Analysis of the vertical surface displacements due to subway tunnelling in Istanbul

M.S. Avsar Monash University, Dept. Civil Eng. A. Bouazza Monash University, Dept. Civil Eng. C.A. Ozturk Istanbul Technical University, Dept. Mining Eng. ABSTRACT: The Istanbul Subway Project is one of the divisions of Istanbul Integrated Railway Transportation project. The subway project has a vital importance for Istanbul City and it seems as an effective solution for the citys great traffical problem and the air pollution due to the heavy traffic. The project also has a great importance in terms of tunnel engineering because of the dense residential areas and historical texture of the city. In this study surface settlements effects due to the tunnelling were determined. The vertical displacements were determined by the surface settlement measurements taken from the sequently arranged surface measurements points on the tunnel route. The data from measurement points were taken before during and after tunnelling passed it. In this way the effect of tunneling on the surface can be determined accurately.

1 INTRODUCTION The construction of the first subway tunnel in Istanbul was designed by a French engineer Henry Gavend in 1875. The undergoing subway project was designed in 1988 and construction started in 1992. The first phase was completed in 2000 and the second phase of the project is currently taking place. Some information about the characteristics of the first phase of the Istanbul Subway Project is given in Table 1 (Ayaydin, 1997). Table 1. Characteristics of Istanbul Subway Tunnels
Tunnel Type Excavation Area (m2) 36 64 42 22 44 100 64 --25 55 --Length (m) 11364 1366 418 413 348 631 350 14890 206 248 454

were used to analyze the vertical displacements due to tunnelling.

Single Track Tunnels (Type A) Platform Tunnels (Type P) Connection Tunnels -Stations (Type B1) Cross Passage Tu nnels (Type B2) Inclined Escalator Shafts (Type B3) Turnout Tunnels (Type T) Pedestrian Tunnels (Type T) Bored Tunnel Total Length Single Track (Cut and Cover) Double Track (Cut and Cover) Cut and Cover Tunnel Total Length

Figure 1. Main route of Istanbul Subway

1 GEOLOGY OF THE STUDY AREA The main Route of Istanbul Subway and the study area are shown in Figure 1. The study was carried out between 11440 km and 11770 km of the tunnel. Surface settlements measurements from 24 different points and 2 borehole extensometer measurements Paleozoic sedimentary formations from Lower Devonian to Middle Carboniferous are prevalent in the area. Many faults and geologic discontinuities developed due to Hercinian and Alpine Orogenies.

Figure 2. Geology of the study area Table 2. Mechanical Properties of the Rock Types of Trakya Formation (Yalcin, 1994).
Rock Type Weathering Level W1 -W2 W3 -W4 W1 -W2 W3 -W4 W1 -W2 W3 -W4 C (kg/cm 2 ) 1105 850 691 319 267 220 T (kg/cm 2 ) 120 95 45 40 37 40 E (kg/cm 2 ) 120 x 10 3 81 x 10 3 190 x 10 3 104 x 10 3 80 x 10 3 98 x 10 3 Hydraulic Conductivity (m/s) 10 x 10 -6 0 1,92 x 10 -6 5,7 x 10 -7 1,4 x 10 -6 1,64 x 10 -7

Diabase I Diabase II Sandstone (Grey) Sandstone (Grey-Brown) Claystone-Siltstone (Grey, Laminated) Claystone-Siltstone (Grey -Brown)

The rock formation, locally named Trakya formation is formed of fine g rained, laminated, fractured and interbedded siltstone and mudstone. RQD values vary between 0 and 90%. Some diabase dykes have also been encountered while driving the tunnels and these affected advance rates as they are significantly harder than rock excavated along the major part of the tunnel routes (Bilgin et al. 1997), Figure 2. Mechanical properties of the different rock types of Trakya formation are given in Table 2 (Avsar, 1997). The prevailing water is only partly of natural origin, being supplemented by numerous old water ducts going back to Byzantine times (Ayaydin, 1997). Driving depths of 12-20 m is further impeded by the rapid alternation of compact, slightly unstable rock series to highly milonitic zones within the space of only a few meters. It is difficult to predict the spatial orientation of the layers and fracture surfaces on the basis of the advance or the ongoing geological investigations (Ayaydin,1997).

