UNDERGROUND SURVEY WORK DURING CONSTRUCTION

During underground construction, the following survey work may be performed:

1. Tunnel centerline location, tunnel stationing, and tunnel grade are transferred from the primary
control monuments and bench marks located on the surface to the tunnel and are carried forward as the
tunnel is constructed.
2. A construction control system is established that will assure tunnel driving or subaqueous tube
placement within the allowable tolerance.
3. Observation wells are installed to monitor groundwater levels adjacent to tunnels and underground
structures.
4. Surface movements are carefully monitored over the tunnels.
5. Special recording devices are installed to record vertical and lateral soil movement or stresses
adjacent to tunnels or underground structures.
When construction of the tunnels is completed, permanent centerline monuments are placed in the
completed tunnel at intervals of about 1,000 ft (300 m) and at all tangent-to-spiral and spiral-to-circular
curve points. From these monuments measurements are taken laterally to critical clearance points to ensure
that the clearance envelope is in accordance with design requirements for guideway installation.

PRIMARY CONTROL SURVEY NETWORK

To establish survey control for the construction of a tunnel or subaqueous tube, the control must be tied
into the basic survey control network of the area. The advantages in tying the primary control for the project in
several places to the national network include: The closures provide an independent check on the new
survey; the resulting survey data are consistent and can be readily correlated with data from other surveys in
the area; and two or more connections provide adequate orientation for the horizontal control survey. It
should be noted that bench marks located in, or near, the construction area may settle, and the elevations
should be checked periodically during construction of the project from reference bench marks located on firm
ground outside the construction area.
Traverses for the primary control survey network should be run before the contract drawings are
completed. Each traverse may be several miles in length. The primary traverses should approximate the
future tunnel alignment and should be run between existing higher order triangulation stations located near
the tunnel alignment. Triangulation stations should be tied into the existing national geodetic control network
by angular and distance measurement.

RELATIONSHIP OF CENTERLINE OF TRACK AND CENTERLINE OF TUNNEL

On a rapid transit system, centerline of track and centerline of tunnel are normally not identical because
of clearance requirements. The centerline of track should be the basis for the control during overall layout of
the work. During construction of the tunnel, however, it may be desirable from a practical standpoint that the
centerline of tunnel rather than centerline of track be used as the basis of construction control.
The vertical and horizontal offset from centerline of track to centerline of tunnel will vary with the
superelevation of track. The resulting tunnel centerline is a curve of complex mathematical definition and
cannot be produced in the field using standard survey procedures.
Therefore, a tunnel centerline should be developed which is composed of tangent, circular, and
transition spiral sections and approximates the complex theoretical tunnel centerline within a specified
tolerance as, for example, 1/4 in. (6 mm). This centerline should be incorporated into the contract
drawings, and all tunnel control should be based on this line. A computer printout listing the coordinates of
points, tangent bearings, elevations of points, and slope at 5-ft (1.5-m) intervals on the tunnel centerline
should also be incorporated into the contract documents.
Since the stationing along the centerline of tunnel and centerline of track will not agree because of
different curve radii, station equations between centerline of tunnel and centerline of track should be
incorporated at the beginning and the end of each construction contract, at tangent-to-spiral, at spiral-to-curve
points, and at such points as vent shafts or cross passages. Stationing along the centerline of tunnel should
start at Station 0+00 for each tunnel contract. Stationing of track proceeds through the entire system, which
may comprise several tunnel contracts. If the rapid-transit system has a major junction from which several
lines branch out in different directions, the Station 0+00 should be assigned to this junction point. Stationing
then proceeds to the outlying areas, and future extensions of the system can be added without upsetting the
sequence in stationing.
The working line is the survey line used by the contractor’s field personnel to establish shield or
tunneling machine guidance in the tunnel. The working line may coincide with the centerline of tunnel or may
run through the laser position points for the laser setup. Selection of the working line must be left to the
contractor to suit his tunnel equipment and methods.

TUNNEL CONSTRUCTION CONTROL

Construction Control for Drill and Blast Method

Where the tunnel is excavated by drill and blast methods, the centerline is extended to the face before
drilling for the next round is begun. The centerline location is marked on the face, and the drill pattern is
centered on that mark. Surveyors also give centerline location for positioning steel sets.

Construction Control for Shields or Tunneling Machines

A shield or tunneling machine progresses in a sequence of “shoves.” After each shove, the shield or
machine is stopped, and its location and attitude are determined. If the shield or machine is found to be off-
line, adjustments of the steering mechanism are made to guide it back to its desired location. Where tunnel
lining is erected in the tail of the shield, its location and attitude are determined and recorded. The decision of
whether to install standard or tapered lining sections after the next shove is based on this record.

Calculation of Offsets to Laser Line from Tunnel Centerline

The laser line and centerline of tunnel are plotted in plan and elevation. Several trials may be necessary
to find the best location of the laser line. The following guidelines are observed in locating the laser lines:
1. The longest unobstructed line of sight is sought, since it will reduce the required number of laser
position changes.
2. A laser position is selected that is out of the way of passing tunneling equipment.
3. On tangent and flat curves, the laser line length is limited to about 1,000 ft (300 m) because of
diffusion of the laser beam.
4. The target offsets for the projected laser line should not exceed the size of the laser targets, which is
often restricted due to space requirements for other equipment.
5. At the end of each last line, an overrun is provided. This gives the heading engineer the opportunity
to make the change of laser positions and targets at any convenient time while the shield or tunneling
machine operates in the tunnel section covered by the overrun.
Positioning of Laser
The laser must be correctly positioned in its X, Y, and Z-coordinate positions at the laser position point,
and the laser must be set to beam along the predetermined laser line. Several ways of mounting the laser
tube are in use. One method is to mount the tube on the carriage of a transit standardized by the National
Bureau of Standards; four steel tapes, 100-ft (30-m) standardized, graduated in hundredths of a foot; six
steel tapes, 50 ft (15-m) graduated in hundredths of a foot; four clamp handles for steel tapes; four
tension handles for steel tapes; two tape thermometers and cases; folding rules graduated in
hundredths of a foot; plumb bobs.