Prague Metro line C extension

J. Kunak METROPROJEKT Praha a.s., Member of the Czech Tunnelling Committee, Prague, Czech Republic G. Romancov, METROPROJEKT Praha a.s., Member of the Czech Tunnelling Committee, Prague, Czech Republic J. Ruzicka, METROPROJEKT Praha a.s., Member of the Czech Tunnelling Committee, Prague, Czech Republic V. Vales METROPROJEKT Praha a.s., Member of the Czech Tunnelling Committee, Prague, Czech Republic M. Novotny, METROSTAV a.s. Member of the Czech Tunnelling Committee, Prague, Czech Republic J. L.Vitek METROSTAV a.s. Member of the Czech Tunnelling Committee, Prague, Czech Republic ABSTRACT: In this time there is one of the main mass public transport problems in capital Prague metro line extension to the northern res idential areas. There are two natural obstacles in this area which make difficulties for technical solution: the riverbed of Vltava River and the gradient to tableland, where their northern residential areas are situated. The technical solution complicates the temporary metro terminal too, for metro line C extension starts directly from this station. The terminal is situated at the riverbank practically at the surface. Performance technology of crossing the riverbed is unique. Tunnel construction in total length of 170m will be built up on the riverside, and the insert into trench excavated in the riverbed. The largest part of the metro line extension is designed as a double-track tunnel driven by New Austrian Tunnelling technology. 1 INTRODUCTION It was in 1966 that the construction of the underground in the Czech capital begun. The first Metro line in total length of 9km with nine stations was put into operation in 1974. Since then the construction of Metro has proceeded at a regular p a c e s o t h a t today three diametrical lines measuring more than 50km with 51 stations are in operation. The Metro is in principal a consistent independent system, each line disposing of its own depot and possibilities of mutual operation linking without passengers. Approximately half of stations and track tunnels were performed by driven technology especially at the central part of the City. The rest of the construction was built by cut & cover method, several short sections are laid on bridges and some of stations have even platforms illuminated by daylight being, of course, covered for protection of passengers against any adverse weather. The Metro trains appear on the surface only while entering the depots. Almost each underground line and station is constructed so that in case of emergency, armed conflicts or ecological disasters they may serve as a shelter for the population. In this respect Metro plays a very important role as it may protect more than a quarter of the total number of 1,200,000 Prague inhabitants. 2 LINE C This line runs north south and is the only one that must cross the Vltava River twice. It was constructed as the first one. But in spite of that, due to serious technical and transport problems while the other two lines have been successfully operating for many years and fulfill their roles linking via the centre of the city diametrically opposed peripheral districts the C line is still
EXTENSION

IV. C1 B A B C

A MAP OF THE PRAGUE METRO NETWORK

incomplete in its northern part. It is finished provisionally at the riverbank. Due to this fact dozens of thousands of Prague inhabitants are forced to transfer to buses and trams twice a day in order to reach their working place in the morning and to get home in the evening. This unfortunate situation is finally about to be resolved. It has been planned that in 2004, provided a sufficient amount of financial resources, the Prague metro will achieve its originally designed image. We will be able to start the construction of the next sections which are so important in order to improve the utility of city transport and to reduce the extreme overloading in the concerned town quarters. The question remains, which was the problem that had caused the 20yr delay of the construction? First of all, it was a combination of two factors, which would, as a matter of principle, influence the alignment of the metro lines. A river that may be crossed either by a bridge or a tunnel, and immediately afterwards a steep slope rising so high that it cannot be overcome not only by metro but also by any other means of transport perhaps a funicular or a rack railway. A bridge across the river would be a logical solution in order to improve the height parameters of alignment. The city planning experts presented their fundamental objections. The controversy was joined immediately by other experts, laymen and politicians who all had different opinions as for the horizontal alignment of the metro line and as for the system of transport service in the northern region of Prague. Since for the long period of 20 years, nobody has had the guts to take the responsibility to find the primary solution, the preparation of the construction reached a deadlock.

PRAGUE METRO LINE IV.C1

3 BASIC PRINCIPLES OF THE FINAL TECHNICAL SOLUTION Only when this last section became the last unfinished part of the basic metro network, the city deputies approved a decision: the metro will cross the river in an underground tunnel and continue in the shortest way to the localities showing the most urgent need for transport services. So finally the room was left for the builders to find feasible technical solutions in the shortest time possible. It was not simple work because of a number of space limitations and extremely complicated geological conditions, which made it impossible to use standard constructional methods, and tested procedures. The height location of the temporary final metro station placed by the river excluded its passage by an ordinary tunnel technology. Professional discussions, aimed at the project of optimal technological construction in the section under the river, had been going on for the last decade of the past century. The limiting condition of the project was the fact that the shipping profile in the river had to be maintained during the entire construction procedure. Besides the standard method of constructing tunnel sections in cofferdams built gradually in the river, there appeared also proposals to use technologies of tunnelling under the protection of a reinforced concrete plate in a grouted environment marked off by cofferdams, made of interlocking pile walls. The building procedure supposed a gradual stabilisation of a gravel sand strip 22m broad in the metro line. The whole river segment was divided into several sections. These sections were gradually fenced in by interlocking pile walls reaching up above the surface of water level in the river. The space between the interlocking pile walls was filled in by soil. Thereafter, the next step should have been to grout the gravel sand over the solid rock. Then the removing of the soil between crushed stone walls down to the bottom of the river should follow, constructing of a reinforced concrete plate and filling back the soil. Two single

