TBM Sophie - Crossrail Drive H
London, UK (Plumstead to North Woolwich) · 2012-2015 (Based on the paper and general Crossrail tunnelling dates) · £14.8bn (Crossrail project total)
The judgement call
Account-gated at launchTBM reception arrangements for Drive H are not explicitly detailed as problematic in the same way as X and Y, but general lessons learned regarding contingency in defining space and optimal reception arrangements apply.
Key engineering challenges
Dealing with significant quantities of different excavated material. - Minimising environmental impact from transportation and disposal. - Minimising settlement effects. - Dealing with multiple TBM launches and receptions. - Tunnelling through water-bearing Chalk aquifer.
Project facts
- Client / owner
- Crossrail Ltd.
- Lead contractor
- —
- Lead designers
- CH2M, Atkins Ltd
- Project type
- new build
- Scale
- TBM type: Slurry; Drive length: 2.8 km; Total tunnelling time: 392 days; Tunnelling time excluding delays: 217 days; Average progress including delays: 4.4 rings/day; Average progress excluding delays: 7.9 rings/day; Maximum progress: 25.6 m/day (16 rings/day, 91 rings/week)
- Disciplines
- civil; structural; mechanical; electrical; systems; tunnelling; geotechnical
- Standards & frameworks
- ICE Proceedings, CDM Regulations (implied for UK projects of this scale)
Sources: King, M., Thomas, I., & Stenning, A. (2017). Crossrail project: machine-driven tunnels on the Elizabeth line, London. Civil Engineering, 170(5), 31-38. (https://dx.doi.org/10.1680/jcien.16.00028) - Crossrail Learning Legacy (https://learninglegacy.crossrail.co.uk/)