Metro de Santiago: Tunnelling under the Fray Andresito Bridge

Alexandre R. A. Gomes1, Martin Boefer1, Juan Humberto Cruz2

1
2

Geoconsult GmBH, Salzburg, Austria

Metro S.A., Santiago, Chile

ABSTRACT
The paper presents relevant design and construction aspects associated to a large subway mined tunnel
section, excavated directly under the abutment foundation of an old bridge for vehicular traffic across
the Mapocho river, in the centre of the city of Santiago. For this particular tunnel section, special
construction methods and additional auxiliary measures were required to allow tunnel construction and
prevent damages to the bridge. These included the underpinning of the bridge abutment, the
installation of an active jacking system, the use of a subdivided excavation face and the
implementation of a comprehensive and continuous monitoring system of loads and deformations,
designed specifically for this project.
1. INTRODUCTION
The northern extension of the Line 2 of the Metro de Santiago, with approximately 1.6km total length,
connects the existing Cal y Canto Station (located at the southern bank of the Mapocho river) with the
northern part of Santiago, including two new underground stations and a manoeuvring tunnel. With
the exception of the construction pits for a lateral access to the station and ventilation shafts, civil
works were carried out with the use of mined methods. Running tunnels consist of double-track singletubes, running fairly straight, along and below the four-lanes Recoleta Avenue. Yet, at its southern
end, tunnel horizontal alignment bends with a very sharp horizontal radius of only 253 m, to allow for
the connection with an existing tail-tunnel at the nowadays Cal y Canto head-station of Line 2. This
alignment constraint imposed the need to underpass the abutment of the Fray Andresito bridge, with
very limited space between the tunnel crown and its foundation. Just after this underpass, mined
excavation crossed below the Mapocho river and the bottom slab of the six-lane cut-and-cover
highway tunnel Costanera Norte, constructed contemporarily to the Metro works as part of a private
Concession.
Figure 1 Plan View And Fray Andresito Bridge
Metro Tunnel Alignment Axis

Fray Andresito Bridge

Tunnel
Costanera
Norte

Diverted
River
Stream

Figure 2 (a) Zoomed Plan View and (b) Longitudinal Section

Main Tunnel Heading

Bridge Foundation Abutment

Typical Tunnel Section

Pilot Tunnel
and Galleries
Costanera Norte
Underpinning Piles

In order to make possible the construction of the tunnel section that crosses underneath the heavily
loaded abutment foundation of the bridge, reducing to a minimum disturbance to this old and sensitive
structure, special construction and monitoring measures were designed and successfully implemented,
as explained in the following sections.
2. DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION
As a first step, a comprehensive sensitivity study of the bridge structural capacity was carried out to
verify the feasibility to employ mined tunnelling methods for the construction of the concerned
subway section. Since no design drawings nor records of the bridge construction were available (the
bridge was built in the early fifties), a field investigation survey was required to identify its relevant
geometrical dimensions, the structural design concept and the quality of the materials applied for its
construction.
The survey showed that the bridge slab was rigidly connected to a retaining wall and that this type of
connection also applied for the longitudinal beams, which were aligned with reinforced concrete
sections of the vertical wall. It could also be observed that the bridge was constituted by three separate
and structurally independent adjacent structures, what led to the supposition that it was probably
constructed in two different periods. The tunnel alignment crossed the edge of the western abutment
foundation, hence not affecting the other two remaining parts of the bridge.
Results of the sensibility analysis showed that the bridge structure could sustain abutment foundation
settlements in the order of about 8 to 10mm, without generating unacceptable structural risks nor any
other serviceability impairments. In view of these results, it was agreed between Metro S.A. and the
Bridge Department of the Highway Directorate (in charge of the Fray Andresito Bridge), to limit
foundation settlements due to the Metro construction to a maximum of 5mm.
Geotechnical investigation of this section showed that, with exception of the fill material placed
during the construction of the bridge, behind and above the retaining wall of the abutment, ground
conditions were basically identical to the typical old alluvial deposits of the Santiago Gravel, which
present excellent geomechanical characteristics and are very suitable for tunnelling (average values at
tunnel springline: =22 kN/m3; c=40Kpa; =45o; E=300Mpa; ko=0.3). Regarding ground water
conditions, since the tunnel section is located almost at the border of the Mapocho river, some minor
water inflow was expected. However, it was assumed based on the previous experiences, that this
water inflow could be handled with traditional collection and drainage measures and should not cause
mayor difficulties for tunnel excavation.

