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Repair and reconstruction of old railway tunnels in Romania

Conference Paper · October 1996

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Repair and reconstruction of old railway tunnels in Romania.

T. Iftimie
Technical University of Civil Engineering, Bukarest, Romania.

ABSTRACT: Many Romanian railway tunnels build at the end of the XIX - th century and the
begining of the XX - th century, reached in the sixties a critical technical state for a safe service or
insufficient clearances for the new traffic conditions, inposed by electrification.
In the paper there are shown some representative solutions for solving such tunnels,
according to their peculiar situations: extrados sealing of tunnels, renewal of damaged tunnel by
inner linning, rebuilding of the inverted arch floor and lowering of the rail, rebuilding of a single
track tunnel with shield method etc.

1. INTRODUCTION

The mountainous nature of the Romanian countryside posed many problems for railway
builders, and imposed the construction of many tunnels.
The first railway tunnels were constructed on the Romanian teritory between 1856 and 1863
on the Oravita - Anina line, by the St.E.G. austrian society. The 14 tunnels on this line, having the
lenght of 2094m, from which the longest is of 660m, are also today in use, with restrictions
regarding the use of the roller material, due to the reduced clearances.
At the end of the XIX - th century, 41 tunnels have been in use, having the lenght of
12600m, which represents 17% from the actual total lenght. In France, at the some date, there
already been constructed about 80% from the total length of the tunnels on the SNCF network.
The evolution of the tunnelling in Romania, between 1860 and 1995, presented in Fig.1,
relevates that about 48% of the length of the tunnels has been constructed before 1945.
Excepting the period after the second world war, when there has been repaired and built an
important number of tunnels (49 in13km length), it can be observed that the relaunching of the
domain has begun in the 60's, when a large action of modernisation of the railway network from
Romania has begun, by electrifications and doubling of lines.

Fig. 1. Number and length of railway tunnel constructed in Romania between 1860 and 1995.
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In this period, it has passed from the classical methods to the modern ones, the semi-shield
in 1964, and the shield D=9.0m, in 1969.
The next period has been, with no doubt, the most prolific period of tunnels construction,
when in Romania there was constructed about 48% of the total length. At the end of 1995, the
length of the tunnels from the railway network in Romania was 74.5km (193 tunnels), representing
about 3% from the total lines, comparative with 1.6% in the Austrian railway, 0.2% in the English
ones and 7% in the Italian ones. 26 tunnels (8600m, about 12% from the total) from the 75 built in
the next 30 years, represent rebuilding of some old tunnels, with occasion of the railway network
modernisation by electrification. In the frame of same action, sealing works have been performed to
over 35 tunnels, and works of clearance improvement by lowering of the rail to other tunnels. These
repairing and rebuilding works of the old tunnels, even if they represent only a quarter of the
working volume in that period, they were very difficult works, needing special solutions, several
times even unique ones, due to the difficulties given by the small clearances, the linings damage
and the necessity to maintain the traffic.
The present paper is dedicated to the works of this type, with all the specific problems and
difficulties, from the investigations to the design and execution.

2. THE ANALYSIS OF THE TECHNICAL STATE OF THE OLD TUNNELS AND THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF A DIAGNOSTIC.

The maintenance of the old tunnels at the functional parameters during their service
supposes their monitoring and repairs and maintenance works.
Specific for such tunnels is the difficulty of the real knowledge of the technical state, due to
the following factors:
- only the intrados can be observed and
investigated;
- the documents are generally poor in data
about the dimensioning and construction of the
lining;
- it's no possible to know precisely the loading
state and the strength capacity of a lining,
more and less damaged;
The reabilitation works for these tunnels have
also their own specific:
- their inportance canot be estimated precisely
by only using the same preliminary studies;
- the execution is difficult due to the
encountered conditions;
- the interference upon the traffic is big.
All these difficulties impose the need of a rich
experience and even ability, in the
esttablishment of a diagnostic and the choice
of a reabilitation solution.In Fig. 2, there is
presented a possible diagram of the diagnosis
establishing process, inspired from the AFTES
recomandations.

