HKU2023 4. Notable Tunnel Failure Case Histories

THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG
Department of Civil Engineering

CIVL6083
Practical Design and Construction of

Tunnels in Hong Kong
16 November 2023 1
Notable Tunnel Failure Case Histories
16 November 2023 2
Catalogue of Notable Tunnel Failures
Case Histories
• A catalogue of overseas and notable local cases which occurred from

1964
• In the last decade, many people lost their lives as a result of tunnel
collapses, building evacuations took place involving hundreds of people,
many buildings and major roads were damaged and closed, and tens of
thousands of people were affected
• The failures occurred in different parts of the world and involved
different tunnelling methods
16 November 2023 3
Green Park, London, UK, 1964
Background
• Tunnel (Green Park to Victoria) driven through London Clay using drum-
digger shield
The failure
• Inflow of sand and gravel, burying most of the shield
Possible cause of failure
• The crown of the shield
penetrated the London Clay layer
Clay & Takacs (1997)
16 November 2023 4
Victoria Line Underground, London, UK,
1965
Background
• Tunnel (300 m long and 3.7 m internal diameter) driven through London
Clay using hand-shield and lined with iron segments under a disused railway
marshalling yard
The failure
• Inflow of sand and gravel
• The crown of the shield penetrated
the London Clay layer
16 November 2023 5
Southend-on-Sea Sewage Tunnel, UK,
1966
Background
• Tunnel driven through London Clay (40 m long and 1.35 m in diameter)
The failure
• Water inflow into the tunnel
• The tunnel intersected the
bottom of an abandoned well
of 600 mm diameter
16 November 2023 6
Orange-fish Tunnel, South Africa, 1970
Background
• Tunnel designed to carry irrigation water from the Orange River in South
Africa (80 km long and 5.3 m in diameter, 1,200 m above sea level)
• Tunnelling using the rail-mounted drill and blast method and lined with insitu
concrete
First failure – Heavy water inflow
• Water inflow of about 55,000 litres/min into the tunnel at 14 bars
• Entire 1.6 km tunnel section flooded within 24 hours
• The tunnel passed through a shallow anticline and intersected a fissure of about
75 mm wide, almost perpendicularly
Second failure – Fire
• Methane gas ignited by a blast; the fire burnt for about 6 month
16 November 2023 7
MTR Modified Initial System, Prince Edward Station
12 Sept 1977
Background
• A running tunnel (5 m diameter 22 m bgl) being excavated using drill and
blast method from a station tunnel (with a larger diameter). Ground above
the tunnel was strengthened
The failure
• Soil (300 m3) flowed into the tunnel, opening a crown hole at Nathan Road
Nathan Road
Water table
Annular Ground Annular Ground

Treatment Treatment
Running
Station Tunnel
Tunnel
after Clay & Takas (1997)

16 November 2023 8
MTR Modified Initial System, Prince Edward Station
12 September 1977
Possible causes of failure
• Gap existed between the ground treatment above the station tunnel and
that above the running tunnel allowing the soil to flow into the tunnel
• Unexpected ground conditions
• Inadequate interface arrangement between contracts?
Consequences
• 100 people evacuated from three buildings
• Nathan Road closed
• Major disruption to traffic
16 November 2023 9
Munich Underground, Germany, 1980
16 November 2023 10
Munich Underground, Germany, 1980
Background
• New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM) construction of twin 6 m diameter
tunnels
The failure
• 10 m wide, 14 m deep sinkhole

• Flinty marl with 3 m cover above tunnel overlying soft clay
• Local variation in geology reduced marl cover to 1.0 / 1.5 m which led to
overstressing of the sprayed concrete temporary lining
16 November 2023 11
MTR Island Line, 22 Hennessy Road
1 January 1983
Background
• Westbound tunnel (5.7 m dia, 26 m bgl) formed by the drill and blast
method
The failure
• Water-bearing “fill” flowed into the tunnel, opening a hole at the road
above
Hennessy Road
Water table
Rock
Rock
Soft
SoftGround
Ground
Rock
Air Lock Chamber
Shield Chamber
after Clay & Takas (1997)
16 November 2023 12
MTR Island Line 22 Hennessy Road
1 January 1983
1,500 m3 of material flowed into the tunnel creating a void 100

