TUNNEL DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN

MADEIRA ISLAND
Socorridos pumping station and
water storage tunnel

Jos A. Mateus de Brito, mbrito@cenorgeo.pt

Carlos de Oliveira Baio, cbaiao@cenorgeo.pt
Antnio C. Ambrsio, aambrosio@cenorgeo.pt
International Seminar on Tunnels and Underground Works

MADEIRA ISLAND

International Seminar on Tunnels and Underground Works

Hydroelectric plant
Pumping station

Stream

Storage tunnel

Access tunnel

(7m wide)

(5,5m wide)

International Seminar on Tunnels and Underground Works

Storage tunnel

Pumping station

Penstock
Access tunnel
Hydroelectric plant
Sediment
evacuation channel

Main channel
Stream

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4 pumps (16 m
high): 40.000 m3
raised in 6h by the
existing penstock
(460m)
Main
channel

Pumping
station

Sediment
evacuation channel

26,5 m

Access
tunnel
Storage
tunnel
Sediment traps
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12,5 m

Temporary
rockfill
Existing
penstock

Jul.05

International Seminar on Tunnels and Underground Works

GEOLOGICAL
GEOLOGICAL AND
AND GEOTECHNICAL
GEOTECHNICAL
CHARACTERISTICS
CHARACTERISTICS

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- Field tests:
(rock mass)
. Boreholes (76mm)
Lugeon tests
Dilatometer tests
. Test pits (penstock
alignment)

Consolidated alluvia
(pumping station roof)

Breccia
(side and front walls)

- Laboratory tests:
(rock material)
. Uniaxial compression
Compressive
strength
Deformability
modulus
Poissons ratio
. Unit weight
. Porosity

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CONSTRUCTION
CONSTRUCTION METHOD
METHOD
AND
AND PRIMARY
PRIMARY SUPPORT
SUPPORT SYSTEM
SYSTEM

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Hill consolidation:
shotcrete (10 cm), steelwire mesh and soil nails

International Seminar on Tunnels and Underground Works

First forepole umbrella:

Schedule 73mm (12 m)

Hill consolidation and execution

of the first forepole umbrella

Jan.05

Feb.05
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Mar.05

International Seminar on Tunnels and Underground Works

First forepole
umbrella

Pilot tunnel and Primary

support execution

- Roofs primary support:

. Forepole umbrellas
(3x12 m) - SCH 73 mm
. Steel ribs HEB200 // 1 m
. Shotcrete reinforced
with steel fibers (20 cm)
. Steel wire-mesh
reinforcement (AQ50).
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Pilot tunnel

Mar.05

Apr.05
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Execution of
caverns roof:
left side

Execution of caverns
roof: right side

Elephant feet (1st level)

- Roofs primary support:
. Forepole umbrellas
(3x12 m) - SCH 73 mm
. Steel ribs HEB200 // 1 m
. Shotcrete reinforced
with steel fibers (20 cm)
. Steel wire-mesh
reinforcement (AQ50).
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Execution of caverns roof

(right and left sides)

Apr.05

May05
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Execution of caverns roof:

conclusion
Rockbolts (at the
base of the steel ribs)
Elephant feet (2nd level)
- Roofs primary support:
. Forepole umbrellas
(3x12 m) - SCH 73 mm
. Steel ribs HEB200 // 1 m
. Shotcrete reinforced
with steel fibers (20 cm)
. Steel wire-mesh
reinforcement (AQ50).
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Conclusion of caverns
roof execution

Apr.05

May05
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Downwards execution of
caverns walls

- Wallss primary support:

. Rockbolts: SuperSwellex
(6 m) Mesh 1,5 m x 2 m
. Self-drilling anchors (9 m)
MAI R38 Mesh 1,5 m x 2 m
. Shotcrete reinforced
with steel fibers (20 cm)
International Seminar on Tunnels and Underground Works

Jun.05

International Seminar on Tunnels and Underground Works

International Seminar on Tunnels and Underground Works

NUMERICAL
NUMERICAL MODELLING
MODELLING USING
USING THE
THE
FINITE
FINITE ELEMENT
ELEMENT METHOD
METHOD

International Seminar on Tunnels and Underground Works

Breccia:

Alluvia:

