Microutility tunnels are
always limited in space, leak, and difficult to maintain. To promote such
tunnels in old urban areas, innovative solutions are proposed, including the
installation of mortise and tenon joints and the application of a rubber membrane
between the covers of a microutility tunnel to resolve water infiltration
issues, the design of drainage and cable outlet cavities at the bottom of the
tunnel to avoid water accumulation, the development of a lie-flat maintenance system with guide rails and upgradable sliding
maintenance beds to address maintenance difficulties caused by the confined
space within the tunnel, and the implementation of concrete lining walls and
the elimination of expansion slots in foundation pits to minimize the space occupied
by microutility tunnel construction. Herein, a case study is conducted on the
municipal infrastructure upgrade project in the historic and cultural district
of Duobao road. The overall concept, technical approach, and implementation
method for the design of microutility tunnels in two streets are presented. The
research results demonstrate that incorporating drainage and cable outlet
cavities at the bottom of microutility tunnels facilitates a more compact
layout of pipelines, ensures no water accumulation in the tunnels, and avoids
the maintenance difficulties that arise from cable outlets positioned at the
top of microutility tunnels. The combination of micropiled foundation, internal
braces, and lining walls can meet the requirements of limited construction
sites and minimally impact the safety of existing structures on both sides.
ZENG Ben
,
XU Ying
,
LIU Chunzheng
,
ZHANG Zhipeng
.
Design Innovation and Practicality of Microutility Tunnels in Old Urban
Areas
[J]. Tunnel Construction, 2024
, 44(10)
: 2077
-2083
.
DOI: 10.3973/j.issn.2096-4498.2024.10.016