m2 by 30 m deep beneath the road surface
16 November 2023 13
1 January 1983
• Misinterpretation of the geology by the Contractor
• Blasting went too far, resulting in the tunnel penetrating the rock into soft
ground
Remedial measures
• The void was backfilled by grout
• The floor slab of the building at 22 Hennessy Road pushed up by the
grouting works by 50-75 mm
16 November 2023 14
1 Jan 1983
Consequences
• Cracks found in the granite masonry of the outside wall of a building at 22
Hennessy Road
• At least 21 timber piles beneath an adjacent building of 22 Hennessy Road
exposed
• More than 150 people in 18-22 Hennessy Road evacuated
• The building at 18-20 Hennessy Road reopened 3 hours after the incident
and the building at 22 Hennessy Road 6 days later
16 November 2023 15
Hennessey Road Wanchai
26 m head of water
Zone 6 (100% soil, mainly Grade V)
X
Soil
Same at North Nathan Road MIS
Rock X
Zone 3 (50-90% rock)
with grade V seams
Shirlaw et al (2000)
MTR Island Line - tunnel
face collapse beneath
Hennessey Road Wanchai
5 am, 1 January 1983
16 November 2023 16
MTR Island Line, Shing On Street,
Shau Kei Wan, 23 July 1983
16 November 2023 17
MTR Island Line, Shing On Street, Shau Kei Wan
23 July 1983
Background
• Tunnelling from Tai Koo Station to Sai Wan Ho Station for MTR Island
Line
The failure
• Void of an area of 13 m x 1 m formed
Consequences
• Section of Shau Kei Wan Road closed
• Building at 122-124 Shau Kei Wan Road settled more than 100mm and
tilting observed
• More than 80 families (400 people) evacuated & a woman injured
• Water main damaged due to the settlement
• Water and gas supplies stopped
16 November 2023 18
MTR Island Line, 140-168 Shau Kei Wan Road
16 December 1983
16 November 2023 19
MTR Island Line, 140-168 Shau Kei Wan Road
16 December 1983
Background
• Construction of Sai Wan Ho Station for MTR Island Line
The failure
• More than 40 mm of ground settlement
• About 150 m3 of soil flowed into the tunnel leaving a void between Shau
Kei Wan Road and the tunnel
Consequences
• Section of Shau Kei Wan Road closed
• Water supply stopped
16 November 2023 20
Gibei Railway Tunnel, Romania, 1985
Background
• Railway tunnel 2.21 km long and 9 m in diameter
The failure
• “Compact” fissured clay layer failed suddenly, allowing water inflow > 600
litres/min into the tunnel
• The tunnel penetrated a lens
of waterlogged fine-grained
sand just above the crown
16 November 2023 21
Moda Collector Tunnel, Istanbul Sewerage Scheme,
Turkey 1989
Background
• Tunnel constructed by Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM)
The failure
• Fine mud flowed into the tunnel, opening a hole in the road, as the TBM
went through the rock into the soft ground
• The tunnel intersected a
hidden area of soft clay
16 November 2023 22
Seoul Metro Line 5 – Phase 2, Korea
27 November 1991
Drill and blast method: Rockfall and inflow
of soil and water into the tunnel
Possible cause of failure 25
.0 m
.0m
20
• Weathered granite at the face and high
permeability soil / inflow
Consequences
25 m dia. crater
• Three buildings collapsed Fill sand -1.2m D=20.0m
backfilling
• Several water mains, gas pipes and Silt

-4.8m
Ⅱ : Cement mortar
Ⅱ : Cement milk
-6.0m Ⅱ : Chemical grout
sewers were broken
Sand Ⅱ Ⅱ Ⅱ
Lessons learnt
• Unexpected groundwater inflow -22.2m
Weathered
• Insufficient ground investigation rock