Based on the boundary conditions identified and as to guarantee the strict requirements specified for
this project in terms of settlement limitation, the decision was taken to carry out an advanced
underpinning of the bridge foundation by means of reinforced concrete piles, before start with the
main tunnel excavation.
3. UNDERPINNING OF BRIDGE ABUTMENT FUNDATION
The foundation underpinning consisted of six piles, constructed manually from within smalldimension pilot tunnel and galleries, excavated in advance of the main tunnel heading. Since tunnel
alignment crossed the edge of the bridge foundation in a diagonal orientation converting it into a
cantilevering structure - it was not possible to design an underpinning system based on lateral piles.
Therefore, underpinning piles had to be located within the tunnel cross section, increasing the level of
difficulty for tunnelling. These piles were demolished in a later stage, when the permanent tunnel
lining was installed (see section 5.3).
The underpinning design concept, envisaged not only the prevention and compensation of
deformations, but also the control of load distribution on the underpinning piles during main tunnel
excavation. With this purpose, piles were provided with an active jacking and monitoring system,
consisting of individual hydraulic flat jacks (with a capacity of 630ton each), accommodated in the
interior of a rectangular steel frame installed within the body of each individual pile. The steel frame
consisted of two thick steel plates, anchored to the upper and lower concrete section of the pile and
separated by four telescopic columns. The system was installed at the elevation of the pilot galleries
and was accessible during the whole construction period.
Figure 3 - (a) Pilot Tunnel at Tunnel Face and (b) Underpinning piles and Steel Frames

4. MONITORING SYSTEM
In general, tunnelling works are carried out under the surveillance of a systematic monitoring of
surface and sub-surface ground deformations and absolute deformations in the interior of the cavities
(3D optical deformation monitoring). Also, at particular cross sections, strain-meters and radial
pressure cells are installed to record and control stresses in the ground and pressures on the tunnel
lining during and after construction.
In addition to the typical control of ground and tunnel deformations, it was necessary to design and
incorporate a specific and continuous monitoring system for the control of hydraulic jacks, loads
transferred to the piles during the different construction stages and both total and relative deformations
of the upper and lower sections of these piles, including the movements of the auxiliary telescopic
steel supports installed between them.

Pile loads were controlled by pressure cells installed at each pile, individually. Levelling was based on
a rotational laser system, installed outside the area of construction influence. At each pile, a levelling
point (automatically adjustable electronic target) was installed, providing the reading of absolute
deformations. Also, by means of movement transducers (spring bars), it was possible to measure the
relative movements between the upper and lower sections of the piles and to calculate at any time,
settlements and rotation of the abutment foundation slab. Levelling of this slab was also assessed by
settlement markers in the form of vertical rods, which were anchored in the upper part of the concrete
body of the abutment and monitored from the ground surface.
Figure 4 (a) Hydraulic Jack and pressure cell within steel frame and (b) Monitoring Station

At all times, monitoring data fed continuously an interpretation software, which was designed to
evaluate and compare registered values with pre-established trigger levels, thus allowing the
engineering supervision to take timely and appropriate decisions on the procedures to be taken.
5. MINED TUNNELLING
Main tunnel excavation was carried out with the use of mined tunnelling methods (New Austrian
Tunnelling Method), maintaining at the same time the underpinning support system undisturbed, ie.,
excavating in-between the piles. The tunnel cross section was subdivided in three separate headings,
constructed with a sequential and alternated excavation, followed by a cyclical installation of a
temporary shotcrete lining, reinforced by wire mesh, rebars and lattice girders. In a second stage, the
definitive and permanent support of the tunnel and the bridge abutment was provided by a massive
reinforced cast in place concrete secondary lining, with thickness ranging from 1 to up to 2m.
In the following subsections, a chronological description of all relevant excavation and support stages
involved in this mayor mined tunnelling work is presented.
5.1 Pilot Tunnel and Galleries for the Installation of the Bridge Underpinning
The first underground excavation activity consisted of the construction of small-size pilot tunnel and
galleries under the bridge abutment foundation slab (from where the underpinning piles were
excavated). The pilot tunnel presented a closed ovoid form and a diameter of about 3m. Excavation
was carried out with typical rounds of 1m, followed by the immediate installation of wire mesh
reinforced shotcrete. Due to its reduced dimensions, excavation works were carried with small miniexcavators with some manual excavation.
The pilot tunnel was excavated from the main tunnel temporary wall towards the abutment foundation.
At the foundation edge, its cross section was widened to a larger horse-shoe cross section and the

