Civil Engineering Techniques: Tunneling, Hydraulic, and Highway Design

This presentation provides an overview of various civil engineering techniques applied in different areas, focusing on a project related to constructing a new tunnel and associated civil structures to alleviate traffic congestion at the Blackwall Tunnel. It discusses three tunneling methods: bored tunneling, cut and cover, and drill and blast, advocating for the drill and blast method due to its reduced environmental impact. The presentation also covers three basic types of hydraulic structures—dams, hydroelectric plants, and flood barriers—highlighting the Thames Flood Barrier and the potential for automated systems. Marine structures for renewable energy generation and oil spill management are examined, emphasizing onshore manufacturing and offshore installation methods. Furthermore, it details techniques for highway and railway works, including asphalt, concrete, composite, telescopic, and mechanical methods, with a focus on composite methods for highways and mechanical methods for railway tracks. The presentation concludes by addressing common issues in civil engineering projects, such as rising costs, quality concerns, environmental implications, and legal complications, offering solutions like financial resource management, pre-planning, quality checks, and adherence to environmental regulations and codes. Access comprehensive study resources and solved assignments on Desklib.

Advanced Civil Engineering

Introduction
This presentation will depict different types of civil engineering
techniques in various areas of applications. The project is based
on construction of a new tunnel and other associated civil
structures for decreasing the traffic issues and congestion at
Blackwall Tunnel and other river crossings which currently
exists.

Task 1
 There are three types of
tunnelling methods:
 Bored tunnelling
 Cut and cover
 Drill and Blast

Continued...
 The proposed project for Balfour Beatty can be efficiently
accomplished without much disturbances to the local people and
the problem of overcrowding in the Blackwall Tunnel shall also be
reduced to some extent with the developed design.
 For the proposed project, the tunnelling method selected is drill and
blast.
 The environmental impacts which are experienced when other
techniques are implemented are significantly reduced.
 There is less noise and dust generated.

Task 2
There are three basic types of
hydraulic structures which
are depicted as follows:
 Dams
 Hydroelectric plants
 Flood Barriers

Continued...
 The Thames Flood Barrier is a type of movable flood barrier
and is operational from 1984.
 The advantage of this flood barrier is that it notifies about 9
hours before the high tide could reach the city.
 An automated system can be integrated with the hydraulic
structure which is developed as flood barrier.
 Despite of the fact, that such a system will have to be
maintained at certain costs but the efficiency of an automated
structure is far more than usual one.

Task 3
 Marine structures are larger
installations which are projected
offshore for different purposes
like:
 Generation of renewable energy.
 Oil spilling.
 These are constructed through
onshore manufacturing and
offshore installation.

Continued...
 A strategic method of construction of marine structure is
manufacturing different parts of the entire system and then
assembling the same at the installation base.
 This type of construction method is not much adopted and is
considered to be less feasible because of its high transportation
cost.
 The use of power generating marine structures shall help in
minimising the negative impact caused on the environment and
will also increase power production capabilities for the country
with respect to the proposed project.

Task 4
 Following are the
techniques for preparing
the highways and railway
works:
 Asphat
 Concrete
 Composite
 Telescopic
 Mechanical

Continued...
 Construction of a highway between Silvertown and North
Greenwich can be done by using popular methods.
 Current methods use to build highway in London is composite
method of constructing highway which is very durable and
requires low cost of maintenance.
 Railway track are constructed using mechanical method of building
track.
 In mechanical method track laying machine is used in which track
is carried out by material.

Task 5
The issues experienced in civil
engineering projects
include:
 Rising costs
 Inappropriate quality
 Environmental implications
 Legal complications

Continued...
 Rising costs: Use of financial resource management and strategic
planning can help in managing rising costs.
 Quality: Pre-planning and supervised designing is one solution to
this issue.
 Environment: Quality check of the materials and follow up of
environmental regulations shall help in reducing the environmental
impact.
 Legal complications: The company should follow Codes and
permits so that no such consequences arise.

Conclusion
There has to be proper planning and execution of the respective
construction activity so that Balfour Beatty doesn't
experience any sort of complications in the future. The use of
appropriate technique and taking into consideration
respective solution shall help in better execution of the
project.

References
Books and Journals
 Elshafie, M.Z.,and et.al., 2015. A tale of two tunnels–understanding
the performance of existing and new tunnels during construction
works.
 Fang, Q., and et.al., 2016. Ground surface settlements due to
construction of closely-spaced twin tunnels with different geometric
arrangements. Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology. 51.
pp.144-151.
Online
 How does the Thames Barrier stop London flooding?. 2014.
[Online]. Available
Through:<http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-26133660>.
[Accessed on 6th June, 2017].