Fig. 2. Diagram of the diagnosis establishing

process
Due to the complexity of the studied problem, it is recommended to approach it in successive steps.
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1 - The examination of all existant documents about the tunnels and the surrounding field.
2 - The visioning of the of the work.
3 - The synthesis of the existing data.
This step is very important because it establishes the pathology and defines the objectives.
The knowledge of the pathology (the relationship between damages or anormalities and
their causes) is essential in order to establish a diagnostic.
The knowledge of the pathology result from the systematisation and synthesis of the
accumulated data and depends upon the experience and ingenuosity of the engineers implied. The
data systhematisation must be made by two dommains: surrounding field and lining. The ground
arround the tunnel can be modificate due to the following factors:
- the water action (the most important factor), by the interior regime change
or level fluctuations, can produce the fine elements washing, the decrease of
mechanical characteristics, swelling phenomena, dissolution, alteration and
erosion;
- the change of the ground structure by creeping under big stresses, by
compressions, the formations of same voids or the general instability of the
massive;
- external actions, as; surface buildings, excavations, the vibrations of the
railway traffic, earthquakes, explosions etc.
The causes affecting the lining, can be;
- the wrong original conception, inadequate building conditions (placing,
terrain nature, the construction method);
- the water action (chemical or freezing-thowing), by dissolving and
alteration of the massonries, the disaggregation of the mortar from the joints,
pressure upon the lining;
- the air action, by streams formed when the trains pass;
- eartquake motions or vibrations given by the railway traffic.
Moreover, besides the data hereabove presented, the tunnels clearances must be known and
analysed (intrados surveys) and the connection with the circulation clearances.
The performance of the existant data synthesis, permits the defining of the necessary
objectives and the investigations, therefore passing to the next step.

4. Investigations.
The investigations can be divided in two phases, depending upon the work importance and
the established objectives. The first phase comprises the entire tunnel and consist in trials,
laboratory researches and geometrical measurements.
Relying upon of these investigations, we can give a pre-diagnostic and even define a
rehabilitation works program. The second phase of investigation appears necessary when the results
of the first phase are not enough and in doubt. This phase is concentrated on the critical zones and
comprises; niches, carrotages, in situ trials, convergence or stresses measurements in the lining.

5. The diagnostic formulation.

The analysis of all data accumulated up to this step permits the statement of a diagnostic,
wich must specify the nature of the possible disorders and the risks, but also the necessary repairs ,
depending of the damaged level and the work inportance.
Such analyses, more or less detailed, have been done to all the old tunnels subjected to the
action of reabilitation or reconstruction.

3. SEALING, REPAIRING AND RAIL LOWERING OF THE OF OLD TUNNELS.

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The electrification of some railway lines has also determined the reconsideration of the technical
conditions which must be fulfilled by some of the existant tunnels and the adaptation of the new
conditions of clearances and traffic.
For the existant tunnels which correspond to the new electrification clearances, the problems that
remained to be solved have been the protection of the contact file against the water drops or the
icepices, and the damaged massonry repairing.
The protection of the electrificated line installations, against the water seepages, has been realised
by sealant works of the affected zones.
The most relevant exemple of such works on the Romanian railway network, has been the
electrification of the line Tg. Jiu - Livezeni (46km) between 1968 - 1973.
On this line, executed in 1948, there were 49
tunnels in total length of 13034m, which
driven generally rocks, having a clear profile
which corresponds to the electrification, and
concrete and stone masonry linings. The
missing of hydroisolation has permited the
waters seepage, in a lot of such tunnels, on
variable zones and with different effects. By
the monitoring of the zones affected by
seepages, in various seasons, during several
years, there could be delimited the zones which
must be hydroisolated.
The adopted solution was to realise a
hydroisolation to the extrados of the existing
lining on the calote zone, by mining method
(Fig.3), and with the traffic maintenance. 35
tunnels, totalising about 4000m, have then
been sealed on various zones. The results
obtained were very good, but the enhanced
cost of the works and the difficulties of
execution, have determined the abandonment
to this technology in favour of the ot
Fig.3. Sealing at extrados of the old tunnel.
1 - Existing concrete lining; 2 - Steel arches;
3 - Timbered heading; 4 - Extrados sealing;
5 - Protection of sealing; 6 - Stones masonry.

Such a technology has been applied to the Petrila tunnel on the Petrosani - Petrila line.
The tunnel, in length of 215m, has been built in 1931, from concrete, in schistous rocks, and
presents zones with seepages of aggressive waters, and accentuated damages of the concrete
(exfoliations, caverns) and the clogging of the railway platform, due to the lack of the seepage
channels.
The adopted solution of renewal (Fig.4), has consisted in:
- the lowering of the rail levelling about 15 -20cm;
- the splitting and sealing of the existing lining intrados;
- the building of a inner lining (20cm thickness), from reinforced concrete;
- the building of the new roof under the protection of the provisional bridges.
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Fig.4 Renewal of damaged tunnel by inner lining. Fig. 5 Lowering of the rail, for
improvement
1- Existing concrete lining; 2- Cavern in lining; of clearance, due to electrification of line.
3- Sealing ; 4- New inner lining; 5- New floor; 1-Existing lining; 2- Floor strengthening;
6- Drainage channel; 7- Clearance for electrification. 3-Drainage channel; 4- Splitting of masonry;
5- Gallery.

