Assignment 1: Geology For Engineers

Shuvam Adhikari
October 23, 2020

The article discussed here is a case study of water supply Chingaza tunnel in Bogota, Colombia whose operation
was obstructed by numerous fall-outs and slides in the tunnel. The article was published by researchers Bjorge
Brattli and Einar Broch. Certain parts of the tunnel ran through Fomeque formation which predominantly consists
of organic shale formation which dates to the Early Cretaceous period. The main issues from a geological point of
view which resulted in the failure of the tunnel are as follows.

1 Swelling in rocks
During the construction of the tunnel for ease of construction, the rock masses on the periphery of the tunnel were
drained out extensively. This led to shrinkage in the rock masses which consisted of mudstone, slates and shale
resulting in the formation of cracks and fissures in the rock masses due to contraction stresses. This increased the
permeability of the rock masses. Later, when the tunnel went under operation the water flowing through the tunnel
the water penetrated through the shotcrete lining as it is not watertight. The water which penetrated in those dried
out rock masses causes in swelling of the minerals such as illite. This uneven expansion of volume in rocks causes
swelling pressure in the shotcrete lining initiating the fallout and swelling.

2 Decrease in strength of rock mass

The over draining of water in the tunnel periphery led to shrinkage which caused heavy cracking and micro-fissures
in the rock mass. The fissures reduced the general strength of the rock. This reduction of strength negatively
affected the stability of the tunnel. When the shotcrete lining of the tunnel collapsed due to decreased stability of
rock mass causing the rock slide and fall-outs.