OptimizedNATMdesignsforSantiagoMetro

Apr2003

ShaniWallis,TunnelTalk

Part2:CurrentNATMconstructionfortheSantiagoMetro,Chile,iscostingsome40%lessthanNATMrunningtunnels
constructedfiveyearsago.Valueengineeringprocessesarecreatingevengreaterpotentialeconomiesonthecoming
Line4contracts.HowtheseeconomieshavebeenachievedandwhereMetrogoesfromhereonitspathofdesignand
constructionevolutionisinvestigated.

TechnicalfeasibilityofNATMconstructioninSantiago,asdemonstratedbyprojectsin19945and19972000,gaveSantiago
Metro'smanagementtheconfidencetotakemajorleapsforwardforthecurrentLine2andLine5extensionsandforthe
undergroundsectionsofthenewLine4.
First,alltheundergroundstationsandconnectingrunningtunnels
aremined.Therearenoopenboxes,tocausethedisruptionand
closureofpublicroadsenduredduringearlieropencutMetro
works.Secondly,acombishellliningsystemhasbeenadoptedfor
allundergroundspaces.PreviousNATMrunningtunnelswere
finishedwith400mmthickheavilyreinforcedinsituconcrete
liningsover200mm250mmofprimaryshotcretesupport.Running
tunnelsonthecurrentworksarelinedwith150mm200mmof
initialreinforcedshotcreteandfinishedwitha250mm300mm
secondarylining,foratotal400mm450mmshotcretefinish.
Thesetwostrategicdecisionsrepresentalargepartofthe
reported40%costreductionofsubsurfacemetroconstructionfor
thecurrentextensions,comparedtothe19972000Line5
extension.Inaddition,directivesfornewworksrequirethat

Stationplatformtunnelsandaditjunctionsat

constructionbekeptaseconomicalaspossibleandthat

LaCisternaStation

undergroundalignmentsbe"asshallowaspossiblebutasdeep
asnecessary".
Asaresult,mostcurrentexcavationsarelessthanonetunneldiameterdeep.Withtopofrailat1718mbelowground
surface,thecrownsof17mwidex14mhigh(150m2 )stationcavernsliejust67mbelowsurface,with10m12mcover
above60m2 65m2 singletubedoubletrackrunningtunnels.
Fundamentally,itisthefavourableSantiagoRipioconglomeratethataffordstheopportunitytoexcavatesuchstructures
butseeingfirsthandthescaleoftheopeningsandthemethodbywhichtheyhavebeenachieved,isimpressive.The
junctionof150m2 mezzanineaccessadits,with150m2 stationplatformcavernsand60m2 70m2 doubletrackrunning
tunnelseitherendmakeforspectacularNATMexcavationsandallbeneathlimitedcover.

QuintaNormalStation,Line5Extension
QuintaNormalStationattheendoftheLine5extensionisamassiveaffair.Undergroundworksincludeavast180m
longx25mwidex27mdeepcoverandcutexcavation,throughthebottomofwhichwillbethestationofanew
suburbanrailservice.AcrossthemiddleofthishugeboxliestheminedNATMQuintaNormalMetrostation.
DesignedbytheIngendesa/ARA/DSCJV,concurrentexcavationofthemetrostationandrailstationboxhasbeena
logisticalchallenge,whenT&TIwasonsiteinFebruary2003,excavationofthebox,betweendrivenpilesupported
walls,hadsplitthe140mlongNATMmetrostationinhalf.ContactorInelawasprogressingsidewalldriftexcavationof
the150m2 stationpaltformcaverntotheeastofthecontinuingboxexcavation.
ExcavationofthestationplatformcavernwestbyCILwasalreadycomplete.Precastconcreteelementsformingthe
roofoftheboxalsoformtheroaddeckofMatucanaStreetabove.Largemachineexcavated,reinforcedconcretepiles
supportingtheroofwillalsosupporttheconcretedeckthatwillbridgethemetrostationandcarrythetrackbedacross
theopenboxstructure.
TheseimpressivestructuresaredesignedbyjointventuresbetweenChileanconsultingengineers,andspecifiedaminimum
10%contributionfrominternationalNATMdesignerstoincorporatestateoftheartexpertise.TheJVsareCadeIdepewith
GeoconsultofAustriatheIngendesaARAJVwiththeUSandUKofficesoftheDrSauerCorporation(DSC)andthe
ArcadisGeotecnicaMinmetalgroupwithBureaudeProjetoseConsultoriaofBrazil.

