TUNNEL PROJECTS IN OMAN:

LATEST TECHNOLOGIES AND

CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES

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Produced by IQPC Middle East in association with the Bridges and Highways Oman event taking place in September 2015 in Muscat, Oman.

Among the Omani
Government’s
key transport
infrastructure
expansion goals
is the construction
of strategic linking
roads between the
various wilayats
(provinces)
throughout the
Sultanate in
order to stimulate
interprovincial trade
and traffic.
WWW.BRIDGESHIGHWAYSOMAN.COM TUNNEL PROJECTS IN OMAN: LATEST TECHNOLOGIES AND CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES
Oman’s infrastructure is on the verge
of a huge expansion, with numerous
road projects, bridge structures,
tunnel constructions and national
railway networks being developed
over the next 5 years. This is an
essential part of the 9th five year
plan of the Supreme Council for
Planning (SPC) which has a long-
term strategic focus on diversifying
sources of national economy in order
to improve the welfare of Oman’s
citizens, increase their social benefits
and enhance the contribution of
private sector to the country’s GPD.
To that end, tens of billions of dollars
are being invested in ambitious
infrastructure projects that will forge
greater trade and transport links
between the various cities of the
Sultanate as well as its neighbouring
countries in the GCC. As the scale
of these infrastructure projects
increases, so do the challenges and
complexities associated with their
construction.
Cost-effective tunnelling represents
a significant piece of the transport
network puzzle as the mountainous
terrain of Oman and the varying soil
consistency of its coastal regions
present significant challenges that
need to be overcome with cutting-
edge technology and advanced
construction techniques.
Tunnel Projects
Underway in Oman
Musandam, Oman: Diba-
Lima-Khasab road project
Among the Omani Government’s key
transport infrastructure expansion
goals is the construction of strategic
linking roads between the various
wilayats (provinces) throughout
the Sultanate in order to stimulate
interprovincial trade and traffic.
The Diba-Lima-Khasab road project
is of particular note as part of this
strategy not only for its length
but primarily for the associated
challenges in its construction. The
65km coastal road will require no
fewer than 7 tunnels and 18 bridges
in order to successfully negotiate
the difficult terrain over the projected
course of construction.
When the Ministry of Transport and
Communications (MoTC) opened
a $1 billion tender for the pre-
qualification for the construction
work in August 2013, there were
33 construction and engineering
companies – mostly of an
international background – who
applied.1
Oman: High Speed Railway
Segment 1
The Oman Railway Company (ORC)
has selected a consortium of 18
companies to design and build the
first segment of its proposed high
speed rail network that will connect
the Sultanate’s port cities of Sohar,
Duqm and Salalah with each other
as well as crossing borders to
connect to other GCC countries.
Ultimately, the entire network is
envisaged to span 2,135 km with the
appropriate supporting infrastructure
to allow high speed trains to travel
along it at speeds of up to 350 kmph
for passenger travel and 200 kmph
for freight transport.2
Segment 1 of the HSR will include
10 separate tunnels that make
up 4.7km in total, including two
1.57km tunnels.3 The second tender
submitted by the ORC is for the
complex series of civil construction
works covering the tunnels
themselves along with earthworks,
bridges, structure track works,
stations and depots. The budget for
the entire ORC project is $15 billion
and segment 1 is expected to be
completed sometime in 2018.4
1Construction Week Online, Atkins faces competition
for Omani road project, 17/11/2014
2 Oman Projects, Oman National Railway Project,
24/05/2015
3 Tunnel Builder, Oman National High Speed Railway,
18/01/2015
4 Railway Technology, October’s top stories: Oman’s
$15 billion rail network, 01/11/2013
2

