IMPERIAL COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON

MSc (ENGINEERING) EXAMINATION 2008

MEng (ENGINEERING) EXAMINATION 2008

TRANSPORT
TRANSPORT WITH BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
TRNASPORT WITH SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

For internal students of the Intercollegiate Course at Imperial College and University College

Paper T22/CIVLG013/CIVL4007: DESIGN OF ROADS, BRIDGES, TUNNELS AND

EMBANKMENTS

Wednesday 14th May 2008: 14:00 to 16:05

Answer 3 questions in total; both questions in Section A and one other from Section B, with
each answer in a separate book.

Section A

1. (a) Determine all key bending moments values, maxima and minima, of the structural
frame shown in Figure Q1 and hence draw the bending moment diagram. The base of
each vertical member is pinned and a pin has been inserted at the mid-point of the right-
hand horizontal member. [80 marks]

(b) Sketch the deflected shape of the frame, annotating your sketch with key aspects of
the deformed shape, e.g. ‘straight’. [20 marks]
ω per unit length

l/2

ωl

l l/2 l/2
Figure Q1

Please turn over

1
2. A jacked tunnel, 40m long, is to be constructed below a major rail route to
accommodate a new road. The proposed box section is formed of 0.495m thick reinforced
concrete segments, 10m wide and 6m deep (external dimensions). The cutting shoe on the
leading segment is formed of fabricated steel as shown in Figure Q2.

1.5m Clay
30°
P V Concrete

0.5m Fjack/m 0.495m

1.0m T
Steel
Clay

Inside of
Parameters: tunnel
Clay: cu=150kN/m2
δclay/steel = 1/2cu
15°

C
Tunnel Centre-line

Figure Q2

The segment is to be jacked forward from the position shown in Figure Q2.

Develop an upper bound solution based on the data provided to estimate the shoe
jacking force, Fjack/m, required (ignore any self-weight component). [100 marks]

Continued

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Section B

3. (a) Tunnelling in soft ground causes surface settlement. Explain why this occurs and
how structures at different positions from the centre-line of the tunnel route are
affected in different ways. Use sketches to clarify your answer. [20 marks]

(b) An extension to an underground railway line is to be constructed in London. The

twin running tunnels are 4m in diameter and the axis of the tunnels are 25m below
ground level. The construction of the tunnels will lead to surface settlement.

The vertical ground settlement profile at the surface can be represented by an error
function curve of the form;


S  S max exp  y 2 2i 2 
where S is the surface settlement at a transverse distance y from the tunnel centre-line;
Smax is the maximum settlement, at y = 0 and i is the standard deviation of the curve.

In order to evaluate the likely structural damage to buildings along the line of the
tunnels, the designer requires specific displacement and strain information.

Determine the value of each of the following for a trough width parameter constant, K,
of 0.4 and a ground loss is 2½%;

i) the maximum settlement, [20 marks]

ii) the maximum horizontal displacement [20 marks]

iii) the maximum tensile horizontal strain [20 marks]

iv) the maximum compressive horizontal strain [20 marks]

It can be assumed that the separation of the tunnels is such that they do not cause a
summation of settlement effects at the surface.

4. (a) On the basis of the “Critical State Concepts” for clay soils, explain briefly, with
sketches/diagrams if appropriate, the “t:s':1+e” state of an over-consolidated clay.
[40 marks]

(b) Using an appropriate undrained t-s' section for an over-consolidated clay, explain the
stress changes in the near vicinity of a rapid new tunnel construction prior to the
installation of a tunnel lining. [30 marks]

(c) Discuss the stress changes to (b) above in the long term following the installation
of the tunnel lining. [30 marks]

Please turn over

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5. The approach to selecting an appropriate route for a new major road can be described
as a ‘hierarchically structured decision process’. The location of the new road can
require consideration of many complex and interrelated factors, which normally utilize
the skills of economists, geologists, planners and surveyors, as well as road engineers.
Discuss the key aspects of the ‘hierarchically structured decision process’.
[100 marks]

6. When planning a new transport route a subsurface or ground investigation is carried

out prior to the design. Discuss the process and key aspects of this investigation,
including how ground samples are obtained.
[100 marks]

End of paper