TUNNELS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY

K W l.D - SENIOR LEGTURER, DEPT. OF CIVIL ENGINEERING, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE

S L LEE - PROFESSOR AND HEAD, DEPT. OF CIVIL ENGINEERING, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE
H MAKINO - PROJEGT MANAGER, KAJIMA-KEPPEL JOINT VENTURE
L K CHANG - RESEARCH ASSISTANT, DEPT. OF CIVIL ENGINEERING, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE
C F LEUNG - LEGTURER, DEPT. OF CIVIL ENGINEERING, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE
T MIHARA - MANAGER DESIGNING, KAJIMA-KEPPEL JOINT VENTURE

SUMMARY their Technology Transfer Unit, to understudy the tunnel

A field instrumentation programme has been carried
out in the vicinity of Connaught Drive under joint
research funding by the National University of Singapore
and Kajima Corporation. The research project has
provided a unique opportunity to study the nature of
multiple tunnel-ground interaction resulting from
excavations for an intricate pattern of 4 interweaving
tunnels. Each of the mass rapid transit (MRT) tunnels
were of 5.85m diameter, excavated in generally stiff
ground conditions. However, part of the tunnels passed
·through a pre-grouted buried channel. Another set of
surface settlement data made available for this study
was for the twin tunnel drive between Somerset and
Dhoby Ghaut Stations constructed in· similar ground
conditions as the Connaught Drive site.
In the following discussion, some results of lining
thrusts and bending moments as well as ground surface
settlements arising from multiple tunnel interactions in
the two stretches of alignment are presented, with
particular emphasis on the instrumentation project at
Connaught Drive and current design practices.
INTRODUCTION
The Singapore MRT system, which comprises a
north-south and an east-west branch of some 65km
overall length is presently in an advanced stage of
construction. About one-third of the system will run
underground, often as interacting twin tunnels in either
horizontal or vertical configuration or transitions thereof,
and encountering a wide range of materials from very
soft waterlogged estuarine clays to rock formations of
varying consistencies. The stretch between Raffles Place
and City Hall Stations is of particular interest from the
point of view of a tunnel interaction study in that the
changeover from north-south to east-west branches of
the system and vice-versa will take place within an
approximate 1 km transition between stations, resulting
in an intricate pattern of 4 interweaving tunnels.
In March 1985, the National University of Singapore
and Kajima Corporation agreed, in principle, to establish
a joint research project to carry out detailed tunnel
instrumentation along a 90m stretch of the transitional
alignment in the vicinity of Connaught Drive.
Subsequently, in view of their interest, the Singapore
MRT Coropration (MRTC) was invited to participate in
the research project. Latterly, a staff Engineer of the
MRTC was seconded to the research team, through
275
instrumentation work.
The following discussion is mainly concerned with the
findings of this field instrumentation research project.
Due to various contractual constraints, it has not been
possible to include measurement data collected for a
wide range of ground conditions and interacting tunnel
configurations in the remaining MRT system. Fortunately,
some surface settlement measurements for the twin
tunnel drive between Somerset and Dhoby Ghaut
Stations constructed in similar ground conditions as the
Connaught Drive site could be released by the MRTC.
The results of these measurements will also be briefly
dealt with.
GROUND CONDITIONS
A preliminary site investigation was carried out during
the initial geotechnical study for the MRT system. More
detailed investigations were subsequently performed
soon before and at various stages of construction,
including standard penetration, electrical cone
penetration, piezocone and pressuremeter tests. The
longitudinal subsoil profile along NB tunnel is shown in
Fig. 1. In general, subsurface conditions along the
transitional alignment consist of layers of fill and/or loose
natural deposits of up to 5m overall thickness overlying
the Old Alluvium formation. In the vicinity of the site
spanning between instrumentation Sections C-C and D-
O however, an old buried channel was present which
reached a maximum depth of about 17m. The buried
channel generally comprised intercalating layers of
marine clay (M), beach sand (B), and fluvial sand (F1) or
clay (F2), all of the Kallang formation. The clays in the
buried channel, as encountered during tunnelling were
generally very soft to soft. The sandy soils on
the other hand are loose to medium dense, consisting
of coarse sand with fine gravel. The Old Alluvium (0)
mainly consists of stiff to hard clayey sands, the latter
having high standard penetration blow counts in excess
of 50, penetration resistances tending as a whole to
increase rapidly with depth. Pressuremeter tests
performed in boreholes indicated that the deformation
modulus of the buried channel clays is about 1.2 MPa
whereas in the case of the sandy soils, it is in the order
of 6.0 MPa. For the Old Alluvium corresponding values
average 50 MPa. Consolidation tests carried out on
undisturbed samples indicated that a coefficient of
permeability of about 10' to 10-s em s·1 for both buried
channel clays as well as the Old Alluvium. For the
sandy soils of the buried channels on the other hand,
grain size analyses indicated a corresponding value of
about 4 x 11J2 em s-1 •
REID INSTRUMENTATION AND TUNNEL
CONSTRUCTION
A wide variety of field instruments were installed
along lateral Sections A-A to D-D shown in Fig 2 to
monitor tunnel-ground and tunnel-tunnel interactions
during excavations. The sections were approximately
30m apart, covering a total longitudinal stretch of some
90m of alignment. To determine horizontal ground point
displacements along and perpendicular to the direction
of tunnel drives, a servo-accelerometer type inclinometer
was used. Measurements were taken at prescribed
intervals along vertical as well as inclined PVC tubing
embedded in the ground. In view of the requirement for
daily readings in 11 inclinometer tubings of some 40m
length each, an automatic data-logger was essential. For
corresponding vertical ground point displacements,
spider magnet extensometers were adopted, individual
magnets being spaced at 3m to 5m intervals along
tubings. Ground surface settlements were determined by
levelling metal studs set in concrete blocks cast in-situ,
and pore water pressures at selected ground locations
measured with pneumatic piezometers. The groundwater
table was monitored by a dipmeter inserted in a
perforated PVC standpipe installed in sand surround.
In the case of precast concrete segmental linings,
strain gauge type stress-meters welded co-axially with
top and bottom reinforcement bars were used to
determine bending moments and axial thrusts at
selected points along each ring. To determine effective
pressures around the extrados, complementary pairs of