-25.1m
Ⅱ
Soft rock -28.5m
• No tunnel face stability analysis -29.2m
Hard rock
• No consideration of blasting effect close 5.0m
-37.5m
10.0m 5.0m 15.0m
to weathered zone with shallow rock

cover Lee & Cho (2008)
16 November 2023 23
Seoul Metro Line 5 - Phase 2, Korea
27 November 1991
Lee & Cho (2008)
16 November 2023 24
Motorway Tunnels, Austria 1993-95
Background
• Tunnel constructed in sandstone and shale with fault zones by the
drill & blast method
• Tunnel divided into 4 sections, namely T1 – T4
• T1 – 376 m long; T2 – 562 m; T3 – 2,760 m and T4 – 1,230 m
Failures at T4 in 1993
• About 130 overbreak incidents with total volume of 1,461 m3,
maximum deformation of 120 mm measured in the tunnel
• 200 m3 of loose material collapsed after a blast, resulting in water
inflow of up to 450 litres/min
Two failures at T3 in 1995
• 650 m3 of loose material flowed into the tunnel, water inflow of
up to 1,500 litres/min recorded
• Radial movement of rib of about 300 mm occurred, again water
inflow of up to 1,500 litres/min recorded
16 November 2023 25
Heathrow Express Tunnel, UK
21 October 1994
Background
• NATM in London Clay
The failure
• 10 m dia. crater formed
Consequences
• Differential settlement induced at
adjacent buildings
• Services Terminal 4 halted for one
month
• Remedial measures caused chaos at
Heathrow Airport
ICE (1998b) • Recovery cost £150M (3 times
original contract sum)
16 November 2023 26
21 October 1994
16 November 2023 27
21 October 1994
1996 report 2000 report
16 November 2023 28
21 October 1994
Lessons learnt
• A series of design and management errors combined with poor workmanship and
quality control
• Measures to ensure safety must be planned
• Do not lose sight of critical technical issues in the pursuit of time and cost reduction
• Whilst a number of factors contributed to the collapse, half of them were matters of
management
• However much engineers are pressured to build quickly and cheaply, the industry
will be judged by its own failures
16 November 2023 29
Munich Underground, Germany
27 September 1994
Background
• 7 m diameter tunnel supported by
sprayed concrete lining
• The tunnel was assumed to be beneath
a clay layer overlying water-bearing
gravel and groundwater would not be
drawn down
The failure
• Quick inflow of water and ground
materials
• Large subsidence crater quickly filled
with groundwater
• 20 m wide by 18.5 m deep crater
Construction Today (1994a)
16 November 2023 30
Munich Underground, Germany
27 September 1994
• Layer of marl separating groundwater
bearing layers was much thinner than
originally assumed
• Sand-infilled cracks in the marl layer
acted as preferential pathways for water
Consequences
• Bus fell into the crater
• Three passengers killed
• 30 people injured
Construction Today (1994a)
16 November 2023 31
Los Angeles Metro, USA, 22 June 1995
Background
• Re-mining/remedial works to realign an
existing TBM tunnel (6.7 m diameter, 25 m
deep), which had been bored off line
• Hard siltstone overlain by alluvium with
groundwater level 10-12 m below surface
The failure
• 25 m deep sinkhole caused by collapse of
south bore
• Serious cracking observed in temporary
lining of north bore
16 November 2023 32
Los Angeles Metro, USA, 22 June 1995
• Failure occurred during removal of segmental lining in tunnel roof and
relining of tunnel to correct the horizontal alignment
• Unexpected ground conditions in the alluvium
• Fractured water mains (unconfirmed)
Consequences
• 30 m length of a four lane road (Hollywood boulevard) affected leading to
road closure
• Collapsed 250 mm water main possibly contributing to failure
• Broken gas pipe
• Evacuation of local residents
16 November 2023 33
Docklands Light Rail, UK, 23 February 1998
16 November 2023 34
Docklands Light Rail, UK, 23 February 1998
Background
• Tunnel constructed for Docklands Light Rail (5.2 m diameter) by
Earth Pressure Balance TBM
The failure
• 22 m wide by 7 m deep crater formed in the grounds of George Green
School
Consequence
• Windows up to 100m away broken by the shower of mud and stones
released
High pressure within tunnel caused blow out failure

