Ore Tunnel - Engineering Excellence Award

The 2012 ICE Engineering Excellence Awards for Kent & East Sussex were presented at a celebratory dinner at Leeds Castle on 22nd June. Donaldson Associates was delighted to be part of the winning team for the   Structures Award in recognition of achievement on Ore Tunnel Refurbishment.  The team comprised the Client, Network Rail, and Contractor, Amalgamated Construction with Donaldson Associates as   Designers for the £6 million refurbishment of the Victorian brick lined tunnel

The tunnel was originally constructed by drill and blast methods through a hill comprising interstratified clay and clay/gravel beds with some limestone and sandstone. The tunnel  is very wet and one of the primary reasons for the deformation, which repeated short term repairs over the years have not been able to address . The solution was sprayed shotcrete linings to the roof of the tunnel, held in place and strengthened using rock meshing, with carbon fibre ground anchors through to the rock above. The anchors hold the weight of the lining to avoid adding further load to the existing tunnel structure. Additionally the water catchment systems were renewed and damaged brick work repaired/stitched. In several areas it was necessary to inject grouting behind the lining to eliminate voids. These measures were introduced to manage the water which is doing the damage to the tunnel and tracks.

All in all, a very successful evening!