benefits of CLSM
Readily available Fast return to traffic
Easy to deliver Will not settle
Easy to place Reduces excavation
Versatile Improves safety
Strong & Durable All-weather construction
Can be excavated Reduces equipment
Less inspection Requires no storage
A green material

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Conclusions
The unconventional modifications of the existing
tunnels resulted in completion of the project 9
months ahead of schedule
Use of unique backfill materials maintained
needed cable capacities where mutual heating
and soil depth are difficult obstacles to design
around
The unique design modifications and staging of
the work allowed assets to remain in-service
while construction was ongoing

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Questions?

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