Insufficient burden and no calculations to check FOS against blow out
ICE (1998a)
16 November 2023 35
Athens Metro, Greece, 1991-1998
Picture from: Picture from:

http://www.imstunnel.com/index2.htm http://www.imia.com/documents/wgp19(02)E.pdf
16 November 2023 36
Background
• Construction of the Olympic Metro under a turnkey contract (estimated cost
about 2 billion ECUs)
• Construction started in November 1991 and operation in 1998
• TBM (by Mitsubishi) used for construction of 11.7 km long, 9.5 m diameter
tunnels located at a depth of 15-20 m (with penetration rate ranging from 1.6 m
to 18 m per day based on 18-hour-per-day shift, depending on the ground
conditions)
• Cut and cover, supported by soldier piles, struts and prestressed anchor
tiebacks for 6.3 km long tunnels and stations
• NATM for other short auxiliary tunnels and oval-shaped stations where
existence of buried antiquities precludes open excavation
16 November 2023 37
The failures
• Roof collapses of appreciable size often occurred
• Large and occasionally uncontrollable overbreaks for TBM

• Ravelling of the ground seems to be insufficient cohesion in the
intensely weathered and highly tectonised zones of Athenian schist
(which is flysch-type sediment consists of thinly bedded clayey and
calcareous sandstones with alternations and subjected to intense
folding, thrusting, faulting and fracturing)
• Large muck openings of the TBM cutterhead which cannot
adequately control muck-flow (the cutterhead operates in the open
air, i.e. under atmospheric pressure)
16 November 2023 38
Taegu Metro, South Korea, 1 January 2000
16 November 2023 39
Taegu Metro, South Korea, 1 January 2000
Background
• Construction of underground Taegu Metro in South Korea
The failure
• Failure of diaphragm wall
• Excavation pit caved in
• Rapid fluctuation of groundwater level caused movement of unidentified
gravel and sand strata
• Additional loading on diaphragm wall was not considered in design
Consequences
• Bus buried and bus driver seriously injured
• Three passengers killed
• Neighbouring buildings suffered considerable damage
16 November 2023 40
Channel Tunnel Rail Link, UK
February 2003
16 November 2023 41
Channel Tunnel Rail Link, UK
Feb 2003
Background
• Tunnelling using TBM (8.2 m dia.)
• Boring at a depth of 21 m
The failure
• 10 m dia. by 20 m deep void formed in the
ground behind a row of houses

• The vibration from the TBM may have
caused the nearby wells (1.8 m dia. and 30
m deep) to collapse
ICE (2003)
16 November 2023 42
Météor Metro Tunnel, France, 14 February 2003
Background
• Construction of Météor
Metro Tunnel in Paris
The failure
• About 3,000 m3 of
sedimentary deposits
collapsed underneath a
school, occupying an area
of 400 m2 on plan
Consequence
• The school had to be closed for a year affecting 900 students
16 November 2023 43
Météor Metro Tunnel, France, 14 February 2003
16 November 2023 44
Shanghai Metro, China, 2003
16 November 2023 45
Shanghai Metro, China, 2003
The failure
• Failure occurred during construction of a
cross passage
• Massive ingress of water and material at the
face at a depth of 35 m
• Several metres of ground subsidence
Consequences Possible cause of failure
• High rise office buildings collapsed/ • Failure caused by thawing of the frozen
suffered serious damage soil, due to power breakdown of the ground
freezing unit
• Flood protection dyke on the river badly
damaged
• Loss estimated to be US$80M
16 November 2023 46
Hsuehshan Tunnel, Taiwan, 1991-2004
16 November 2023 47
Background
• Construction of 12.9 km long and 4.8m diameter Hsuehshan Tunnel in
Taiwan (雪山隧道)
• Works commenced in 1991 and completed in 2004
• Comprised 2 main tunnels (East & Westbound) and a pilot tunnel
• Eastbound by TBM method (July 1993 to September 2004)
• Westbound by TBM method (July 1993 to April 2004)
• Pilot tunnel by drill & blast method (July 1991 to October 2003)
Westbound Eastbound
Pilot
Tunnel
16 November 2023 48
The failures
• Eastbound
• 28 collapses occurred
• Westbound
• TBM badly damaged due to tunnel collapse and groundwater inflow
of 45,000 litres/min into the tunnel
• Pilot tunnel
• 8 collapses occurred