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Horizontal scale
75 0 5 10 (m)
==-- 0 40 80 100

FIG. 1 LONGITUDINAL SOIL PROFILE

Ee lnclinometer/Extensometer • Piezometer
? Settlement Point 0 S1andpipe

..,
., .....-N ".oL-
L~
(l_

L"' 0 10 20 (m)

FIG. 2 INSTRUMENTATION LAYOUT

276
total pressure cells and pneumatic piezometers were
jacked out through prefabricated openings and set flush
with the outer lining surface, or occasionally to bear on
the excavated peripheral ground surface. The distortion
of lining rings was determined by convergence
measurements with a tape extensometer anchored at
opposite end reference studs. Fig 3 shows a typical
monitoring section.
All four headings were advanced by conventional
semi-mechanical shield tunnelling. The basic sequence
of construction consisted of first excavating the tunnel
face with a backactor, followed by a forward shove of
the shield by circumferential jacks reacting against
installed lining. Additional lining segments were then
erected in the vacated space at the tail end of the
shield. Generally, five standard segments, each of
approximately 3.5m extrados length and 1m width, and
one key segment of about 1m extrados length and
similar width were interconnected to form a complete
ring. To reduce the peripheral take, low pressure primary
grout of bentonite-cement mix was injected through pre-
formed holes in the lining so as to fill the annular gap
between excavated ground surface and lining shortly
after removal of shield support. Some 2 weeks after
completion of primary grouting, high pressure secondary
grouting was carried out via the same holes to fill in
any persistent voids in the grouted annulus. Where the
shallower westbound (WB) and northbound (NB) tunnels
were partially and totally constructed through buried
channel deposits respectively, pre-treatment by cement
and chemical grouting was carried out. To further
minimise ground movements during excavations,
compressed air pressure support of up to 1.5 bars was
applied in headings together with face timber boarding
support as required.
Construction works for SB tunnel began in February
1985, the heading arriving at monitoring Section A-A in
mid-June of that year and passing Section D-D some 4
weeks thereafter. The general sequence of tunnelling in
the monitoring zone was SB, EB, WB and finally NB,
the latter tunnel passing Section D-D in early June
1986. Throughout this period, ground instrumentation
measurements were made on a daily basis once tunnel
excavations came within 30m of monitoring sections. At
wider separations, only weekly readings were found to
Connaught Drive
Fill
Marine Clay M
Beach Sand B
Old Alluvium 0
FIG. 3 SECTION B-B
277
be necessary. In the case of tunnel lining
instrumentation on the other hand, measurements were
made once every other day from the date of installation,
as well as whenever other tunnels were within
influencing distance of monitoring sections. Otherwise,.
readings were taken at least once a fortnight. Selected
results from the foregoing instrumentation are presented
in the following discussion.
RESULTS Of MONITORING
Lining Loads
Fig 4 provides a comparison between axial thrust
interaction factors based on Peck's (1969) empirical
approach and as determined from stress meter readings
at various locations of different tunnels. Accordingly, the
factors obtained from measurements were generally
within two times of those obtained empirically.
Corresponding intereaction factors for bending moments
in linings have also been plotted in Fig 5 as a function
of tunnel separation. In this case, generally better
agreement is obtained between factors although some
extreme variations may also be noted. These
discrepancies may be partly associated with the
presence of nearby joints, staggered in both longitudinal
and transverse directions, at which significant local re-
distribution of bending moments can take place. The
other source of differences is the rotations that occur at
contact faces between adjacent lining segments
resulting in eccentricity of thrust loading. Nevertheless,
Fig 6 shows that, even after interactions between SB
and other tunnels had taken place, combined loadings
from thrusts and bending moments at various stress
meter locations in the tunnel kept well within safe
design capacities of precast concrete segments. The
load capacity envelopes shown constitute an upper
bound on plots of empirically-determined bending
moments and axial thrusts based on assumed
interaction factors (Kajima-Keppel J.V., 1985) applied to
Curtis' (1976) single tunnel design loading. For the
purpose of comparison, those empirical plots
corresponding to the measurement results have been
included in the figure, as also the results of finite
element analyses based on Kajima-Keppel J.V. (1984)
~
0
3
1 Inclinometer/
extensometer
2 Settlement
point
3 Piezometer
4 Stress meter
5 Total pressure
cell
6 Tape
7 extensometer
7 Inclinometer
 1m = le
2.0

