Universidad Dominicana O&M

Fundada el 12 de enero de 1966

Saber-Pensar-Trabajar

Technical English for Civil Engineers II

Name: Josué Valentín

Last name: De los Santos Silvestre

Registration: 24-EICN-1-019

Section: 0313

Career: Civil Engineers

Schedule:____________________________________________________________

Phone: 849-220-7144 Mail: josuevalentindelossantos@gmail.com

Teacher: José Rafael Estévez Rojas Date: 24-10-24

 PRACTICE 02
THE TUNNEL

Is an underground or underwater passageway, dug through the surrounding soil,

earth, rock and enclosed except for entrance and exit, commonly at each end. A
pipeline is not a tunnel, though some recent tunnels have used immersed tube
construction techniques rather than traditional tunnel boring methods.

A tunnel may be for foot or vehicular road traffic, for rail traffic, or for a canal. The
central portions of a rapid transit network are usually in tunnel. Some tunnels are
aqueducts to supply water for consumption or for hydroelectric stations or are
sewers. Utility tunnels are used for routing steam, chilled water, electrical power or
telecommunication cables, as well as
connecting buildings for convenient passage of
people and equipment. Secret tunnels are built
for
military purposes, or by civilians
, for smuggling of weapons contraband, or
people. Special tunnels, such as wildlife
crossings, are built to allow wildlife to cross
human-made barriers safely.

A tunnel is relatively long and narrow; the length

is often much greater than twice the diameter,
although similar shorter excavations can be
constructed, such as cross passages between
tunnels.

The definition of what constitutes a tunnel can vary widely from source to source.
For example, the definition of a road tunnel in the United Kingdom is defined as "a
subsurface highway structure enclosed for a length of 150 metres (490 ft) or more."
In the United States, the NFPA definition of a tunnel is "An underground structure
with a design length greater than 23 m (75 ft) and a diameter greater than 1,800
millimetres (5.9 ft)."
In the UK, a pedestrian, cycle or animal tunnel beneath a road or railway is called a
subway, while an underground railway system is differently named in different cities,
the "Underground" or the "Tube" in London, the "Subway" in Glasgow, and the
"Metro" in Newcastle. The place where a road, railway, canal or watercourse passes
under a footpath, cycleway, or another road or railway is most commonly called a
bridge or, if passing under a canal, an aqueduct. Where it is important to stress that
it is passing underneath, it may be called an underpass, though the official term when
passing under a railway is an underbridge. A longer underpass containing a road,
canal or railway is normally called a "tunnel", whether or not it passes under another
item of infrastructure. An underpass of any length under a river is also usually called
a "tunnel", whatever mode of transport it is for.

In the US, the term "subway" means an underground rapid transit system, and the
term pedestrian underpass is used for a passage beneath a barrier. Rail station
platforms may be connected by pedestrian tunnels or footbridges. Geotechnical

investigation and design

A major tunnel project must start with a comprehensive investigation of ground
conditions by collecting samples from boreholes and by other geophysical
techniques. An informed choice can then be made of machinery and methods for
excavation and ground support, which will reduce the risk of encountering
unforeseen ground conditions. In planning the route, the horizontal and vertical
alignments can be selected to make use of the best ground and water conditions. It
is common practice to locate a tunnel deeper than otherwise would be required, in
order to excavate through solid rock or other material that is easier to support during
construction.

Conventional desk and preliminary site studies may yield insufficient information to
assess such factors as the blocky nature of rocks, the exact location of fault zones,
or the stand-up times of softer ground. This may be a particular concern in large-
diameter tunnels.

Conventional desk and preliminary site studies may yield insufficient information to
assess such factors as the blocky nature of rocks, the exact location of fault zones,
or the stand-up times of softer ground. This may be a particular concern in large
diameter tunnels. To give more information, a pilot tunnel (or "drift tunnel") may be
driven ahead of the main excavation. This smaller tunnel is less likely to collapse
catastrophically should unexpected conditions be met, and it can be incorporated
into the final tunnel or used as a backup or emergency escape passage.
Alternatively, horizontal boreholes may sometimes be drilled ahead of the advancing
tunnel face.