NATMexcavationsforthecurrentLine2andLine5
extensions,comprisingabout6kmofrunningtunnelsand
sevenundergroundstations,lieingoodqualityripioabovethe
localgroundwatertable.Line4however,takesthe
undergroundalignmentintoasoilconfigurationdominatedby
clays,withintercalationsofpoorlygraded(andsometimes
completelycohesionless)sandandgravellenses.Inother
areas,particularlyclosetotheMaipoRiverinthesouthand
neartheSanCarlosCanalontheeast,identifiedgroundwater
intheripiostrataincreasesthepotentialforlessstable
conditionsandpossiblewaterseepage.
Theseissueswereconsideredduringbasicdesignofthenew
worksbyCadeIdepe/Geoconsult,anddetaileddesignshave
sinceintroducedrefinementsanddifferentphilosophiesfor
NATMstructuresintheseconditions.Suchdifferenceshave
considerableinfluenceonconstructabilityandtunnellingcrews
admittohavingfavouritesamongthedifferentdesign
specifications.

LaCisternaStation,Line2SouthExtension

Fig1(clockwisefromtop)DetailsofthejunctionszonesatLaClstemaStation,illustratingtheincreased
sizeoftheaditsforbreakoutoflateralplatformtunnelsaplanofLaCisternaStationshowsitslocation
underGranAvenidamainstreetdetailofthecombishellprimaryandfinalshotcreteliningsystemthat
representspartofthereductioninsubsurfacemetroextensioncosts
LaCistemaStationattheendoftheLine2southextension,connectingwithLine4,isthe1argeststationonthe
currentworksfromapassengeraccesspointofview.Fromalargeaccessbox,three150m2 passengeraccessadits
extendlaterallysome7mundertheadjacentGranAvenidamainstreettointersectthe150m2 x140mlongstation
platformcavern.DesignedindetailbyDSC,thelargestationcavernsarebeingexcavatedbycontractorDPSusingthe
twosidewalldriftandcentralcoreexcavationsequence.WorkonthislargestationcontractstartedinSeptember2001.
WhenTunnelTalkwasonsite,excavatinofthetwoouteraccessaditswascomplete,workhadstartedonthemiddle

accessadit,andthetunnellingcrewshadbrokenintoexcavationoftheperpendicularstationplatformtunnels.La
CisternaStationwithits500mmoffinalcombishellfinish(300mmprimary+200mmsecondary)isscheduledtobe
handedovertoM&EcontractorsinSeptember2003.Thetwonewstationsand2.2kmoftrackontheLine2south
extensionisduetoopeninDecember2004.SubsequentsurfacealignmentconstructionofLineinthisareawillrunover
thetopoftheminedLine2stationstructures.

Designdifferences
Amajordifferenceindesignisthedivisionofmultipleheadingsforexcavationoflargefaces.For150m2 accessaditsCade
ldepel/Geoconsultfavoursfullspantopheadings,followedbyabenchandinvertsequence,withawedgeofunexcavated
groundinthetopheadingprovidingfacesupportandworkeraccess.Undershallowcover,fullspantopheadingsrequire
presupportusingspilingorminipileforepollngtostabiliseconditionsandcontrolpotentialsurfacesettlement.Larger
bouldersintheripiohadcauseddrillingaccuracyandrodjammingproblemsforlong,smalldiameterpresupportsystems.
Thesewereovercomeusingshorter,largerdiameterpiperoofmethods,with140mmdiameterpipesinstalledandfilledwith
concretepriortoexcavationadvance.
Forthefirstdetaileddesignof150m2 underground
TBMalternativestudy
AstestimonytoMetro'spolicyofinvestigatingand
introducingnewtechniques,itcommissioneda

stationcavernsDSCintroducedthetwosidewalland
centralcoredriftsequence,witheachdriftexcavated

comprehensivestudyintotheprobablecostsand

onatopheading,benchandinvertsequence(Fig1).