_, 1.6
~
0
13 1.2
~ 0 Initial Tunnel: Final Tunnel:
]
+ SB WB
""' 0.8• A
""'
::;; A EB WB
0.4 + [] EB WB
0 WB WB

0.0 0.4 0.8 1.2 1.6 2.0

Empirical Factors le

FIG. 4 INTERACTION FACTORS fOR THRUSTS

Initial Tunnel: Final Tunnel:

X SB NB

+ SB WB

0 WB NB
3 WB NB

4.0

2.0
al Relationship'
+
0

0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0

No. of Tunnel Diameters Clearance

FIG. 5 INTERACTION FACTORS FOR MOMENTS

278

•
 WB/NB

SB/EB ®
® I
2000 "--....Empirical points

()
Stress
1500 Meter
Locations
NB Ef\:D EB & WB
EB & ,.,.® NB
WB '<>
1000 Finite Element
I I I
SB WB NB
.. .. + Design
Curves:
moment
500 @Joint
- moment
@Joint

concrete
section

0 50 100 150

Moment M (kN m)

Note: Measurement plots unless otherwise stated

FIG. 6 COMBINED THRUST AND MOMENT

LOADING AT SECTION A-A

parameters. It is notable that although, as for the case
of measurement plots, the results of the analyses and
empirical predictions show a trend towards increasing
bending moments with further tunnel interaction,
measurement results show a tendency for significantly
greater thrusts to develop in these circumstances than
either method of prediction, so that the overall margin of
safety will be greatly enhanced.
Ground surface settlements
Fig 7 shows an empirical ground surface profile for
cumulative ground losses from excavations for SB and
EB tunnels respectively. In current practice, surface
settlement profiles associated with individual tunnels are
superimposed to obtain cumulative effects of multiple
tunnel excavations. Since SB and EB tunnels are
reasonably level and located in similar soils, ground
response to initial SB tunnel drive may, according to
Peck's empirical approach (1969a), also be attributed to
EB tunnel in determining their cumulative effect.
However, field measurements superimposed on the
same plot indicate greater cumulative settlements, by
some 18% at maximum value, than determined
empirically. Such a tendency is commonly observed and

q,
0.0

tic Empirical
10.0
c Approach
"E c
.s \
E Measured
.,"E 20.0 .c c · c / results
~
en
30.0 L_--.----,r-l--~_l~---.----.----1
0.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0 60.0 70.0
Horizontal Distance (m)