. E = 1,5 GPa; = 0,38

. = 22 kN/m3
. c = 80 kPa; = 36

. E = 1,0 GPa; = 0,38

. = 21 kN/m3
. c = 60 kPa; = 32

International Seminar on Tunnels and Underground Works

- 3D analysis (using Plaxis):

. Total of 142 phases
. Mesh with 29.000 elements
. Rock mass: Elastoplastic (Mohr-Coulomb)
. Forepoles: Linear elastic (solid elements)
. Shotcrete: Linear elastic (plate elements)
. Rockbolts: Linear elastic (geogrid elements)

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Principal stresses

Plastic points

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Vertical displacements

INSTRUMENTATION
INSTRUMENTATION
AND
AND OBSERVATION
OBSERVATION

International Seminar on Tunnels and Underground Works

- Instrumentation in 6 cross sections;

- For the 2 main cross sections (P2 e P4):
. 2 inclinometers (average depth of 50 m);
. 6 vertical extensometers (in 3 holes);
. 12 horizontal extensometers (in 4 holes).
- For all cross sections:
. 5 survey targets on the ground surface;
. Convergence meters (7 reading points in the
roof and 2 points at the sidewalls).
- On the pumping stations front wall:
. 5 survey targets placed on the wall (5 levels,
in about 2/3 of the pumping stations height).
- In the hydroelectric plant:
. 1 portable seismograph.
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1,0

VERTICAL EXTENSOMETERS
AT THE ROOFS AXIS

C
5.00

B
A

2.00

-5,0
-6,0
-7,0
-8,0
-9,0
-10,0

1.80

Observation
(cross section P2)
Rebaixo 6

-4,0

Rebaixo 5

-3,0

Rebaixo 4

9.75

-2,0

Rebaixo 3

Rebaixo 2

-1,0

Destroa esq.

I1

P.V. - E0

Destroa dir.

P.V. - E1

Alargamentos

P.V. - E2

0,0

Galeria piloto

6.00

Desloc. verticais - Ponto C (mm)

9.00

Rebaixo 1

12.00

-8,0
-9,0
-10,0

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Rebaixo 6

-7,0

Rebaixo 5

7.80

-6,0

Alert
criteria
Rebaixo 4

Pumping
stations axis

-5,0

Rebaixo 3

0.50

-4,0

Rebaixo 2

0.50

Plaxis 3D

-3,0

Rebaixo 1

0.50

Plaxis 2D

-2,0

Destroa esq.

2.00 2.00

0.50

Destroa dir.

P O N

Observation
(cross section P4)

-1,0

Alargamentos

0.50

0,0

Galeria piloto

M L K

Desloc. verticais - Ponto B (mm)

1,0

REINFORCED
REINFORCED CONCRETE
CONCRETE LINING
LINING
AND
AND INTERNAL
INTERNAL STRUCTURES
STRUCTURES

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Pumps (16 m high)

Crane

Access
tunnel
Storage
tunnel

International Seminar on Tunnels and Underground Works

International Seminar on Tunnels and Underground Works

Jun.05

Jul.05
Sept.05
International Seminar on Tunnels and Underground Works

Sept.05
International Seminar on Tunnels and Underground Works

Mar.06

Mar.06
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CONCLUDING
CONCLUDING REMARKS
REMARKS

International Seminar on Tunnels and Underground Works

- The geological / geotechnical characterization included 20 dilatometer tests, very important to determine the geological formations deformability characteristics it was
essential to obtain reliable parameters to the models used in the caverns design;
- The existence of a thick consolidated alluvia deposit around the pumping stations
roof, in all its length, had great importance in the construction methods and to the
primary supports that were considered;
- Important dimensions of the cavern height of 26,5 m and width of 12,5 m;
- The cavern is located at the hills toe justification to a 3D analysis, using the finite
element method; 2D analysis were also carried out, as well as parametric analysis;
- The existing penstock was always functioning (water supply to Funchal) it had to
be protected to support the temporary rockfill and to allow vehicle passage;
- The instrumentation was defined in order to follow permanently the displacements
evolution, with the results being daily analysed the design predictions revealed a
good adjustment to the observed displacements;
- Demanding design and construction schedules and deadlines.
International Seminar on Tunnels and Underground Works