Other key geotechnical factors:

"Stand-up time" is the amount of time a newly excavated cavity can support
itself without any added structures. Knowing this parameter allows the
engineers to determine how far an excavation can proceed before support is
needed, which in turn affects the speed, efficiency, and cost of construction.

Groundwater control is very important in tunnel construction. Water leaking

into a tunnel or vertical shaft will greatly decrease stand-up time, causing the
excavation to become unstable and risking collapse. The most common way
to control groundwater is to install dewatering pipes into the ground and to
simply pump the water out.

Tunnel cross-sectional shape is also very important in determining stand-up

time. If a tunnel excavation is wider than it is high, it will have a harder time supporting
itself, decreasing its stand-up time. Choice of tunnels vs. bridges

The Harbor Tunnel in Baltimore, which carries I-95, serves as an example of a water-
crossing tunnel built instead of a bridge.

For water crossings, a tunnel is generally more costly to construct than a bridge.
However, navigational considerations may limit the use of high bridges or drawbridge
spans intersecting with shipping channels, necessitating a tunnel.

Bridges usually require a larger footprint on each shore than tunnels. In areas with
expensive real estate, such as Manhattan and urban Hong Kong, this is a strong
factor in favor of a tunnel. Boston's Big Dig project replaced elevated roadways with
a tunnel system to increase traffic capacity, hide traffic, reclaim land, redecorate, and
reunite the city with the waterfront.
The 1934 Queensway Tunnel under the River Mersey at Liverpool was chosen over
a massively high bridge for defense reasons; it was feared that aircraft could destroy
a bridge in times of war. Maintenance costs of a massive bridge to allow the world's
largest ships to navigate under were considered higher than for a tunnel. Similar
conclusions were reached for the 1971 Kingsway Tunnel under the Mersey. In
Hampton Roads, Virginia, tunnels were chosen over bridges for strategic
considerations; in the event of damage, bridges would prevent US Navy vessels from
leaving Naval Station Norfolk.

Water-crossing tunnels built instead of bridges include the Holland Tunnel and
Lincoln Tunnel between New Jersey and Manhattan in New York City; the Queens-
Midtown Tunnel between Manhattan and the borough of Queens on Long Island; the
Detroit-Windsor Tunnel between Michigan and Ontario; and the Elizabeth River
tunnels between Norfolk and Portsmouth, Virginia; the 1934 River Mersey road
Queensway Tunnel; the Western Scheldt Tunnel, Zeeland, Netherlands; and the
North Shore Connector tunnel in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Other reasons for choosing a tunnel instead of a bridge include avoiding difficulties
with tides, weather, and shipping during construction (as in the 51.5-kilometre or
32.0-mile Channel Tunnel), aesthetic reasons (preserving the above-ground view,
landscape, and scenery), and also for weight capacity reasons (it may be more
feasible to build a tunnel than a sufficiently strong bridge).

Some water crossings are a mixture of bridges and tunnels, such as the Denmark to
Sweden link and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel in Virginia.

There are particular hazards with tunnels, especially from vehicle fires when
combustion gases can asphyxiate users, as happened at the Gotthard Road Tunnel
in Switzerland in 2001. One of the worst railway disasters ever, the Balvano train
disaster, was caused by a train stalling in the Armi tunnel in Italy in 1944, killing 426
passengers. Designers try to reduce these risks by installing emergency ventilation
systems or isolated emergency escape tunnels parallel to the main passage.

Project planning and cost estimates

Government funds are often required for the creation of tunnels. When a tunnel is
being planned or constructed, economics and politics play a large factor in the
decision making process. Civil engineers usually use project management
techniques for developing a major structure. Understanding the amount of time the
project requires, and the amount of labor and materials needed is a crucial part of
project planning.

The costs and benefits for an infrastructure such as a tunnel must be identified.
Political disputes can occur, as in 2005 when the US House of Representatives
approved a $100 million federal grant to build a tunnel under New York Harbor.
However, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey was not aware of this bill
and had not asked for a grant for such a project.

Construction tunnel
Tunnels are dug in types of materials varying from soft clay to hard rock. The method
of tunnel construction depends on such factors as the ground conditions, the ground
water conditions, the length and diameter of the tunnel drive, the depth of the tunnel,
the logistics of supporting the tunnel excavation, the final use and shape of the tunnel
and appropriate risk management.