FIG. 7 SURFACE SETTLEMENT AT SECTION A-A

279
may be attributed to weakening of the ground in the
vicinity of an initial tunnel (SB) causing relatively greater
ground losses during excavations lor a subsequent
tunnel arrival (EB) than the single tunnel case. Fig 8
shows the only other available source of ground surface
settlement data on MRT construction, which was
supplied by the MRTC. Ground conditions in this stretch
of alignment between Somerset and Dhoby Ghaut
Stations are similar to those at the transitional alignment
including Connaught Drive site, to which it is
contiguous, thereby providing a basis for comparison of
respective ground responses. The cumulative ground
loss surface profile associated with the twin tunnel
drives between Somerset and Dhoby Ghaut Stations
was also obtained by superimposing individual
excavation effects of the two tunnels. However,
compared to Fig 7 for Connaught Drive, cumulative as
well as relative (to the single tunnel case) interaction
settlements were substantially greater than determined
empirically, as indicated by the average surface
settlement profiles inferred from measurements made at
similar lateral section. For instance, the maximum
cumulative field settlement was some 100% more than
empirically determined. These differences in respective
site responses may be attributed to the weaker ground
conditions of the north-south alignment, where a layer of
estuarine clay of some 3m thickness was present
Furthermore, unlike the Connaught Drive site, but
following a common observation (Hansmire, 1975), a
significant bias of the measured settlement profile
towards the first arrival tunnel may be noted in Fig 8.
Such a tendency may be attributed to effective
weakening of the ground in the vicinity of the first arrival
tunnel resulting in relatively more ground loss there
when excavations for the second arrival tunnel became
effective.
Figs 9 and 10 show longitudinal surface settlement
profiles associated with excavations for WB and NB
tunnels respectively. Since each tunnel had already
been preceded by others, these profiles reflect not only
ground losses due to the respective tunnel excavations,
but also their interactions with existing tunnels.
According to the figures, an error function provides a
good fit to the incremental settlement data, as hitherto
only assumed in practice for single tunnel ground
surface response (Yoshikoshi et al, 1978).

Distance (m)

80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

--- ---
0

+ Measurement for
Field
SB alone 25
Measurement for SB & NB Settlement
" Curve for SB
(/)
Empirical 50 11
GL
Settlement Curve
for SB & NB X "33
~

75
Fill '
3 It\
Estuarine Clay E -- .2.
Sedimentary
'"
3 NB SB
100
'
Residual Soil Field Settle-
S4 ment Curve for
fL SB & NB 125
'i
-
NB SB
Tunnel Tunnel

FIG. 8 SURFACE SETTLEMENT BETWEEN SOMERSET

AND DHOBY GHAUT STATIONS

-10.0 . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ,
Maximum Settlement = 19.0mm
Standard Deviation = 10.5m

0.0
c
"E
.s
E 10.0 c c
E "
"i c
(f) c c
20.0

-20.0 -10.0 0.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0

Distance from Excavation Face (m)

FIG. 9 LONGITUDINAL PROFILE FOR WB TUNNEL

280
 -5.0 , . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ,
Maximum Settlement = 12.5mm
Standard Deviation = 9.0m

0.0
D
D
D

5.0

10.0

D
15.0 '----~-~-~--~-~-~-~----"
- 30.0 - 20.0 -10.0 0.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0

Distance from Excavation Face (m)

FIG. 10 LONGITUDINAL PROFILE FOR NB TUNNEL

REFERENCES PECK, R.B., Design of Tunnel Liners and Support

CURTIS, D.J., Discussion on "The Circular Tunnel in
Elastic Ground", Geotechnique, Vol. 26, No. 1, 1976,
pp. 231-237.
HANSMIRE, W.H., Field Measurement of Ground
Displacement about a Tunnel in Soil, PhD Thesis,
Univ. of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, 1975.
KAJIMA-KEPPEL JV., Finite Element Analysis of Bored
Tunnels, Report for Singapore MRT Contract, 107,
1984.
KAJIMA-KEPPEL J.V., Design Calculation for Bored
Tunnels, Report No. C/MC/107/CB for Singapore MRT
Contract 107, 1985.
Systems, Final Report for Office of. High Speed
Ground Transporation, Washington D.C. 20591, 1969.
PECK, R.B., Deep Excavation and Tunnelling in Soft
Ground, State of the Art Report, 7lh Int. Cont. on Soil
Mech. and Found. Engg., Mexico City, 1969a, pp.
255-290.
YOSHIKOSHI, W., WATANABE, 0 and TAKAGI, N.,
Prediction of Ground Settlements Associated with
Shield Tunnelling, Soils and Foundations, Vol. 18, No.
4, 1978, pp. 47-59.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The research upon which this paper is based was funded in part by the Science Council of Singapore under
RDAS Grant No. C/81/04-06 which is gratefully acknowledged. The authors also wish to express their thanks to the
Mass Rapid Transit Corporation of Singapore, in particular Mr S Doran for providing the settlement data between
Dhoby Ghaut and Somerset Stations and Engineer Chow Peng Wah for his keen contribution to the tunnel
instrumentation work. Our thanks are also due to Messrs P Copsey and R A Gee for their assistance in expediting
the installation work.
281