foundation bottom slab became the roof of the pilot tunnel. Afterwards, the slab was underpassed
completely with this gallery until its opposite edge was reached, where the gallery was closed with an
end wall. During excavation, it was found that the actual inclination and elevation of the slab bottom
face was slightly different expected, requiring an adjustment of the gallery geometry. Therefore, since
the total high of the gallery increased, the decision was taken to install horizontal struts (steel beams)
in the middle-height of the of the galleries cross section to improve the overall stability.
Figure 5 (a) Pilot Tunnel; (b) Abutment Bottom Face exposed and (c) View of Installed Piles

As soon as the pilot tunnel and the gallery were finished, the first four underpinning piles were
excavated by hand, being executed in two stages: the lower section was concreted first with the upper
portion being constructed in a later stage, after installation of the auxiliary steel structure and the
hydraulic jacks. Then, the first jacking operation was carried out, with the main objective to drive the
piles into the ground and to impose a load transference from the abutment to the underpinning piles.
This procedure provided the first active support of the abutment, hence allowing the excavation of a
second parallel gallery beside the first one, without mayor risks of settlements to the bridge.
The following construction stage commenced with the demolition of a part of the lateral wall of the
first gallery and the excavation of the second one, permitting the construction and activation of two
additional piles, completing the total underpinning system. During the jacking phases, jack loads were
increased in partial and controlled steps up to peak values of 500ton each. This procedure allowed the
transference of the removed foundation support and anticipated the action of the future loads, that
would otherwise be mobilised by the main tunnel excavation. In fact, before main excavation started,
the total sum of the jack loads were set to approximately 1500ton, corresponding to approximately
60% of the maximum expected vertical foundation load. In this way, it was possible to preload the
ground and anticipate deformations that would have caused foundation settlements.
Before main tunnel excavation started, abutment settlements had reached an amount of 3.5mm.
Estimates carried out during the design indicated possible additional settlements due to further
construction steps of about 1.5mm. This figure was considered to be within an acceptable margin of
tolerance, and the green light was given for the initiation of main tunnel excavation.
5.2 Main Tunnel Excavation and Support
Once the bridge underpinning was implemented, excavation of the main 20 m long tunnel section was
commenced. It started from a temporary end wall located a few metres before the horizontal projection
of the bridge abutment foundation. In view of the large tunnel cross section (about 100m2), the high
abutment loads and the requirement to keep deformations low, excavation was carried out by
subdividing the cross section in three separate drifts, ie., two lateral side-drifts and a central heading.

The lateral side-drift headings were supported by temporary inner shotcrete walls, which were later
demolished during the execution of the central tunnel heading. Since there was no interference
between the undepinning piles and the lateral side-drift headings, it could be ensured that the
monitoring system would have an independent access during the whole construction period.
Construction started with the excavation of the longer side-drift (right-side), which was followed by
the excavation of the left side-drift. Both side-drifts were excavated completely, being closed by a
temporary end wall at their intersection with the Costanera Norte Tunnel wall.
Figure 6 Main Tunnel Excavation Temporary Support