feasibilityofusingTBMsonthe8km9kmofLine4

Thisapproacheliminatestheneedforforepolingor

runningtunnelsbetweenRotondaGreciaandTobalaba

spilingundershallowcoverandallowsrotationof

Stations.Thiswasprimarilyinitiatedtoaddress

equipmentandcrewsbetweenconcurrentfacesof

excavationoptionsforasectionofthisroutethrough
depositsofclay,which(althoughstiff)isdescribedas
twotothreetimesweakerthantheripio.Itwasalso
thoughtthatEPBMtechnologymaybemoreappropriate
throughthepotentiallywaterbearingripioclosetothe

advance.
Cadeldepe/Geoconsuthasalsoadoptedthetwin
sidewalldriftsequenceforthe150m2 stationplatform

SanCarlosCanal.CadeIdepeandGeoconsult,asbasic

cavernsfortheLine2northextensionstations.Forits

designerofLine4anddetaildesignersoftheclayzone

Line4detaildesigns,BureaudeProjetoswithArcadis

section,completedandpresentedthemostindepth

GeotcnicaMinmetalhasadoptedsinglesidewalldrift

reportofthosecommissioned.

sequencesforthelarge150m2 stationcaverns(Fig2),

"Westartedbyassumingthatthesingletube,double
trackNATMrunningtunnelspresupportedinthe

withfacesupportwedges,systematicforepolingor

crownandlinedwithasingle350mm450mmthick

spilingpresupportinzonesofpotentiallyunstable

combishellshotcretelining,reinforcedwithlattice

ground,and'elephant'sfoot'foundationsforlattice

girderson1mcentresandweldedwiremeshand/or

girderarches.

rebarinbetweenrepresented100%ofthecost/m,"
explainedMartinBfer,ProjectEngineerforGeoconsult.

Aparticulardetaildesignrefinementconcernsthe

"AgainstthatwestudiedthreeTBMalternativesfirst

invertareainthejunctionsbetweenlateralaccess

usingone10.3mdiameterMixshieldTBMtoexcavatea

editsandperpendicularstationplatformtunnels.

singletube,doubletracktunnelinopenandclosed
modeasnecessarysecondlyusingtwo10.3mdiameter

Initially,thetwoinvertswereatthesameelevation,

TBMs,anEPBmachinefortheclayandpotentiallywater

requiringpartialbreakoutoftheaccessaditinvertto

bearingripiozoneandanopenfacedmachineforthe

allowforacontinuousclosedinvertinthesubsequent

morestableripiosectionsouthofaTobalabaportaland

platformtunnel.

thirdly,two7.5mdiameterMixshieldstoadvancetwo
singletracktubesfromthesouthend"hesaid.

Toreducedemolitionefforts,DSCincreasedthesizeof

ThedatastudiedincludedTBMdeliveryandassembly

theaccessaditinthe17m18mlongjunctionzoneto

leadtimesthecostoftheprecastconcretesegmental
liningandproductionplantschedulingstationlayout
designamajorconsiderationfortheTBMalternatives

165m2 toprovideapermanentinvertintheaditandto
createspaceontheaditsidewallsforbreakoutof

andtheriskstotheoverallprojectschedule.

lateralplatformtunnelswithpermanentinvertsoftheir

Setagainstthe100%cost/mNATMbaseline,allthree

own(Fig1).Theextraspacebetweenthelowered

TBMalternativescameinmoreexpensiveandwith

accessaditinvertandtheplatformtunnelcrosssection

greaterrisktoschedule.ThesinglelargeTBMoptionwas

willbebackfilledeitherwithcompactedearthorwith

thenearestcompetitivepriceat120%oftheNATM
approach,butwhereNATMpresentedapotentialeight

concretecreatingtheeventualtrackbedandstation

monthmarginonprojectschedule,theonelargeTBM

platformstructures.Geoconsultontheotherhand,has

hadnomarginatall.Thenextmostcompetitiveprice

designedapermanentinvertfortheaccessaditanda

wasthetwolargediameterTBMs.at135%and

stepdowntotheclosedinvertsectionofthelateral

presentedatimemarginofaboutthreemonths.The

platformstationtunnels(Fig3).BureaudeProjetoshas

mostexpensiveoptionwasthetwosmallerTBM
alternative,at140%,butitdidpresentatimemarginof
6.5months."Toestimatetimeschedulesweassumed
advanceratesof14.5m/24hday/machineforthelarge
diametersingletube,doubletrackTBMoptionsand

adoptedthesameptinciple.
AmorefundamentaldifferenceinNATMphilosophy
relatestotheinstallationoflatticegirdersandtheir

3m/24hday/headingfortheNATMapproach,"said

contributiontolongtermsupportandstability.DSC

Bfer,Havingcommissionedthestudy,Metrosatisfied

andBureaudeProjetosdesignlatticegirderswiththe

itselfthatwithNATMithasselectedthemost

wideedgeofthetriangleagainstthetunnelwall,while

appropriateapproachforallundergroundworksinthe

Geoconsultplacesthepointedsideagainstthewall.

geologicalconditionsbeneathSantiago.