The works has been realised with the traffic maintenance, but in local closures of line.
The difficulties encountered at the execution have been due, especially, the interruption of
the execution by the traffic, which has necessitated important organising efforts.
Anather significant example in this domain, that of the repair and sealing of the old tunnels,
is the Filesti tunnel, on the Braila - Galati line.
This tunnel, in length of 771m, has been built in 1872, from stone and brick masonry, in
loessoid soil, under a quarter of the Galati town. In 1980, the line electrification, imposed the new
conditions of clearance and traffic, for Filesti Tunnel.
At that time, the masonry state was satisfactory, water seepages appeared only on the right
side of wall, but the inner transversal section was not enough for the ensurance of the electrification
clearance.
The adopted solution (Fig.5) has consised of:
- the rail level lowering (about 45cm);
- the strenghtening of the existing floor;
- the masonry splitting on the calote zone;
- a visitable gallery on the right side of the tunnel, to collect and evacuate the
waters.
The works have been realised with the total closing of the line and deviation of the traffic
through the parallel tunnel.
The use of an inadequate machine for existing floor splitting, by the builder, has disturbed
the structure in the region of connection between the invert-roof floor and fundations, permitting
seepages and affecting the stability of the entire tunnel in time, such that after 15 years the necessity
to analyse this tunnel has appeared again.
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4. RECONSTRUCTION OF OLD TUNNELS.

In several situations the increase of clearance necessary for electrification couldn't be

ensured by splitting or rail lowering, and so it has imposed the solution of rebuilding such tunnels.
Most of these tunnels were constructed during the late century, and they had a inadequate
technical state. To the rebuilding of these tunnels, various solutions and technologies have been
used, from the reconstruction on a new place to the rebuilding in the axis, with mining method,
NATM or shield method, with or without line closing. In this paper, there were chosen for
exemplification someof the more representative solutions. The rebuilding in axis with classical
methods has been intensively used in the '70s, to over 23 tunnels of total length of over 5000m,
some of them presenting adapting particularities with respect to the local conditions. One of these
tunnels is Holdea, emplaced on the Ilia - Lugoj line, and having 404m length. This tunnel was built
in1896, from stone masonry, in marnes and clays, and had a clearance between 5 and 5.5m.
The first adopted solution has been the
reconstruction in axis , through mining
methods, with a single lining and sealing at the
extrados (Fig.6a). The new lining has been
builded on slices of 2m with the prior
demolition of the existing lining in closures of
line. After the buiding of two rings (l=13m)
with this solution, in 2 August 1977, there
occured a collapse of the ring in execution,
immediately after the train passage, which has
determined the line closing and the change of
the solution.
The new solution (Fig. 6b) provided two
linings, from which the first is concreted at the
extrados of the existing lining, adherent to rock.
Under the protection of this lining, it has been
demolated then the existing lining, in closure of
the line. The concreting of the new invert roof
floor was made under the protection of the rail
bridges, for the maintenance of the traffic.
Fig. 6 Rebuilding in axis of a single track tunnel.
1 - Existing lining; 2 - One concrete lining; 3 - Extrados sealing; 4 - External lining; 5 - Inner
lining;
6 - Key gallery; 7 - Basis gallery; 8 - Invert roof floor; 9 - Clearance for electrification.

The solution provided also the visitable galleries at the key and at the basis.
The new technical solution has been much safer, being preffered even if it brought an
increase of the price.
Another interesting solution is the rebuilding for double track, of the single railway tunnel
Pestera, using NATM.
The Pestera tunnel, emplaced on the Cluj - Oradea line, in length of 87m, has been built in
1870, from molons masonry, in limes formations, with karstic phenomena. The type of the rock
has permited the use of the New Austrian Tunnelling Method. The existing lining has been
stregthened at intrados with steel arches, and the excavations has been carried out at the extrados.
The first lining was made from shotcrete, anchors and wire mesh, and the sealing is between
the external and internal lining (Fig. 7). on the entire period of these works, the traffic has been
 275

mainteined, with a velocity restriction of 20km/h. In the last phase, it has been demolated the
existing lining on tronsons, in line closures.

The most radical and modern solution used to

the reconstruction of some old tunnels, without
clearance, has been the use of the shield method
in total closure of line. This solution has been
posible on the double lines where it was built
the second tunnel, through which it has been
deviated temporarily the traffic. Three tunnels
have been rebuild in this way, between 1977
and 1989, the Beia II tunnel (L=640m), the
Mestecanis II tunnel (L=1623m) and the Banita
II tunnel (L=614m). Among these ones, the
Mestecanis tunnel has been chosen for
presentation, due to the more special execution
conditions.
Fig. 7 Rebuilding for double track of a single track tunnel.
1- Existing tunnel; 2- Steel arches; 3- Anchors; 4 - Shotcrete lining; 5- Sealing; 6- Inner lining;

