� The ProjectIndian Railway have embarked upon

this important project of connecting

Udhampur-Quazigund-Srinagar-

Baramulla with the Broad Gauge rail

link Jammu – Kashmir Railway Line.

Under the first phase of the project

implementation, the Kashmir Valley

portion of the project (Quazigund-

Srinagar-Baramulla) has been taken up

and is under final stages of construc-

tion. The Udhampur to Quazigund sec-

tion is the more difficult portion and

has been taken up under the second

phase and is presently in the early

stage of construction. – The 10,960 m

long tunnel through the mighty Pir

Panjal range of the Himalayas is the

longest tunnel and one of the key

structures of the new railway line. It is

located between the proposed railway

stations Banihal in the south and

Quazigund in the north and the gate-

way to the Kashmir valley.

The main tunnel is a single track rail-

way tunnel for operation of passenger

and freight trains and runs almost par-

allel to north – south direction. On the

left side of the track, looking towards

increasing chainage, is a motorable

path of 3 m width which will be used

� Main Tunnel

for emergency and maintenance. This

road is directly accessible from both

portals and the access tunnel. – The tun-

nel is a mountain tunnel with an aver-

age elevation of approximately 1750 m

and a maximal overburden of approxi-

mately 1100 m.

The alignment of the new railway tun-

nel crosses the National Highway No 1,

which is the only road connection

between Banihal and Quazigund. The

crossing is near the south portal of the

existing twin single lane highway tun-

nels which extend in direction from

southwest to northeast. The elevation of

these tunnels is more than 450 m

higher at about 2200 m and their

length is approximately 2500 m.

The vertical alignment of the tunnel has

been designed to suite heavy haul

trains to pass through and at the same

time to facilitate the construction activi-

ties as well.

For an intermediate driving access an

approx. 800 m long access tunnel with

a downward gradient of 10% will be

constructed, intersecting the main tun-

nel at approx. 2.75 km from the south

portal. The access tunnel shall be used

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Alignment

Access Tunnel

I N D I A

to shorten construction period of the

main tunnel. During operation the

access tunnel shall be used for emer-

gency and maintenance entrance and

exit. If required it can be used also for

additional ventilation.

Another intermediate access is pro-

vided by a 55 m deep access shaft and

an approximate 35 m long cross pas-

sage. With a second start of the main

tunnel drive from the cross passage,

driving of the main tunnel towards

south will be independent from the

approx. 600 m long soft ground por-

tion at the north portal and the effect of

delays in this section to the overall pro-

gram.

The tunnel alignment traverses through

the mountainous Pir Panjal Range,

which is part of the young Himayalas.

The Geology of the Pir Panjal moun-

tain range includes a mixture of very

hard and soft to moderatly hard rock

strata (Cambro-Trias). Hard rock types

include andesite / basalt (Panjal Traps),

quartzite, silicified limestone and

agglomerates while the soft to moder-

ately hard rock types include shale,

limestone, agglomeratic shale and tuff.

The portal areas are situated in fluvio-

glacial sediments (soft ground) which

cover at both portals a length of more

than 500 m. The basic tectonic setting

of Pir Panjal range in the area of tunnel

alignment is dominated by a folding

structure leading to different dipping

directions on both sides of the range.

Contacts between rock units are often

faulted. Folding is also common espe-

cially in central areas. Bedding of rock

is striking sub perpendicular to Pir

Panjal tunnel axis. –

Variable water conditions are

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Access Shaft andCross Passage

Geological & Geo-technical Conditions

Main Tunnel North Portal

Geological section along main tunnel

PIR PANJAL RAILWAY TUNNEL T80

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PROJECT:

TYPE OF PROJECT:

LOCATION:

CLIENT:

PARTNER:

TIME OF SERVICES:

PIR PANJAL RAILWAY TUNNEL T80

Railway tunnel

Jammu & Kashmir, India

IRCON International Ltd.

RITES Ltd

2004 – 2011

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CONSTRUCTION COSTS:

PROJECT DATA:

approx 100 mill.

Single tracked, one tube;

Length: 10,960 m,

Cross section radius: 4,140 mm;

excavation cross section: 70 m ,

Access tunnel: approx. 800 m

Access shaft: 50 m deep;

Cross passage; NATM

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Geoconsult’s Services�

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Geological-geotechnical services

during preliminary, tender & de-

tailed design and construction phase

Tender design

Detailed design

Construction supervision

expected. Joint aquifer, which will pro-

vide continuous water inflow to the tun-

nel is expected in the hard rock types

and with minor amount in the shale.

High water inflow is expected in the

fault zones, of which some could be

mapped and are predictable. Extreme

water inflow may occur in karstic lime

stone on northern side of the tunnel

where cavities could not be predicted

and water encounter could be at any

place. Particular problems are expected

for the shale section at the highest over-

burden of 1100 m were heavily squeez-

ing rock and large deformations might

occur.

In accordance with NATM design two

separate tunnel linings will be installed

� Tunnel Cross Section

(primary or outer lining and secondary

or inner lining). Thickness and layout of

the outer and the inner lining depend

on the geotechnical conditions. As such

the dimensions of the theoretical exca-

vation section are developed from the

minimum clearance of the tunnel cross

section, the dimensions of the primary

and secondary lining and the space

requirements for drainage and E&M

installation. – Enlargements are pro-

vided for five electrical niches for

medium voltage substations, mainte-

nance niches at every 250 m and trol-

ley refuge niches at every 100 m.

The geotechnical design uses a rock

classification system of the Austrian

Standard. The result is the development

of a rock mass model (geo-technical

masterplan): Step 1: Determination of

Rock Mass Types; Step 2: Establishment

of the Rock Mass Behavior Types; Step

3: Excavation sequence and support is

determined and described in different

Rock Class Types; Step 4: Based on the

results of steps 1 – 3 the alignment is

divided into sections with similar exca-

vation and support requirements and

the respective rock class is allocated.

The estimated distribution provides the

basis for the cost and time estimate.

As per contract requirement a “semi-

dry” tunnel shall be designed where

local wet patches and dripping of water

can be accepted.

The drainage system includes two side

drainage pipes which can be omitted at

dry tunnel sections, and a main collec-

tor, which runs all along the tunnel.

Seepage water collected in the side

drainage pipes and surface water from

spill off or from dripping seepage water

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Geotechnical Design

Tunnel Drainage &Waterproofing

or similar and collected throughout the

tunnel in shallow ditches, will be con-

veyed at regular distance to the main

collector. Where required an areal

waterproofing system is installed

between the primary (outer) and sec-

ondary lining (inner) in the tunnel roof

and the tunnel sidewalls. This will be

the case where water ingress over large

areas occurs e.g. at karst sections and

heavily faulted and/or thinly bedded

rock sections with seepage water. In

addition continuous water proofing will

be installed along the soft ground sec-

tions at the tunnel portals.

All tunnel construction will be carried

out in accordance with the principles of

the New Austrian Tunnelling Method

(NATM) using a cyclic sequence of exca-

vation with subsequent installation of a

primary support (outer lining) followed

by the delayed installation of a second-

ary lining (inner lining).

Tunnel excavation will generally be car-

ried out by means of drill & blast or by

road header. For the soft ground sec-

tions at both portals (total length approx.

1 km), tunnel excavators or hydraulic

breakers will be used. A subdivision of

the tunnel cross-section into top head-

ing and bench will be used in unfavour-

able geotechnical conditions. Along the

soft ground sections at the portals as

well as in tunnel sections of unfavour-

able geotechnical conditions, an invert

� Construction Method

50 km

Overview of landscape at south portal

Location of project area