• Unexpected difficult geology with fractured rock and massive inflows of
water
• 6 major faults found along the tunnel alignment
16 November 2023 49
Consequences
• Eastbound
• Failure in May 1993 affected 56 buildings and 73 families
• Westbound
• 11 men died
• Pilot tunnel
• 13 stoppages
16 November 2023 50
Stormwater Management and Road
Tunnel (SMART), Malaysia, 2003-06
9.7km long and 13.2m dia. tunnel

driven by slurry TBM
Siow, M. T. (2006)
16 November 2023 51
Stormwater Management and Road
Tunnel (SMART), Malaysia, 2003-06
Adverse geology/ 37 incidents within 8 km

karst conditions of tunnel excavation
McFeat-Smith (2008)
16 November 2023 52
Singapore Nicoll Highway, 20 April 2004
16 November 2023 53
Causes of failure
• Under-design of the strut-waler
connection in the strutting system
• Incorrect use of Finite Element Method
• No proper design reviews
• Disregard of different warnings, for
example, excessive wall deflections and
surging inclinometer readings
• Poor construction quality
4 deaths - • Ineffective instrumentation and
3 construction workers (contractor) monitoring system
I supervisor (LTA)
• Failure to IMPLEMENT risk management
16 November 2023 54
Lessons learnt
• This is a need for robust design, risk management, design review and
independent checking, purposeful back analysis, an effective
instrumentation, monitoring and interpretation regime, an effective
system of management of uncertainties and quality during
construction, corporate competencies and safety management
• The safety of temporary works is as important as that of permanent

works and should be designed according to established codes and
checked by competent persons
16 November 2023 55
Introduction of Geotechnical Control by the Singapore Government
• Legislation for a new category of professional registration for

geotechnical engineers under the Professional Engineers Act
• Requiring underground building works to be certified by
Professional Engineers (Geotechnical)
• Mandating under the Building Control Act that designs of
underground building works are to be checked by specialist
accredited checkers (Geotechnical)
16 November 2023 56
Kaohsiung Rapid Transit, Taiwan
10 August 2004
Background
• Construction of the Kaohsiung Rapid Transit
Blue & Orange Lines in Kaohsiung City,
Taiwan
The failures
• First collapse on 29 May 2004 underneath a
street
• Second collapse in mid June 2004
• Third collapse on 13 July 2004 with formation
of a large sinkhole
• Fourth collapse on 10 August 2004
16 November 2023 57
10 Aug 2004
• Possible adverse ground and groundwater conditions
Consequences
• First collapse - Several buildings affected and 100 people evacuated
• Third collapse - Three residential buildings evacuated and significant
disruption to water/electricity supply
• Fourth collapse - No casualty, one building affected and part of the works
suspended
16 November 2023 58
Barcelona Metro, Spain, 27 January 2005
16 November 2023 59
Barcelona Metro, Spain, 27 January 2005
Background
• Tunnel for Barcelona Line Five Metro Extension
• Tunnelling using NATM
The failure
• Crater of 30 m wide and 32 m deep formed
• A “hidden” vertical fault located 1m behind the sprayed concrete lining
Consequences
• 2 five-storey buildings and a smaller one demolished
• More than 50 families made homeless
16 November 2023 60
Lausanne M2 Metro, Switzerland
22 February 2005
16 November 2023 61
Lausanne M2 Metro, Switzerland
22 February 2005
Background
• Tunnel (6km long, approximately 10 m wide x 7 m high) for Lausanne
Metro M2 Project (cost US$472M) in Switzerland
• Tunnelling using an Eickhoff ET 380-L roadheader
The failure
• Collapse in area of soft ground (lake deposits)
• 50 m3 of material displaced into the tunnel at a depth of 12 m, leading to a
crater formed at the surface
• Tunnel driven through a pocket in the glacial moraine, causing sudden
inflow of groundwater
Consequences
• People in two buildings, a supermarket and a food outlet in commercial
district evacuated when their cellars collapsed
16 November 2023 62
Lane Cove Tunnel, Australia
2 November 2005
16 November 2023 63
2 November 2005
Background
• Twin NATM tunnels (7 m high, 8.1 m wide and 3.6 km long) constructed
under Lane Cove Tunnel Project in Sydney
The failure
• Collapse occurred during breakout for a ventilation from the running tunnel
• A 10m by 10 m, 25 m deep crater formed in the ground between a 3-storey
high residential building and a highway exit ramp
16 November 2023 64
2 November 2005
• Possible “rock slippage”
• Ground investigation did not identify dyke at the tunnel intersection
• Under designed rock bolts due to increased effective span at intersection of
adit and tunnel
Consequences
• A 3-storey building partially collapsed and 47 residents evacuated
• A water main burst
• Citybound road closed
16 November 2023 65
4 December 2005
16 November 2023 66
4 December 2005
Background
• Construction of Kaohsiung Rapid Transit (KRT) Orange Line at the junction
of Chungcheng Road and Tashun Road in Kaohsiung City of Taiwan
The failure
• Failure occurred during excavation of an underground sump pit at a cross
passage (33 m below ground) underneath an existing reservoir
• A 30 m by 20 m, 4 m deep trench initially formed on 4 December 2005 and
was finally enlarged to form a 50 m by 30 m, 10 m deep crater at the road
surface
• This was the 10th reported failure of the KRT project
• Another crater (10 m diameter, 7 m deep) formed at another location on 10
December 2005
16 November 2023 67
4 December 2005
• Massive water seepage from a reservoir
16 November 2023 68
4 December 2005
Consequences
• Chungcheng Road (a major trunk road) closed for a week
• The nearby Linkang railway line temporarily suspended
• A 100 m long section of tunnels and utilities damaged
• Cracks found at 20 nearby residential buildings
Remedial measures
• The crater was backfilled with about 2,800 m3 of soil/rock and concrete 20
hours after the accident
• The damaged sections of the KRT tunnels needed to be re-constructed
• Cost of the remedial measures estimated to be up to NT$500M (US$15M)
excluding reconstruction of the damaged sections of the KRT tunnels
16 November 2023 69
Kowloon Southern Link Contract KDB
200, Canton Road, 21 October 2006 &
3 June 2007
Slurry TBM
• Ground loss at TBM launch area due to
slurry leakage at seal and loss of slurry
support pressure – steel fibre reinforcement
in diaphragm wall causing blockage in STP
and inadequate length of jet grout block
• Sudden air pressure loss through the
interface between CDG/HDG and
overlying marine sand during a compressed
air intervention, resulting in loss of face
support and subsequent formation of
sinkhole
GEO File Information

