Grouting Works for SMART Tunnel

in Kuala Lumpur Limestone

Project
Stormwater Management and Road Tunnel (SMART) Project was initiated
to alleviate the flooding problem in the city centre, with a motorway
tunnel integrated into the system to relieve traffic congestion at the main
Southern Gateway to the city centre of Kuala Lumpur. The 13.2m
diameter tunnel covering a distance of 9.7km was constructed within the
KL Limestone formation. The construction of this tunnel using 2 numbers
of Slurry Shield Tunnel Boring Machines passes through soft soil and
limestone cavities prone to subsidence within a densely built-up area.

Ground Condition
The KL Limestone formation comprises of upper Silurian marble, finely
crystalline and variably dolomitic rock and is highly weathered and
cavernous. Coupled with past mining activities, the overburden largely
comprises soft silty and loose sandy soils. Occurrence of subsidence is
common, particularly due to construction works.

Client:
1.Department of Irrigation and
Drainage, Malaysia Kuala Lumpur Limestone profile
2.Malaysian Highway Authority
Open excavation of junction boxes and ventilation shafts and tunnelling
Contractor: activities will also cause drawdown of groundwater table and may trigger
MMC-Gamuda JV collapse of cavities.
Consultant:
Solution
Sepakat Setia Perunding (Sdn.)
Bhd. Keller was engaged to carry out grouting works to mitigate the
Mott MacDonald occurrences of subsidence and collapses within the KL Limestone
formation along the tunnel alignment. The range of grouting techniques
Execution Period that were applied in this context involve fissure grouting and cavity
Nov 2003 Apr 2007 grouting in the rock and jet grouting and compaction grouting in the soil
layer.
Execution Branch
Keller (M) Sdn. Bhd.
B5-10, Block B, Plaza Dwitasik,
Bandar Sri Permaisuri,
Off Jalan Tasik Permaisuri 1,
56000 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: +60 3 9173 3198
Fax: +60 3 9173 3196
E-mail: info@keller.com.my
www.kellerfareast.com

Fissure Grouting along perimeter of Junction Box

 Performance of Grouting Works
The SMART project afforded ground engineers with the unique challenge
of mitigating ground disturbance associated with construction work in
Limestone, using grouting technology. Experience from more than 3
years of grouting at this site has shown that the available technology is
effective in minimizing water seepage and ground disturbance. It has
demonstrated that the success of grouting depends on proper
identification of the problem by experienced engineers and subsequent
implementation of appropriate mitigating measures (using suitable type
of grout, grout parameters, etc.). Proper equipment and tools have to
be used and such specialised works require close supervision by
experienced personnel. Since grouting works cannot be assessed
visually, a strict quality control system was essential to ensure that the
desired end result was achieved.

Sealing of high water inflow into

Tunnel Launch Shaft

Compaction Grouting in soil-rock face and Jet Grouting in full soil face for
TBM Cutterhead Interventions

Grouting beneath Live Rail Track