New Technologies
and Construction
Techniques
“Historically, the Middle East hasn’t
had a lot of tunnelling work other
than a few major highway cut-and-
cover tunnels and small-diameter
pipe jacking. But in the last six
years, starting with the Dubai Metro
and followed by Abu Dhabi’s deep
sewerage tunnels, this has changed
and is set to drastically increase in
the future.” – Paul Groves, the UAE-
based Head of UK Consultant Atkins’
Tunnelling Network Group.
Today, there are more ways of
creating tunnels than ever. As
infrastructure in the Middle East
becomes increasingly sophisticated
with ambitious road, rail and metro
networks envisaged by various
Middle Eastern governments and
transport authorities, modern
methods are becoming increasingly
attractive due to their ability to solve
complex terrain-based challenges
and ensure a robust, durable build.
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“Historically, the
Middle East hasn’t
had a lot of tunnelling
work other than a few
major highway cut-
and-cover tunnels
and small-diameter
Tunnel Boring Machines pipe jacking. But
(TBMs), Earth Pressure in the last six
Balance Machines (EPBs) years, starting with
and Slurry Machines the Dubai Metro
“Slurry machines are typical soft- and followed by
ground TBMs used for tunnelling in Abu Dhabi’s deep
highly permeable, unstable ground
or beneath buildings sensitive to sewerage tunnels,
ground disturbances.” this has changed and
“[EPB machines] are typically is set to drastically
used in soft ground with cohesive increase in the
or even incohesive soils, where
there is high clay content and low future.”
water permeability. Where shield Paul Groves, the UAE-based
excavation is carried out in unstable Head of UK Consultant Atkins’
soils, a loss of stability of the tunnel Tunnelling Network Group.
face is prevented by creating a
support pressure, known as the earth
pressure balance shield.” – Hubert
Lang, Herrenknecht Chairman
Advisor
TBMs, often referred to as ‘moles’,
come in a variety of forms depending
on the type of tunnel that needs to
be cut. Their cutter head array at the
face is followed by its supporting
infrastructure along the body, which
can be as long as 150 metres. They
are capable of boring through most
conditions, from soft, waterlogged
ground to hard rock. In the Gulf’s
coastal areas such as Oman, soft
ground TBMs and slurry machines
are employed to excellent effect
where groundwater penetration is
expected to be an issue as they bore
TUNNEL PROJECTS IN OMAN: LATEST TECHNOLOGIES AND CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES 3

“[EPB machines]
are typically used
in soft ground with
cohesive or even
incohesive soils,
where there is high
clay content and low
water permeability.
Where shield
excavation is carried
out in unstable soils,
a loss of stability of
the tunnel face is
prevented by creating
a support pressure,
known as the earth
pressure balance
shield.”
Hubert Lang, Herrenknecht
Chairman Advisor
WWW.BRIDGESHIGHWAYSOMAN.COM TUNNEL PROJECTS IN OMAN: LATEST TECHNOLOGIES AND CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES
through the soft or mixed condition
rock and then treat and pump the
slurry out of the tunnel.5
Due to the instability of the soil
and rock in many Oman coastal
areas, tunnels in progress need
to be supported by vast shields to
protect the face of the excavation
from collapse while the tunnel lining
is being constructed inside the
bore. Propping up tunnels is not
a new principle and dates back to
the 15th Century but the size and
sophistication of tunnel shielding
has increased exponentially as the
use of cutting-edge EPB machines
demonstrates. Sequential use of
concrete lining in concert with the
use of EPBs protects the tunnel
and its workers from sagging or
collapse, avoiding costly delays and
dangerous working conditions.
The latest TBMs and their supporting
infrastructure can achieve a tunnel-
laying rate of 30 metre per day.
Top-Down Cut-and-Cover
Approach
“The advantage is that in some
circumstances, the top-down
approach can offer simpler
construction sequencing operations
and the early slab casting gives
stiff lateral restraint, which can
be preferable to using temporary
struts or anchors. This is a great
benefit when faced with looking after
sensitive buildings and structures,”
– Paul Groves, the UAE-based Head
of UK Consultant Atkins’ Tunnelling
Network Group
The simple cut-and-cover approach
has been put to good use in the
Middle East for the last 30 years
and is often the most appropriate
methodology for creating durable
tunnels without undue expense or
delay. However recent tunnelling
projects call for very large cross-
sectional areas at shallow depth
which means that the cut-and-cover
method has needed to evolve. This
is where the top-down approach
comes in.
On the Dubai Metro project, for
example, a top-down approach to
building the cut-and-cover tunnels
was used for sections with depths
of up to 27 metres below ground
level. Permanent diaphragm walls
were installed before excavation
commenced down to tunnel roof slab
level using a temporary strut restraint
to stop the face and walls from
falling in.6 After this, the roof slab
was cast before the lower part of the
excavation was dug out beneath it to
base slab level. This approach will be
employed at a number of tunnels in
the ORC high speed railway network.
Microtunnelling
“Microtunnelling is really anything
under 3 metres in diameter, the
main difference between this
and larger tunnelling is that the
operator operates it from the top.
The machine is pushed through the
ground, followed by the pipe, and
the only time anyone goes into the
tunnel is for a physical inspection.” –
Mamdouh Nasr, Middle East Director
at Swiss Contractor Company
-Implenia
While the tunnels involved in the
current projects to expand Oman’s
transport infrastructure are among
5MEED, Tunnelling Techniques, 29/04/2012
6Parsons, Dubai Metro
4