rail tunnels should be driven in such a stabilized section. The following removal of soil from the space between interlocking pile walls and their cutting away on the level of the riverbed would finish the work section. With respect to this principle, a number of alternative solutions were elaborated. We did not even forget to study tunnelling under the protection of a prefabricated reinforced concrete plate which would be sunk one part after another to the riverbed, put on concrete piles and set in concrete under the water. The following tunnelling would proceed under the compressed air. These were various combinations of building technologies and space limitations that finally were found unsatisfactory. The time of construction dragged on, financial expenses rising without mentioning the exigencies of suppliers equipment. The final solution was to accept the method of shifting out prefabricated tunnels along the riverbed. This method seems to be the unique new method in the world and we dedicate a separate chapter of this article to it. Once across the Vltava River, the tunnels must immediately rise up more than 100 m so that the st ations serving the most frequented places of the northern region, would not be placed excessively deep under the level of the ground. Even though technically, the greatest possible longitudinal slope of the line (3,95% - theoretically acceptable 4,00%) is being implemented, the first station named KOBYLISY is situated 30m under the ground. Although the nearest preceding station is 2700m away and the length of 2100m of the tunnel is rising in this maximally possible inclination. It is but the second station LDV temporarily a terminus for 34 years, which is built as a standard station approx. 7m under the ground. For all practical purposes, this whole section was tunnelled with exception of 300m of excavated tunnels crossing the vale bottom of the river and approx. 100m long intersection near the street Trojska. Due to the existence of a ground cut and, of course, the terminal section, which approaches the level of the terrain, the tunnelling is impossible. It would seem, and some experts were of that opinion for a long time, that the geological conditions would be favourable. Yet, the terrain mo rphology is formed by relatively solid slate and quartz stones (due to that fact even the course of the river had been diverted from its usual north south flow). A close research shows that the opposite is true. Exactly in places where the double track tunnels of a large diameter (cross section of 60m2 ) and single nave metro station (cross section of 220 2) will be driven, extremely unfavourable hydrogeological conditions appeared. It may even be defined as the most difficult terrain which has appeared ever since the Prague metro was built (do

not forget that during 30 past years 150km of station, escalator and line tunnels and galleries of various diameters and use have been built). 4 VLTAVA RIVER CROSSING IMMERSED TUNNELS Two tunnel tubes are located very close under the riverbed. The originally designed method of construction progressive casting in the three cofferdams has been replaced by a new construction procedure. The individual tunnel tubes were cast in the dry dock on the right shore of the river. After casting, the completed tunnel tube, 168m long, was sealed by the end covers and launched into the final position in the trench excavated in the riverbed. The curved shape of the tunnel (horizontal radius 750 and 670m, respectively and the vertical radius 3800m) and stream in the river did not allow classical floating. The advantages of this construction process can be found in a short construction time, less impact of the construction on the environment due to limited excavation works, less disturbance of the ship traffic and last but not least reduced costs. The tunnel was made of watertight concrete; therefore no external waterproofing was necessary.

The excavation in the river (12-13m under the water level) was carried out by excavators located on the ships. The other ships transported the
TUNNEL TUBE IN THE DRY DOCK

gravel, sand and slate from the lower layers of the trench to the embankment. The watertight reinforced concrete tube was cast in segments 12 long. Each segment of the rectangular cross section (dimensions ~ 6.5 x 6.5m, wall thickness 0.7m) was cast in one stage in a special sliding formwork developed in co-operation with PERI company. Special care has been paid to temperature control. The temperature gradient between the old and the new segment during casting was reduced by

electric heating of the old segment. The only vertical joints (between the segments) were sealed by rubber band and by the additional expanding sealing. The rigid formwork guaranteed small tolerances in dimensions of the structure, which was necessary so that the designed weight of the tube was achieved.

which provides the best profit for the client as well as for the contractor. 5 DOUBLE-TRACK DRIVEN TUNNELS AND SINGLE-NAVE DRIVEN STATIONS. Railroad driven tunnels are usually designed as a double-track tunnel with a basic axial distance of rails up to 3.7m. With regard to the form of passage profile of metro and additional technological equipment, an economic profile is designed with relatively flat vault and a minimal, statically indispensable rise span of the lower vault. The stope area of this profile is 59.3 64.6m2, its width 10.4m. The stope height oscillates at 7.2 7.8m and depends on the form of the bottom of the definitive lining of the tunnel which changes with the hydrostatic pressure weighing on the tunnel. The hydrostatic pressure may differ from 0.1 to 0.35 MPa. At places of transition to single-track tunnels the profile of the double-track tunnel increases gradually, in short sections, depending on the axial distance of the metro rails up to the maximum profile of 6.5m. This tunnel profile has the stope area 98.4m2, width 13.2m and height 9.5m The tunnel is constructed by a double jacket with a hydroisolation made of plastic foil. During the stope, the extracting is divided mainly horizontally in 2 floors. A vertical division is made exceptionally in case of extended profiles in deteriorated geological circumstances. A primary stope blocking is secured by shotcrete technology in combination with anchorage. A definitive lining is made of monolithic reinforced concrete.