16 November 2023 70
Sao Paulo Metro Station, Brazil
15 January 2007
16 November 2023 71
Sao Paulo Metro Station, Brazil
15 January 2007
Gulp (2007)
NATM was used to excavate a 18.5 m diameter 45 m long station tunnel
Several vehicles dropped into 30 m deep hole; seven persons killed
16 November 2023 72
Langstaff Road Trunk Sewer, Toronto,
Canada 2 May 2008 Background
• Tunnelling by EPB TBM
The failure
• Deep sinkhole formed at surface
• About 1,800 m3 material flowed
into the tunnel over a 48-hour
period prior to the failure

• Damaged brushes of the tail seal
of the TBM are the catalyst for
initiating the failure
• Saturated fine sands and silts
under 1.5 bars water pressure
Screw conveyor discharge (Wallis, 2009a)
Consequences
• Road closed
• Major delay in the project
16 November 2023 73
Circle Line 4 Tunnel, Singapore, 23 May 2008
Slurry TBM
• Construction of Circle Line 4

tunnel by 6 m diameter
• Cave-in at Holland Road approx.
8 m diameter x 3 m deep
• Loose ground
Property Highlights of Singapore (2008)
16 November 2023 74
Cologne North-South Metro Tram Line, Germany
3 March 2009
Background
• Shaft construction using diaphragm walling
technique
The failure
• Collapse of diaphragm wall

• ‘Boiling’ of the shaft’s invert under high
groundwater pressure, with inflow of material,
creating a void outside the diaphragm wall into
which the archive building collapse
Wallis (2009) • Compensation grouting for protection of
buildings adjacent to the crossover excavation
was not applied
16 November 2023 75
Cologne North-South Metro Tram Line, Germany
3 March 2009
Consequences
• Collapse of the city’s historical
archive building
• Partly destroy of an apartment
house
• Evacuation of local residents
(80 families in 10 buildings)
• Two persons killed
Wallis (2009)
16 November 2023 76
Brightwater Tunnel, Seattle, USA
3 March 2009
Background
• Tunnelling by Mixshield slurry TBM
The failure
• 4.5 m x 9 m sinkhole formed at
a driveway