3 TUNNEL SUPPORT DESIGN The highly variable ground conditions and frequent changes of cross section along the route necessitated flexible construction methods. The NATM was chosen for economic reasons and because of its adaptability in varying circumstances (Ayaydin, 1997). Firstly it would be beneficial to highlight the NATMs some important principles before looking at the case. According to Muller (1978), the most important principles of NATM can be listed as follows; Essentially bearing component part of a tunnel is surrounding rock mass. Preliminary support and final lining have only a confining function; they serve the purpose of establishing a load-bearing ring or a three-dimensional spherical bearing shell in the rock mass. In order that the rock mass be able to carry on the assigned bearing function, it is necessary that its mass resistance be preserved as much as possible. Therefore loosening and extensive rock deformations having a progressively

decomposing effect, have to be prevented as much as possible. This can be reached by an application of supporting measures, dosed according to time and intensity. Lining and permanent support shall be thin walled, as in this way they minimize the take of bending moments and the appearance of bending fractures. Necessary strengthening is not being reached in the form of thickening but by means of mesh reinforcements, tunnel ribs, and anchors. Statically the tunnel is considered as a (thickwalled) tube, consisting of rock and the support and/or lining. Since a tube is statically acting as tube only if it is not slit, the closing of the ring is of special importance. The behaviour of the rock mass is essentially determined by the time necessary for closing the ring. Far advancing calottas extend this time and expose the cantilevering tunnel half-shell to great bending effects in the longitudinal direction of the tunnel; moreover such calottas expose the rock mass below their toe to high loads.

The other two types specify lattice girders and 200 mm of shotcrete, 6-7 anchors and occasional forepoling rods. The differences were due mainly to round lengths of 1-1.3 m or 0.8-1 m. The invert was closed within 10 m. Each individual length of these tunnel types reached a maximum of 180 m and was connected to other tunnel constructions at regular intervals. For the secondary lining, 350-500 mm (depending on tunnel cross section) of reinforced waterproof cast-in-situ concrete was specified (Ayaydin, 1997). 4 VERTICAL DISPLACEMENTS DUE TO TUNELLING In this paper, part of the tunnel between 10+980 km and 11+435 km was analysed. In this part of the project two parallel single-track tunnels were constructed, they are named Tube 1 and Tube 2 respectively. During the project several types of geotechnical measurements were carried out, 2800 measurement points were observed in total. In order to analyse the vertical displacements, surface settlement measurement and borehole extensometer measurement data sets were used (Fig. 4).

In the Istanbul Subway three types of support measures were used for the single-track tunnels. The lightest provided for a round length of 1.5 m maximum with 150 mm of shotcrete and 4-6 Super Swellex/round; the tunnel invert was constructed according to results of the geotechnical measurements (Ayaydin, 1997). A typical cross-section of a single-track tunnel of the Istanbul Subway is shown in Figure 3.

Figure 4. Geotechnical measurements of vertical displacements Figure 3. Typical cross section of the single-track tunnel Location of the measurement points used are given in Table 3.

Table 3. Location of the measurement points

Location (km) 10980 11005 11020 11085 11118 11185 11210 11415 11435 11430* Points over Tube 1 1377 1367 1365 1353 1343 1325 1311, 1309 --1 Points over Tube 2 1373 1371 1361 1349 1347 1321 1317 1275 -2 Points on the middle 1375 1369 -1351 1345 1323 1313 1273 4271 --50 0 -2 0 50 100 150 200

Settlement (mm)

-4 -6 -8 -10 -12 -14 Days

4271 1309 1311 1313

* Borehole extensometer

Figure 7. Settlements due to Tube 1 (11+210 km, 11+415 km, 11+435 km) Settlements due to Tube 2 are given in Figures 8, 9, and 10. Similarly to Tube 1, settlements started before the tunnels reached the reference point and stabilized after closing the invert. These diagrams also show the changing ground conditions of the study area. The immediate and unexpected change in every 1-2 meter is the main difficulty in the Istanbul Subway.

Surface settlements due to tube 1 are given in Figures 5, 6 and 7. It can be observed that the settlements started before the tunnel reached the point, the maximum settlement values corresponded to tunnelling right below the reference point. After closing the invert, settlements stabilized. It shows in such geological conditions, forepoling and lattice girders increase significantly the safety conditions. These type of support systems are frequently used to prevent the tunnels hazardous effects on surface structures.