After casting the tunnel was equipped with water tanks. Then the tunnel was closed by steel covers at both ends. After flooding of the dry dock the tube was lifted on hydraulic jacks, its weight under the water was measured and water content in inside tanks was adjusted. Then the front of the tunnel was vertically suspended on the pontoon. The back of the tunnel remained supported on the steel sliding elements. The two horizontal cables pulled the tunnel from the opposite (left) shore of the river. The breaking cable in the back prevented any unfavourable movement forwards. The back of the tunnel moved on the concrete track using the sliding elements. The back sliding support guaranteed the lateral stability of the tunnel during its motion. The pulling and breaking units were designed and delivered by the VSL company. After reaching the final position, the tunnel was supported by concrete foundations, stabilised by means of micro-pilots embedded in underlying slates and covered by gravel sand and stone. The first tunnel was launched in October 2001 within one day operation. The second tube will be built in spring 2002. The procedure is unusual because of the specific conditions in the location. However, it was shown that the technology must be selected according to the local conditions,

THE DOUBLE -TRACK TUNNEL

completely irrelevant to talk about favourable geological conditions in this site.

THE ONE -VAULT STATION KOBYLISY

Double-track tunnel cross section

The single-nave driven station Kobylisy was originally designed as a station with 2 separate station tunnels. In order to meet the requirements of the City Council of Prague, the conception of the station was changed to a more large-scale single-nave station with a refuge platform. Such a so lution seemed to be better for passengers transit and, having two separate exits, it facilitated an easier orientation. The station and its platform lies 30m under the ground level, the height of its rock cover above the top of the station vault is 22m. The proper station forms a 148m long cavity: its stope is 20.5m wide, 13.8m high, with a total stope area of 220m2. The tunnelling will be in partial stopes, firstly the side stopes in form of gothic vaults divided horizontally in 2 floors. Once the side st opes are finished, the stope of the central part of station will be made in 3 high -rise floors.

There are two entirely different geological formations. The upper part of the thickness (approximately 20m) consists of ground of Chalk age, mainly cubic sandstone with a permanent horizon of crack water in 10m under the terrain. On the base of that sandstone, there is a layer of clay and clay soil, which is practically waterproof but shows remarkably unfavourable geo-technical parameters. A complex of grounds of the Ordovician age forms the lower part which is strongly eroded to a considerable depth (4 8 m). As for the single-nave station profile, a rhythmical stratification o f b a n k q u a r t z i t e a n d q u a r t z sandstone with slight layers of clay dust slate (partly layers of clay) is being expected. The direction of layers is almost identical with the longitudinal axis of the station; their inclination is very steep reaching up to 85 degrees. The ground when tunnelled will tend to slide into the stope and form big breaking grounds. It is obvious that tunnelling in these hydro -geological conditions will be quite difficult and will ask for additional measures. In final details they are supposed to be specified during the first phase of driving side stopes. In such a way the geological conditions will be tested and, according to the results obtained, additional measures will be taken before the realisation of further building stages. 6 CONCLUSION

Process of the construction Station KOBYLISY

The primary stope blocking will be performed by shotcrete technology in combination with anchorage, followed by an intermediate foil hydro isolation and definitive lining made of monolithic waterproof concrete. An implementation of singleplatform st ation cavity in favourable geological conditions is nothing unusual nowadays for tunnel builders who are masters in modern technological processes. However, as I already mentioned, it is

Authors hope that they have managed to introduce the main technical problems to the readers in spite of the very limited space at disposal. It is up to the designers and organisers now to face them in the field of building the Prague metro. The applied methods should correspond to the newest trends implemented in underground building in the world. At the time of writing of this article, the first tunnel tube had already been successfully driven and stabilised on the bottom of the river (see the part entitled Vltava River crossing). And for the date of the WTC AITES ITA DOWNUNDER 2002

in particular, a repetition of the above -mentioned procedures is being prepared on the parallel tunnel. The tunnelling of big profiles has started on several headings at the same time and first confrontations between reality and the forecasted

geology are at disposal as well. All procedures are continuously monitored and a vast photo - and video- documentation exists and is available d u r i n g t h e c o n f e r e n c e i n c a s e o f interest.

VLTAVA RIVER CROSSING _ IMMERSED TUNNEL IN THE FINAL POSITION