TUNNELIN

G
(New Austrian Tunneling
Method)
Purpose
 The purpose of this method statement is to provide
guidelines, steps, and correct equipments used in
construction site to maintain workers’ safety.

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Scope
 The scope of this civil work method statement is to define
the methodology for the preparation and construction of
tunneling using New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM).

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Responsibilities
 Project Manager- overall responsibility pertaining to
construction of main and temporary works.
 Construction Leader- responsible for timely execution of
work with keeping up to the standards of quality and
safety.
 Construction Manager-responsible for the
implementation of this MS and availability of required
resources. Monitoring of site activities.

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Responsibilities
 QA/QC Engineer- to conduct routine test on materials as
per Inspection & Test Plan and inspect and ensure the
compliance to the requirements.
 Safety Engineer- responsible for ensuring that each
member of the team is having proper PPE, safe working
conditions and general safety.
 Surveyor- responsible for setting out works and other
surveying works.

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Responsibilities
 Site Engineer- responsible for ensuring the work is being
executed as per the approved MS and specifications and
ensuring that all data is recorded in accordance with this
document.
 Foreman- responsible for organizing the safety
requirements of the work activity and receiving
instructions from Project/Site Engineer.

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Equipments 

Air compressor
Drill core machine/\ RCC
hacksaw
 Reinforcement cutting  Dry/ wet shotcrete machine
machine
 Dumper
 Reinforcement bending
machine  Jack hammer
 Diesel generators  Survey equipment
 Concrete pump/ Concrete  Welding machine
bucket  Excavator w/ Pneumatic
 Transit mixer breaker
 Hand held Pneumatic drill

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Personal Protective
Equipments
 Overalls with company emblem
 Reflective safety vest
 Safety shoes
 Gloves
 Protective helmets
 Safety goggles

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HSE Requirements
 All Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) used for the
work force will be selected based on the findings from the
risk assessment and will be effectively managed.
 Adequate information, instruction and training will be
provided to all personnel involved with the work on
wearing and using PPE.

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HSE Requirements
 Only experienced person shall be allowed to work on the
site.
 Clean working conditions inside the operation area and
removal of spoil, debris, and other materials shall be
maintained during operation.
 Adequate barricades, warning lights or signs to safeguard
traffic in the immediate area of the operation.

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HSE Requirements
 In case of accidents on site or any near misses, the incident will
be reported immediately to the Safety Officer and further
necessary arrangements to be made.
 All works must be carried out according to method statement
and risk assessment.
 Prior to commencing any activity, the work force shall receive a
toolbox talk on the project site safety regulations by the
foreman.

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 Soil
Investigation
 Soil sample shall be taken and submit to approved
laboratory for testing to decide whether NATM is feasible.
Trial pits are particularly useful in obtaining information in
the uniformity, extent, ground water table and composition
of soils. The Engineer’s interpretation of the Soil
Investigation report shall be provided along with any
assumptions made.

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 NATM
METHODOLOGY

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Preparations
 All permits as required shall be attained.
 All the required equipment shall be deployed as required.
 Ensure that the work place is available, clear of all other
trade activities and ready and safe to start the construction
work.

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1. Profile Marking
 Its main purpose is to define the
minimum excavation line on the working
face.
 Surveyor shall check and give center
point, elevation, perimeter line and
direction of tunnel start up position.
 The drill holes are marked on the face of
tunnel based upon the blasting pattern.
The following requirements needed are:
• Diameter of tunnel
• Ground conditions
• Properties of rock, such as discontinuity, joint set

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2. Face Drilling
 Once the profile is marked working face
is drilled with the help of 2 boom
hydraulic boom Jumbo (based on the
figure). There is various drilling pattern.
Number of holes (variable) are drilled.
 The number as well as length of holes
(pull length) varies, depending on the
rock type, if the rock encountered is in
good condition then length of the hole
can be increased.
 Generally, 1m, 1.5m, 2m pull lengths are
used as per the geological condition of
the rock.

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3. Charging & Blasting
 Charging of holes is done manually by
expert staff.
 Drill Jumbo’s basket is used so lift the
man-power to charge the holes which are
on the upper portion of the working face.
 Explosives are placed into the drilled
holes and are connected to detonators,
that are linked to one prime connection.
 Non-electric detonators are used with
cortex wires.

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4. De-fuming
 The blast causes lots of dispersing
clouds of dusts which gets mixed with the
combustion of poisonous gases.
 To resume the work, the bad air must be
replaced by fresh air by using air ducting
system connected through long steel or
plastic pipes attached to the roof of the
tunnel.
 The diameter of the duct depends upon
the size of the tunnel. A minimum of 20-
30 minutes is required for de-fuming.
 All the workers are provided with air filter
masks as a safety precaution.