Eachmethodispreferredforthesamereasontohelp

thenozzlemanorrobotboomtosprayatvarious
anglestopreventshotcreteshadowsorvoidsatthe
girderlocations.
Withregardtothelongtermstability,DSCbelievesthatlatticegirderscontributeminimalloadbearingsupportandcould
beomittedfromtheprimarylining,withsteelfibreprovidingextrastrengthorloadbearingsupportwherenecessary.
Engineersinotherdesigngroupsagreeincertaininstances.AsMartinBfer.SeniorDesignEngineerwithGeoconsult
explained:"Thearguablylimitedcontributionoflatticegirderstoshorttermloadbearingcapacityoftheprimaryliningisan
advantagewhichishighlyappreciated.Wemustalsodesignforthepossibilityofearthquakeactivityduringconstruction,
whichrequiresamarginofstabilitytoallowprimaryliningtostandfor12yearsbeforethefinallininggoesin.Ifyou
removethelatticegirders,theircontributiontotheloadbearingsafetyfactorwouldhavetobesubstitutedwithextra
layersofwiremeshorsteelbarreinforcement.SteelfibrehasbeenconsideredforLine4contractsandinprinciple,
wheneverstructuraleffortsdonotrequirewiremeshorsteelbarreinforcement,steelfibreispreferred,butwewoulduseit
onlyintherunningtunnels.Inouropinionbendingmomentswouldbetoogreatforitsapplicationinstationcavern
excavations."
EngineerswithinMetroareyettobeconvincedandgirdersremain
inallNATMdesigns.Inadditiontotheirarguablylimited
contributiontoloadbearingrequirements,girdersalsohelp
maintainacorrecttunnelprofile.Althoughthiscouldbeachieved
byothermeans,thepurposeisimportantinSantiago."Ifthe
distancebetweenthegirdersisincreasedfromjust1mto1.2m
centresinthisground,"saidOttoGerstgrasser,NATMsite
supervisionengineerforDSContheLine2southextension,"the
shapeoftheprofilesuffersandshotcreteappliedtofill
excavationoutsidethedesignfineisacosttothecontractor."
Todate,thelargestpercentageofshotcretebyfarinSantiagois
drymixwithnearlyallcontractorsoncurrentcontractsusing
Alivadrymixrotorunitsandhandheldnozzles.Accordingto
PedroHonorato,oneoftwoSika/AlivaagentsinSantiago,there

Fig2.Designandexcavationsequenceof

aresome30Alivaunitsworkingoncurrentmetrocontracts.

150m2platformtunnelcavernsforLine4

ThingsmaychangehoweveronLine4,wherewetmixshotctete
withsteelfibrereinforcementmaybespecifiedtoimprovequality,durability,watertightness,airqualityduringapplication,
andproductioncycles.TodateSacyristheonlycontractorusingwetmixshotcrete,workingwithtwoPutzmeister
shotcretingrigs.
Permeabilityofshotcreteisasignificantconcern,particularlyon
Line4wherewateringressandseepageisexpectedtobe
higherthanonpreviousNATMcontracts.InthesesareasMetro
wasadvisedtoincludepositivewaterproofingsystemssuchas
PVCgeotextilemembranesorsprayonwaterproofingbarriers
suchasMBT'sMasterseal340F.Metrohowever,ineffortsto
controlcosts,believesthatwateringresslevelswillbe
manageableasamaintenanceissue,thatthehighcontentof
finesandparticlesinthegroundwaterwillselfhealleaksand
seepagepoints,andthatthequalityofconcreteliningscanbe
specifiedtopreventheavyingressorseepage.Tothisend,
designershavespecifiedtheuseofmicrosilicainshotcrete
mixestomeetanaveragemaximumwateringressof20mmon
probeswhenexposedto7barwaterpressure.Theinsitu
concreteliningonthefirst19972000Line5NATMextension,closetotheMapochoRiverandinthegroundWithperched
waterlenses,wasdesignedbyCadeldepe/Geoconsulttomeetawatertightrequirement.The400mm450mmthicklining,
reinforcedwith100120kg/m3 ofrebar,limitedtensilestrainduetoshrinkagetowithinO.5mm6mm/minsteadofthe
O.3mm/mrequestedbythestandards.
Workmanship,quality,productivity
Productivityandratesofadvanceareaconcernforallthoseworkingon,andanticipatingconstructioncontractson,the
33kmlong,27station,Line4(some15kmand10stationsofwhichareundergroundinNATMexcavations).VicenteAcua,
Metro'sLine4ProgrammeManager,describedtheworktobeachievedtomeetthepromisedthirdquarter2005inservice
openingdateas"epic".
Tomeetthetightconstructionschedules,thereisapushfromcontractorstorelaxNATMspecificationsandallow
excavationroundsofupto2m.Thisisresistedbydesigners,whomightingeneralagreewithincreasingroundlengths,but
onaprogressiveapproachandonlyifreasonableinviewofthegroundbehaviour.AsGerstgrasser,DSCsitesupervising
engineerexplained:"Productioncouldbeincreasedbyasmuchas50%byleavingroundlengthsastheyareandmaking