The Mestecanis tunnel, placed on the Suceava - Vatra Dornei line, has been executed
between 1897 - 1901, from stone masonry, in heterogenuous rocks, varying from strong silica
schist, to altered grafitic schist, presenting cutting phenomena, faults and water seepages. In the
longitudinal profile, the tunnel is in back-of ass, with slopes of 1.92%, 1.7% and 0.25%, and in
plane, the entrance is in curve with R=200m, and the exit is in parabolic fitting.
The tunnel has suffered destructions both in the
first world war (1916), two rings, and in the
second one (1944) in three zones (74m, 25m,
and 56m) with collapses up to the surface and
the flooding of the tunnel at the entrance. The
destroyed rings have been rebuilded in 1946
with stone and concrete masonry, but the
adjacent zones have remained strongly affected.
The inadequate technical state of the masonry
and the small clearance, but also the good results
obtained at the rebuilding of the Beia II tunnel,
have imposed the shield tunnelling method. The
existing lining has been demolated, and a new
cross section has been made from two linings,
one external precast and the ather one internal
monolyte, with intermediate sealing (Fig. 9).

Fig. 9 Reconstruction of a single track tunnel with shield method. 1- Existing lining; 2- External
precast concrete lining; 3 - Sealing; 4 - Inner ining; 5- Clearance for electrification.

The new lining has behaved very good, even in the zones with graphitous schists, which
have given big thrusts. The works have begun in 1980 and finished in 1987, due to the sharing of
the expenses for the capital repairing. last example which is presented, is that of the Vf. Tatarului
tunnel, on the Simeria - Petrosani line.
The first tunnel (L=75m), executed in 1870, has been rebuilded at the electrification
clearance in 1971, with cut and cover method. In 1985, when the doubling of this line has started ,
the tunnel was in a critical state of deformations, with cracks which evoluated dangerously.
 276

This state has been caused by the big dissymmetrical thrusts, produced by the altered clayed
schist in the water presence. The adopted solution (Fig. 10) which has been approved, has solved
successfully the two aims: - the protection and the discharge of the damaged existing tunnel;
- the execution for the new tunnel of a structure
able to overtake the unsymmetrical thrusts and
to transpher them over the existing tunnel, by
means of some frames of discharge and
transpher.
The execution of the new structure has been
made with cut and cover method.
Due to the producing of a sliding at the exit end,
the tunnel has been prolonged with 12m.
After the rconstruction of the new structure, the
existing tunnel deformations has stopped and it
has passed to its repairing, by the splitting,
anchoring and concreting of the cracked zones.
Fig. 10 Special structure for discharged and protection of a damaged existing tunnel. A - Damaged
existing tunnel; B - new special tunnel; 1- Floor; 2 - Downstream right-wall; 3 - Downstream
semiroof; 4 - Upstream semiroof; 5 - Upstream right-wall; 6 - Foundation; 7 - Sealing; 8 - Inner
lining; 9 - repair of the existing tunnel.

The summary descriptions from the above examples, have tried to present the essence of the
adopted solution, but they couldn't to comprise the entire complexity of the works and all the
difficulties encountered, which would need separate items for each tunnel.

5. CONCLUSIONS.

The repairing and reconstruction of the old tunnels, has represented, represents and will
represent surely a very important sector in the general domain of tunnels, due to the very great
number of this type of tunnels which exist in service. The evolution of the methods used to such
works, relevates renounciation to the mining classical methods, which imply considerable
supplementary costs and especially qualified workers, which are more and more difficult to be
found, and the orientation to the works realised from the interior. Then, the sealing is carried out
more and more intensively with PVC sheets, applied at the intrados, the new consolidations are by
internal linings, and for reconstructions, the shied method seems to be imposed. The procedure of
establishment of the diagnostic and the choice of the rehabilitation solution has still remained very
difficult and laborious, requiring people having a high professionalism and a rich experence.
The role of these specialists seems to be essential in the future, in solving of this kind of problems.

6. REFERENCES.

1. AFTES - Groupe de travail nr. 9, 1988. Texte des recomandations sur les reparation
d'etancheite en souterain. Numero special, Mai.
2. BOGAERT, G. 1970. Maintaing the tunnels of French Railways (SNCF). Tunnels and
tunnelling, July.
3. HOWARD, A.J. 1993. Repair and renovation. "A few Brithish examples". Tunnels et ouvraves
souterain, Nr.118
4. IFTIMIE, T. 1993. Une nouvele solution structurale pour le doublage adjacent d'un
tunnel existant deteriore. Journees d'etudes internationale AFTES Toulon, France,19-21 Octobre.
5. SPANG, J. 1971. Design, construction and maintenance of Tunnel of German State
Railways. Tunnels and tunnelling, Sept.

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