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5. Mucking
 It refers to the removal of broken pieces of
rock, which caused due to blasting activity.
 Machinery used for mucking depends on
the availability of working area inside the
tunnels.
 It is done either by hand or by using
machinery and it’s depended on
availability of space. Machines used for
mucking are loaders, dumpers,
excavators, etc.

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6. Scaling & Chipping
 Once mucking is completed the whole
blasted area is thoroughly checked for
presence of undercuts or some loose
material or cracks which are removed
with the use of excavators or breakers.
 Scaling is necessary to provide accurate
excavated profile for the installation of
Lattice girders and safety of the workers
executing the works.

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7. Geological Mapping
 Examining the types and number of joints
and type of rock conditions of the
obtained face is termed as geological
mapping.
 Geologist along with survey team and
other supporting workers inspect the
face.
 Geologist examines the face and
prepares a face log after every pull and
keeps a record of the same also decided
whether designed support is enough or
less or more for that section. Whereas
Survey team examines if any over break
is there or not.
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8. Face Sealing Shotcrete
 Minimum of 30 mm and maximum of 50
mm of thin layer is sprayed at the
periphery of the tunnel before the
erection of lattice girder to prevent any
casualty which may happen due to falling
of loose material from the excavated
face. This activity is performed by
pneumatic method. 
 It acts as a protecting layer or umbrella
under which workers and machines can
perform safely.

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8. Arrangement to Prevent
Ingress of Water
 Water ingress inside the tunnel is a
significant issue as it might lead to
failure of the structure. To prevent such
situations, waterproofing membrane is
used after the installation of primary
support.
 Water proofing around the entire length
of shotcreting shall be done by
application of sprayed water proofing
membrane.
 Dimplex and Nyllex strip are the most
commonly used for water proofing
membranes.

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9. Lattice Girder Erection
 Lattice girders are temporary supporting
elements in tunnels and they normally
consist of steel bars laced together in arc
pattern. Made to provide the shape of the
tunnel. 
 Survey team with the help of total station
marks the location of the Lattice girders
and executes the placing of LGs.

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10. Fore Poling
 The process of installing fore poles is
termed as fore poling. In case of weak
rock in the crown portion fore poles are
provided for additional support. It is done
only if it required.
 The material used is Self-Drilling Anchor
which is installed with the help of 2 boom
hydraulic jumbo. Moreover, they are
passed through the lattice girder to
counter the weight of the rock mass in
the with and without fore poling. Its use is
also depending on soil or rock quality and
stand-up time.

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11. 3D Monitoring Targets
Installation
 Observation is required whether the
support system is sufficient for the
particular rock type or not.
 In instrumentation the 3D monitoring
targets are installed to check the
deformations inside the tunnels after the
excavation. Monitoring targets are
attached to rocks in the periphery.
 Once they are installed initial readings
are taken and recorded with the help of
total station.

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12. Shotcreting
 Putzmister is used to spray the shotcrete.
Highly skilled staff is required for this work.
Mix inclusive of cement, sand, aggregate and
admixture is poured in the putzmister where
accelerator is also added and then sprayed for
quick setting. Face is cleaned with high
pressure air or water before application.
 Minimum of 1.5 m and maximum of 2.5 m
distance between the nozzle and the face
should be kept for best results. Thickness of
shotcrete layer depends on the rock
conditions. If poor rock is encountered, then
300 mm thickness is applied and in case of
good rock class thickness is reduced to
250mm to 200mm to 100mm.
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13. Rock Bolting & Grouting
 After the appliance of shotcrete rock bolts are
installed to stitch the entire shotcrete with the rock to
compact that shotcrete and rock becomes one unit
for supporting the entire burden. The rock bolts help
to stitch the joints and make it a bulk body.
 SN-Bolt, Self-Drilling Anchor Bolts, Swellex, Fore
pole are the sorts of rock bolts which are used at
site generally.
 After installation of the rock bolts, grouting takes
place. Grouting material consists of cement, water
and anti-shrinkage compound and is done by a
machine.
  The main thing that need to take care is about
water/cement ratio and quantity of the compound
and this can be done by fixing the values in the
machine and it will automatically mix the grout in
same proportion.

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14. Final Lining
 Finally, the precast segments of
concrete are installed as lining on the
periphery of the tunnel area. Such
precast segments are known as
kicker beams.

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“
Successful implementation of a
tunnel project using NATM
requires high-quality tender
planning based on careful
geotechnical reconnaissance in
advance of project
implementation as well as open
and fruitful cooperation among
all those involved.

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 PREPARED BY:

Jayvee Abad
Alvin Y Macadangdang
Louise Alfred Sagun
Bea Monica Balaqui
Judy Ann Cacut

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