-50 0

50

100

150

200
1375 1373 1369 1371 1361

Settlement (mm)

-50 0
Settlement (mm)

50

100

150

200

-5 -10 -15 -20 -25 -30 Days

-5 -10 -15 -20 -25 -30

Days

1377 1375 1367 1369 1365 1361

Figure 8. Settlements due to Tube 2 (10+980 km, 11+005 km, 11+020 km)

Figure 5. Settlements due to Tube 1 (10+980 km, 11+005 km, 11+020 km)
-50 0 -50 0 0 50 100 150 200 1353 1351 1343 1345 1325 1323 Days 0 50 100 150 200

Settlement (mm)

-5 -10 -15 -20 -25

1349 1345 1347 1323 1321

Settlement (mm)

-5 -10 -15 -20 -25 -30

Days

Figure 6. Settlements due to Tube 1 (11+085 km, 11+118 km, 11+185 km)

Figure 9. Settlements due to Tube 2 (11+085 km, 11+118 km, 11+185 km)

-50 0

50

100

150

200

7.0 6.0 T1 Advance Rate (m/day) T2 Advance Rate (m/day) 11000 11200 km 11400 11600

Settlement (mm)

-2 -4 -6 -8 -10

m/day

1273 1275 4271 1317

5.0 4.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 0.0

Days

10800

Figure 10. Settlements due to Tube 2 (11+210 km, 11+415 km, 11+435 km)

Figure 13. Tube 1 and Tube 2 advance rates between 10+980 km and 11+435 km In order to make a comparison between tunnel advance rate and settlements Tube 1 and Tube 2 advance rates are given in Figure13. In general it can be suggested that with a reasonable daily advance rate surface settlements can be kept to a minimum. But in this case it might be risky to consider the advance rate diagrams because in this part of the project unexpected changes in ground conditions and unrecorded historical structures affected the advance rates more than the rock mass properties and excavation machines performance. Safety concerns sometimes reduced the advance rates but also reduced the settlements. Advance rates were also affected by andesite and diabase dykes intrusion into the Trakya formation. In such parts, advance rates significantly decreased but surface settlements also stayed to a minimum, this relationship can easily be observed at about 11+185 km. 5 CONCLUSIONS In this paper vertical displacements due to subway tunneling in Istanbul were analyzed in the light of NATM principles. In such a historical city the difficulties against the tunneling applications sometimes cant be classified as in textbooks. Considering only the predetermined geological conditions and ground material properties sometimes may cause unexpected results in such historical cities. From this aspect it can be said that the NATM is an effective selection. Because the flexibility of t h e m e t h o d a n d i n s t a n t ground behaviour observations during tunneling give the chance to apply a safer support system immediately under a critical condition. The geotechnical investigations done before the project are very important in order to make predictions about ground conditions. Furthermore observation of the ground behaviour during the construction also has a vital importance.

-100 1 0.5 0 -0.5 -1 -1.5 -2 -2.5 -3

100

200

300

400

Settlement (mm)

5m 11 m 15 m

Days

Figure 11. Borehole extensometer measurement on Tube 1 (11+430 km)

2.5
Settlement (mm)

2 1.5 1 0.5 0 -0.5 -1

10 m 15 m

-100

100

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300

400

Days

Figure 12. Borehole extensometer measurement on Tube 2 (11+430 km) Roof settlements of the tunnels are given in Figure 11 and 12, it can be observed that bending of the tunnel is negligible. This can be determined as effective work of rockbolts (6 m), wire mesh and thin walled shotcrete (150-200 mm). As discussed earlier thin walled lining strengthened with rock bolts and lattice girders minimized the bending moments and the apparition of the bending fractures.

From the roof settlement measurement it was observed that as a primary support the thin walled shotcrete with rock bolts and wire mesh minimized the bending effects on the tunnel. Using several support elements as an integrated system is better than using one very strong and rigid type of support element. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT It is gratefully acknowledged that the geotechnical measurement data of the study was supplied by the Istanbul Subway Project Administration between 1993-1997. First author would like to express his thanks to Mr. Erhan Timur and the other supervisors of Istanbul Subway Project about their support to his studies. REFERENCES Aya y d i n N . , 1 9 9 7 , I s t a n b u l M e t r o : Excavation and Support, Tunnels & Tunnelling International, July, pp. 26-30 Bilgin N., Kuzu C., Eskikaya S., Ozdemir L., 1997, Cutting Performance of Jack Hammers and Roadheaders in Istanbul Metro Drivages, World Tunnel Congress 97 Tunnels for People, 12-17 April 1997, Vienna, pp. 455460 Yalcin, A., 1994, Istanbul Metro Project Studies between 1992-1993, Istanbul Municipality of the Greater City, Istanbul, Turkey Muller, L., 1978, The Reasons For Unsuccessful Applications of The New Austrian Tunneling Method, International Tunnel Symposium,1978, Tokyo, pp. 67-73 Egger, P., 1983, Roof Stability of Shallow Tunnels in Isotropic and Jointed Rock, ISRM 5th I n t e r n a t i o n a l C o n g r e s s o n R o c k Mechanics, 1983, Melbourne, pp. C295C301