In order to control settlements and mitigate ground relaxation, central heading excavation was carried
out keeping a minimum distance of 4m behind the faces of the side-drift headings. Since the top
heading of the central section was coincident with the pilot tunnel and the galleries, these structures
were demolished as the excavation progressed. Bench and invert sections were excavated from two
headings: one from the excavation face and the other from the lateral, allowing for a permanent access
to the jacking and monitoring system. Side-drifts temporary walls were demolished simultaneously to
the central heading excavation, keeping a minimum distance of 6m between the last invert installed
and the sector to be demolished.
Figure 7 (a) Underpinning piles and (b) Main Tunnel after Temporary Walls Demolition

Once the temporary walls were completely demolished and the lining deformations had stabilised, it
could be verified that the jack and pile loads remained constant, showing that a stable state of ground
stress redistribution was reached. Hence, it was decided to anticipate the removal of the jacking

system, prior to the installation of the secondary lining, as originally designed. This decision was also
supported by the fact that the installation of reinforcement and formworks would make hardly possible
to operate the jacks, which would additionally run the risk of being damaged during the execution of
the concrete works.
At this point, maximum recorded abutment settlements were in the range of 3.5 to 4mm, which
allowed for the anticipated removal of jacks without high risk of unacceptable deformations. The
removal was carried out in a pre-established sequence of intermediate relief stages, during which, the
behaviour, loads and deformations of the involved structures were carefully controlled. With the
removal of jacks, pile loads had to be borne by the 4 auxiliary steel columns, installed at the corners of
the pile). Additional settlements recorded during this construction phase did not surpass 1mm.
5.3 Main Tunnel Permanent Lining
In view of the high abutment loads and the proximity to the Mapocho River, the permanent structural
bearing capacity of the tunnel was designed to be provided by a massive cast in place reinforced
concrete lining, with thickness ranging from 1 to up to 2m.
Due to the large amount of reinforcement required, the massive concrete volume involved
(approximately 950m3) and the reduced space available, concreting works turned out to be a major
technical challenge. In order to prevent shrinkage cracks and to ensure a homogeneous structure, it
was necessary to design an appropriate concrete mix, which could be achieved without loss of final
mechanical strength. A special formwork was designed and specific pouring techniques applied. These
included the provision of windows, pipes, as well as post-injection tubes to guarantee the injection of
voids and full contact between the primary and the secondary lining.
The first module to be concreted, as a single block, was the tunnel invert. This procedure was followed
by the pouring of the walls, divided in two blocks (each side) and finally the construction of the upper
slab, also cast as single block. The lining was designed to embed the upper and lower parts of the
underpinning piles, whereas the piles itself were provided with shear keys, designed to transfer its
loads to the lining once they had been demolished. After the secondary lining was installed and it had
developed sufficient resistance, the section of the underpinning piles visible within the tunnel
clearance profile were demolished, transferring to this structure the total load of the ground and bridge
foundation. Maximum settlements of the bridge abutment recorded were less than 5 mm.
Figure 8 (a) Secondary Lining Formwork and (b) Underpinning piles after Concrete Works

Pile demolition was executed by means of a special cable saw, designed to cut concrete or stones,
avoiding any harm to the recently concreted tunnel lining. The protruding parts of the steel frame and
plates were cut off and smoothened adequately with the support of oxyfuel cutting equipment. During
pile demolition, the increase of settlement were only marginal and well below 0.5mm.
Figure 9 (a) Steel Frame Cutting and (b) Secondary Lining Installed

6. CONCLUSIONS
Construction of the tunnel section below the Fray Andresito Bridge was completed successfully with
maximum registered deformations of the abutment in the order of only 4.5 to 5mm. These values are
well in accordance with the designer estimation and the requirements from the Bridge Department of
the Highway Directorate.
Results achieved by the underpinning and mined tunnelling methods employed and the control
measures applied for this challenging tunnel section, showed evidence of the rapid development of
underground Metro tunnel construction know-how in Santiago de Chile, and the commitment and will
of the Metro S.A Representatives to accept new challenges, such as the construction of this complex
tunnel section, maintaining at the same time a high level of attention and concern regarding the impact
of construction works on the surrounding urban environment.
7. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors would like to express their gratitude to the Metro S.A. of Chile and Cade-Idepe Ingenieros
Consultores for the possibility of publishing this paper.