Innovative Tunneling in the Norris Cut Channel

Bernard Theron, Bernard Catalano, Eloy Ramos

In the proceedings of: GeoSt. John's 2019: 72nd Canadian Geotechnical Conference

Session: Professional Practice/Case Studies

ABSTRACT: In early 2014, Nicholson Construction Company was awarded, together with its tunneling sister company Bessac, the Norris Cut Miami Tunnel Project. The 2.5-meter-diameter segmental-lined tunnel, of 1,600 meters in length, replaced the existing 54-inch force main tunnel, connecting the waste water treatment plant on Virginia Key to Fisher Island. To overcome the highly permeable limestone of the Fort Thomson Karstic Formation (one of the most permeable formations in the world), the project team developed state-of-the-art solutions: - The TBM was launched using a pipe-jacking technique for the first 70 meters, and then converted to segment erection mode. This allowed substantial schedule savings and drastically reduced the size of the circular launching shaft. - The TBM, jointly designed and manufactured by Bessac and Herrenknecht, can convert from slurry to EPB mode within a few minutes. - The cutters can be replaced by wet divers thanks to an innovative application in the TBM industry. Dans les premiers mois de 2014, Nicholson Construction Company a été attribuée, la construction du projet Norris Cut Tunnel en partenariat avec Bessac, entreprise spécialiste de constructions souterraines faisant partie du même groupe. Ce tunnel de 1600 mètres de long à voussoirs de 2.5 mètres de diamètre intérieur, vise à remplacer une conduite à Pour surmonter la couche calcaire Karstique Fort Thompson, hautement perméable (dans les plus perméables au s technicités : - Le tunnelier a été lancé en mode fonçage sur les 70 premiers mètres, pu et a réduit considérablement la taille du puits circulaire de départ - Le tunnelier, conjointement dimensionnée et fabriquée par Bessac et Herrenknecht, peut opérer en mode pression boue et mode pression de terre grâce à un changement de mode en quelques minutes seulement. - Les outils de coupe peuvent être remplaces par des scaphandriers sous eau, grâce à une solution innovante. Figure 1. View of the Project

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Cite this article:
Bernard Theron; Bernard Catalano; Eloy Ramos (2019) Innovative Tunneling in the Norris Cut Channel in GEO2019. Ottawa, Ontario: Canadian Geotechnical Society.

@article{Geo2019Paper468,author = Bernard Theron; Bernard Catalano; Eloy Ramos,title = Innovative Tunneling in the Norris Cut Channel ,year = 2019}