Qatar Rail Metro is among the finalists of ITA Tunnelling Awards 2017. The award ceremony, scheduled from November 13 to 16, will be held in Paris and will see in attendance many international specialists in the global tunnelling sector. The awards will be conferred on November 15.
Launched in 2015 by the International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association (ITA-AITES), the first two ITA Tunnelling Awards events attracted more than 450 attendees and 200 entries. Several months prior to this event, judges scrutinise these applications to select a list of finalists for each of the nine categories. One of these categories must be highlighted as it comprises mammoth projects with a budget over €500m. The “Major project of the year” category must also be highlighted this year, because all the finalists have developed transportation projects in big cities.
The Qatar Rail Metro is one good example of efficient management of mining under sensitive structures. The Doha Metro includes the construction of twin bored tunnels and 31 stations. Planned to be operational in 2020, the elevated and at-grade rail network will be built in two phases. The first phase are the Gold, Red and Green Lines with the second phase including an additional Blue Line. Not only did the project see 20 TBMs burrow silently beneath the city without a hint of disruption to the population, but the twin-bore single track tunnels were constructed using EPB technology, in order to mitigate the risks related to surface settlements, collapse, rapid water ingress through karstic features, excavation under sensitive structures or below manmade sea water channels, with the application of face pressure.
