10TH ANNIVERSARY

GEOTECHNICAL SEMINAR SERIES

JOINTLY ORGANIZED BETWEEN
GEOTECHNICAL SOCIETY OF SINGAPORE (GEOSS) & CENTRE
FOR SOFT GROUND ENGINEERING

Design and Construction of Common Services Tunnel in

Marina South Singapore
Dr. Ng Tiong Guan
Principal, Golder Associates Singapore
Immediate Past President, GeoSS
(PDU/STU pending approval)

Date: Thursday, 25 May 2017

Time: 6:30pm Reception
7:00pm Seminar

Venue: National University of Singapore

LT6, Faculty of Engineering
4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117583
SYNOPSIS
The Common Services Tunnel (CST) is a purpose-built underground tunnel system at the Marina Bay area
in Singapore to house telecom cables, power lines, water pipes as well as provision for pneumatic refuse
collection pipes. A total of 6km of CST has been constructed between 2001 and 2014. The maximum
depth of excavation ranges approximately between 12m and 30m. The temporary earth retaining system
(TERS) adopted for the construction of CST comprises mainly of soldier pile – sheet pile system supported
by multi-layers of steel strutting. Ground improvement was used to improve the overall stability of the
TERS and to control the wall deflection and ground movement induces by the deep excavation. The CST is
located in a recent reclaimed land of the former Marina Bay. Detached mole buried during the reclamation
hindered the installation of foundation and temporary earth retaining system for CST Phase 1B & 2
resulting in major revision of construction program and design change in TERS. In view of the recent
history of the land reclamation, the soft Marine Clay underlain the former Telok Ayer is still undergoing
consolidation under the reclaimed fill. The positive excessive pore pressure in the soft clay shall be
properly considered in the finite element analysis. This paper presents the challenges face in design and
construction of the various phases of CST including a proper way to simulate unconsolidated clay in FEM,
TERS to overcome the buried detached mole and deep excavation in soft clay.

THE SPEAKER
Dr Ng Tiong Guan is the immediate past president of the Geotechnical Society
of Singapore. He graduated from the University of Technology Malaysia with
Bachelor in Civil Engineering 1st Class Hons. Degree in 1992 and obtained his
PhD degree from the National University of Singapore in 1999. He worked in
BBR Ground Engineering as design engineer from 2000 before setting up
GeoEng Consultants, a specialist geotechnical consulting firm, in Feb 2002
together with Dr Indra. GeoEng Consultants merged with Golder Associates in
Nov 2011. Dr Ng is currently the Principal and Executive Director of Golder
Associates Singapore.
Dr Ng has more than 15 years of experience in geotechnical consultancy for
foundation, deep excavation, earth retaining system and ground improvement.
He has been involved in the design and supervision of earth retaining structures
for several major projects in Singapore including the world 1st underground MRT Depot (Circle Line
Contract 821), Geylang River Cross for Kallang Paya Lebar Expressway Contract 421, Common Services
Tunnels, Marina Bay Sands WP8402 – the deepest excavation within MBS for cut and cover tunnels below
Bayfront Avenue and Downtown Line Contract 902 – Promenade Station. He is currently involved in
Thomson East Coast Line Contract T310 Bayshore Station, Land preparation and infrastural works for
future Changi Airport Terminal 5.

For catering purpose, please confirm your attendance via email at secretariat@geoss.sg
***** Admission is free for members of GeoSS. Non-members can join as GeoSS members on the spot (Annual fee applies) ***

Geotechnical Society of Singapore, c/o CMA International Consultants Pte Ltd, 1 Liang Seah Street, #02-11 Liang Seah Place, Singapore 189022
E-mail: secretariat@geoss.sg