SHAFTS

Definition
Shafts are vertical wells or passages constructed along the alignment of a tunnel at one or more
points between the two entrances. They are the doorways to the underground, serving as the
location at which all material enters and exits. They vary in size and depth, and their design and
construction are key to the successful completion of any tunneling project. Once the access
shafts are complete, TBMs (Tunnel Boring Machines) are lowered to the bottom and excavation
can start.

Figure 1: Tunnel Shafts

Figure 2: Tunnel Boring Machine lowered through a shaft

Shaft Design
Before determining your shaft construction method, decide your minimum shaft size. During
design, the minimum dimensions are typically determined by the physical layout of the final
structure to be constructed or space needed for launching a tunnel boring machine (TBM). For
water and wastewater tunnels, final structures will include drop shafts, access shafts, pump
stations, gate valves and surge chambers. For transit tunnels, shafts can be used for access,
elevators, ventilation, transit stations and utility drops.

The major design question

The big design question is “Can the shaft be circular?” A circular shaft is structurally stable.
The earth loads on a circular shaft place the shaft support in ring compression. The benefit of a
circular shaft is that the reinforcement in the structural elements can be reduced and the need for
internal support is eliminated.

Figure 3: Circular Shaft

Shaft construction
Generally, shafts are constructed from the ground surface down, using conventional shaft sinking
methods. However, in rock tunneling projects, shafts not used for primary construction access
can be constructed using raise boring. In raise boring, a mall pilot hole is drilled from the ground
surface to tunnel depth. A reaming bit is then used to excavate the shaft to final dimensions.

Figure 4: Shaft Construction

Shafts construction method

The most common shaft construction methods, from simplest to complex are:

 Trench boxes and speed slide rails

 Soldier piles and wood lagging (or steel plates)
 Liner plates
 Precast segments
 Conventional excavation with rock dowels and shotcrete
 Sheet piles
 Secant piles
 Drilled shafts

Figure 5: Secant Pile Shaft Construction