• Presence of a large boulder in the face,
stalled the TBM penetration, without
slowing extraction of material, and this
Wallis (2009b) caused over-excavation
• High artesian water pressures
Consequences
• Driveway of a house damaged
16 November 2023 77
Seattle’s Beacon Hill Light Rail, USA
July 2009
Background
• Tunnelling by EPB TBM
The failure
• A 6.4 m deep sinkhole formed
• Six other large voids found
6.1-18.3 m below ground surface
behind the segmental lining of the
TBM running tunnels

• Over excavation when the EPB TBM
Wallis (2009) hit pockets of sand
Consequences
• Front yard of a house damaged
16 November 2023 78
Shenzhen Express Rail Link, China, 2011
Background
• Tunnelling by TBM at about 22 m to
26 m below ground
• Several ground failures occurred in
Xiameilin, Futian District (福田區
上梅林)
16 November 2023 79
Shenzhen Express Rail Link, China, 2011
16 November 2023 80
Hengqin Tunnel, Macau, 19 July 2012
16 November 2023 81
Background
• Four-lane 1.57 km long road tunnel constructed by the cut-and-cover method
The failure
• The lateral support wall collapsed resulting in caving of the surrounding
ground surface

• Existence of a weak geological structure
• Rise of groundwater levels due to heavy rainfall causing the soil along the
weak interlayer to slip
• Support structures failed to keep pace with the excavation processes
16 November 2023 82
• Weak ground with high groundwater levels increasing pressure acting on the
foundation pit pile
Consequences
• Five heavy machines buried
• Programme delay
16 November 2023 83
Shenzhen Metro tunnel collapse, 25 June, 4th time in 2015
One dead many injured, 50 evacuated from their homes
https://thenanfang.com/1-dead-shenzhen-metro-tunnel-collapse/
84
16 November 2023
An urban rail construction site in South
China's city of Dongguan collapsed on
13 August 2015
Check out this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8f8iCXbfenI
16 November 2023 85
Tunnel Collapse at Rastatt, Germany (2017)
http://www.TunnelTalk.com/Germany-21Aug2017-Rastatt-TBM-rail-tunnel-collapse-brings-rail-traffic-to-a-halt.php
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rastatt_Tunnel
• Possibly billion dollars of damages

http://www.handyshippingguide.com/shipping-news/european-rail-freight-group-calls-for-action-after-rastatt-
tunnel-collapse_8363
• Multiple failure has recurring causes
• Similar failures:
Hull, UK (1999) - US$75 million (45 times
original construction cost) and a delay of 26 months
in contract completion)
Cairo, Egypt (2009) - estimated to have caused a loss of Euro 20 million
Okayama, Japan (2012)
16 November 2023 86

HKU2023 4. Notable Tunnel Failure Case Histories

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THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG

Department of Civil Engineering

Practical Design and Construction of

• A catalogue of overseas and notable local cases which occurred from

Clay & Takacs (1997)

Clay & Takacs (1997)

Clay & Takacs (1997)

Annular Ground Annular Ground

after Clay & Takas (1997)

Possible causes of failure

Air Lock Chamber

after Clay & Takas (1997)

1,500 m3 of material flowed into the tunnel creating a void 100

Clay & Takacs (1997)

Clay & Takacs (1997)

• Several water mains, gas pipes and Silt

• Insufficient ground investigation rock

• No tunnel face stability analysis -29.2m

to weathered zone with shallow rock

Lee & Cho (2008)

High pressure within tunnel caused blow out failure

Picture from: Picture from:

Possible causes of failure

Possible cause of failure

Possible causes of failure

9.7km long and 13.2m dia. tunnel

Adverse geology/ 37 incidents within 8 km

• The safety of temporary works is as important as that of permanent

• Legislation for a new category of professional registration for

GEO File Information

Possible causes of failure

• Construction of Circle Line 4

Property Highlights of Singapore (2008)

Possible causes of failure

Possible causes of failure

Possible cause of failure

Possible cause of failure

• Possibly billion dollars of damages

• Multiple failure has recurring causes

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