the biggest and longest in the
country, an equally important
innovation is the improvement
of microtunnelling techniques in
support of these grand designs.
Microtunnels are essentially classed
as utility tunnels that are 3 metres
or less in diameter. They are
designed to quickly and efficiently
install pipelines for the use of waste
treatment, power cabling and all
manner of utility purposes.
Unlike traditional open-shield pipe-
jacking, the modern microtunnelling
process is entirely remote-controlled
and guided, meaning that hydraulic
jacks push micro-boring machines
into the earth and the pipe follows
once the drive section is completed.
Human operators only enter the
tunnel for physical inspection,
guiding the process from above
ground by utilising advanced control
consoles.7
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“Microtunnelling is
really anything under
3 metres in diameter,
the main difference
Breaking Through with
between this and
the Latest Tools and
larger tunnelling is
Techniques
that the operator
The governments and transport
authorities in the Middle East
operates it from the
have been quick to realise the top. The machine is
benefits of introducing cutting- pushed through the
edge construction technologies
and methodologies. Oman is no ground, followed
exception as the scale of its projects by the pipe, and the
and inherently complex terrain call
for a more sophisticated approach
only time anyone
in order to ensure that the proposed goes into the tunnel
infrastructure projects are completed is for a physical
promptly and safely.
inspection.”
The tunnels currently being planned Mamdouh Nasr, Middle East
and constructed are an essential Director at Swiss Contractor
element of the national road and Company -Implenia
rail network expansions that have
been devised by the Ministry of
Transport and Communications.
Tenders issued by the MoTC have
already drawn the attention of
leading national and international
engineering and construction
companies, who are eager to
demonstrate the effectiveness
of their technological approach.
Successful completion of these
projects will no doubt lead to further
expansion and refinement of the
Sultanate’s transport infrastructure
as Oman keeps pace with the rest of
the Middle East.
7 Construction Week Online, Eng. Essa Al Maidoor
explains microtunnelling, 31/08/2014
TUNNEL PROJECTS IN OMAN: LATEST TECHNOLOGIES AND CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES 5
Sources:
http://www.constructionweekonline.com/article-30163-atkins-faces-
competition-for-omani-road-project/

http://www.muscatdaily.com/Archive/Business/PMC-tender-floated-for-
Musandam-road-project-362a

http://tunnelbuilder.com/Archive/Projects/Oman.aspx

http://www.omanprojects.com/Member/MoreInfo.asp?LoginId=77&LoginNam
e=osco&ProjectId=93288

http://omanobserver.om/major-viaducts-tunnels-to-drive-up-cost-of-oman-
rails-segment-1/

http://www.railway-technology.com/features/feature-octobers-top-stories-
oman-rail-network-marmaray-tunnel-opens/

http://www.constructionweekonline.com/article-29790-eng-essa-al-maidoor-
explains-microtunnelling/

http://www.meed.com/tunnelling-techniques/3134511.article

http://www.parsons.com/projects/Pages/dubai-metro.aspx

http://www.timesofoman.com/News/48384/Article-Diversification-is-long-term-
strategic-plan-of-Omans-ninth-five-year-plan

http://www.constructionweekonline.com/article-26617-tender-for-key-1bn-
oman-road-expected-by-april/

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Join the leading project owners, contractors, consultants, equipment suppliers and technology
providers from 13-15 September 2015 at the Crowne Plaza Muscat, Oman, and discuss
upcoming projects in Oman, strategies for bridge and highway project planning and best practices
for design and construction of transport infrastructure.
For more information or to register visit www.bridgeshighwaysoman.com or contact us at
enquiry@iqpc.ae / +971 4 364 2975.

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