improvementsinconstructionmethodsandlogistics."Forexample,hesuggested,theexcavationcyclecouldbeimproved
byusingpurposedesignedtunnelexcavators.Atpresentcontractorsareusingstandardbackhoemachinesthathaveno
360articulatedbucketsandrequireprofilingbyhand.Therearealsoproblemswithmuckhandling.Muckgetsstockpiled
behindtunnelfaceswaitingtobeliftedtothesurfaceforpermittedoffsitemuckhaulingschedules."Thereislittlepointin
increasingproductionwithoutfirstaddressingmuckhandlingissues,"saidGerstgrasser.

NATMstationsinclay

Fig4.BinocularconfigurationdesignforthePlazaEgaaandLosOrientalesstationslocatedinaclayzone
neartheMapochoRiver

ForthetwoundergroundstationslocatedintheclaydominateddepositsonLine4(PlazaEgaandLosOrientales,
CadeidepeandGeoconsulthavedesignedabinocularconfigurationforthetwo140mlongstationslocatedintheclay
zone.Volumelossesandsurfacesettlementsareexpectedtobehigherthenintheripio,atupto30mmontheruning
tunnels.Tocontroldeformationinthestations,sequencedexcavationwillstartwitha10mhighx6mwidepilot
heading,intowhichaseriesof1.1mdiameterpermanentcentralsupportcolumnson4.7mcentreswillbecast,working
backtotheaccesspoint.
Thiswillbefollowedbyexcavationofthebinoculartubeseitherside,progressingtogetheronastaggeredadvanceand
onatopheading,withtemporaryinvertandbench/invertexcavationsequence.Beneathanaveragecoverof8m9m,
thestationcavernwillbesupportedinitiallywith300mmofreinforcedshotcreteandfinishedwitha200mmthickinsitu
concretelining.

Productioncycleswouldalsoimprovebyusinghigheroutputwetmixshotcretenozzleboomsandmobileunits.In
conjunctionwithpurposedesignedexcavatormachines,moreheadingscouldbedeveloped.Atpresent,advanceinmany
casesislimitedbylogisticsofoneortwoheadings.
Whiletherearetheseareaspresentingroomforproductionimprovement,itmustbesaidthatthequalityofthe
workmanshipondisplayinSantiagoisimpressive,withcontractorsundertakingNATMworkwithverylittleorinsomecases
noprevioustunnellingexperience.
Commentingonthedifferencesbetweendetaildesigners,AcullasaidthatitisfromthesedifferencesthatMetrowill
establishitsownsetofdesignstandardsandnormsforfutureworks,"Webelievewehavemadeagoodcompromise
betweenspeedofadvance,applicationofmoderntechnology,costandquality,"hesaid,"andthatwehaveachievedgood
optimisationbetweenconstructionneedsandpermanentworksrequirements.Oureffortstoresearchcostsavingsand
improvequalityandconstructionrates,however,willcontinueasweprogressnetworkexpansionprojects."

References
SantiagoMetrowithstandsmassiveearthquakeTunnelTalk,Mar2010
SantiagoMetrogoesundergroundwithNATMTunnelTalk,Apr2003

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