There are three basic types of tunnel construction in common use:

Cut-and-cover tunnel
Constructed in a shallow trench and then covered over.

Bored tunnel
Constructed in situ, without removing the ground above. They are usually of circular
or horseshoe cross-section.

Immersed tube tunnel

Sunk into a body of water and laid on or buried just under its bed
Vocabulary
Pipeline Underground

Traffic Subway

Canal Diameter

Rapid transit Contraband

Rail Weapons

Aqueducts Cables

Smuggling Hydroelectric

Underbridge Barrier.

Underpass Transit

Underneath Footbridges
Grammar Point
Singular form of the verb.

For the third person (Singular)

He

She s/es

It

Verbs ending in:

SZ

O es

Sh
 Ch

Structure

Verd +s

Verb + es

She + s or es

He + s or es

It + s or es

Examples
1. My sister transits into the tunnel.
2. He works with civil engineer.

Exercises
I. Make sentences with the list of terms.

a.Tunnel

The high-speed train sped through a long tunnel under the mountain range.

b.Materials

Choosing the right materials for tunnel construction is crucial, as it impacts durability

and withstands pressure from surrounding soil.

c.Construction

The construction of the underwater tunnel presented unique challenges due to strong

currents and varying seabed conditions.

d. Bridge

The Golden Gate bridge, a suspension bridge, is a landmark spanning the entrance to
San Francisco Bay.

II.Add (s) or (es) for the singular for of the following verbs.

1. Depend es

2. Shape s

3. Risk s

4. Process es

5. Work s

III. Translate the Vocabulary

Pipeline Tubería Underground Subterráneo

Traffic Trafico Subway Metro

Channel Canal Diameter Diámetro

Rapid Transporte Contraband Contrabando

transit rápido
Rail Ferrocarril Weapons Armas

Aqueducts Acueductos Cables Cables

Smuggling Contrabando Hydroelectric Hidroeléctrico

Underbridge Puente inferior Barrier. Barrera

Underpass Paso Transit Tránsito

subterráneo
 Underneath Debajo Footbridges Pasarelas

IV.Comprehension questions.
a. What is a tunnel?
A tunnel is an underground or underwater passageway, dug through the
surrounding soil, earth, rock, and enclosed except for entrance and exit,
commonly at each end. It can be used for various purposes, such as road
traffic, rail traffic, canals, or even pedestrian and animal crossings.

b. What is groundwater control?

Groundwater control refers to the methods used to manage the flow of water
that seeps into a tunnel or other excavation. This is crucial because water can
significantly reduce the stability of the excavation, increasing the risk of
collapse. Common methods include installing dewatering pipes to pump out
excess water.

c. What is a canal?
A canal is a man-made waterway, typically wider and shallower than a river, used
for navigation, irrigation, or transporting goods. Canals can be open-air or
covered by tunnels.

d. What is a subway?
A subway is an underground railway system. It is often used in densely populated
urban areas to provide efficient transportation.

e. What is an excavation?
An excavation is the process of digging or removing earth or rock to create a cavity
or opening, such as a tunnel, foundation, or trench.

V. Describe the concept of you TOPIC

Tunnels are underground or underwater passageways that are excavated through

various types of soil, earth, or rock. They serve a variety of purposes, including:
 • Transportation: Tunnels can be used for roads, railways, and canals,
providing efficient routes for vehicles and goods.
• Utilities: Tunnels can house pipelines, cables, and other infrastructure, such
as water, gas, electricity, and telecommunications lines.
• Military and security: Tunnels have been used for military purposes and for
smuggling contraband or people.
• Wildlife crossings: Special tunnels can help animals safely cross human-
made barriers.

Key characteristics and considerations of tunnels include:

• Construction methods: Tunnels can be built using various techniques, such

as cut-and-cover, bored tunnels, or immersed tube tunnels.
• Geotechnical factors: The stability of the ground and the presence of
groundwater are crucial factors in tunnel construction.
• Safety: Tunnels must be designed and constructed with safety in mind,
including emergency ventilation systems and escape routes.
• Environmental impact: Tunnels can have environmental impacts, such as
affecting groundwater and wildlife habitats.
• Cost and benefits: The construction of tunnels can be expensive, but they
can also provide significant economic and transportation benefits.