Designing a refuge chamber to fit a 4.4m diameter tunnel boring machine with limited gantry space. Learn about the custom engineering that went into building two 10-person, 24-hour TunnelSAFE refuge stations.

Key takeaways

The drainage tunnel project will use a 4.4m diameter EPBM

Personnel on a TBM with limited gantry space can still benefit from a custom-made, high-quality tunnelling refuge chamber

Two crescent designed refuge chambers were commissioned based on the feedback of a risk assessment

A tunnel project in the Middle East, vital to the enhancement of the country’s underground drainage network maintains high safety standards with two custom refuge chambers. The project aims to provide a sustainable solution to stormwater run-off and discharge of surface. The $251 million project is the second phase of development, which includes the construction of a rainwater discharge tunnel, pumping station, and rainwater treatment facility.

A leading Chinese manufacturer will provide the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) for this section of the drainage tunnel project.

Due to the terrain, phase two of the project will use an Earth Pressure Balance Machine (EPBM). EPB’s are designed to operate in softer ground conditions which contain water under pressure. Geological conditions considered include stratum such as Rus Formation, Midra Shale, and Simsima Limestone as well as varying water table ranges due to the proximity of the tunnel to the shallow coastal waters off the Qatar peninsula.

The project is scheduled to be completed at the end of 2021 in preparation for the 2022 World Cup. For further information and to download the complete case study please click here.