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Rohtang Tunnel – NÖT im indischen Himalaya
Author(s) -
Reichenspurner Peter,
Riedel Thomas
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
geomechanics and tunnelling
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.317
H-Index - 18
eISSN - 1865-7389
pISSN - 1865-7362
DOI - 10.1002/geot.202000020
Subject(s) - new austrian tunnelling method , geology , rock blasting , drilling and blasting , excavation , mining engineering , drilling , revetment , railway tunnel , geotechnical engineering , ridge , elevation (ballistics) , breccia , geochemistry , engineering , paleontology , civil engineering , mechanical engineering , structural engineering
The 8,900 m long Rohtang Tunnel lies in the Indian Himalayas north of the Manali tourist region. It avoids the dangerous route over the Rohtang Pass, which is at an elevation of almost 4,000 m, shortening the Manali‐Leh Highway by approx. 50 km and enabling access to the northern regions of the state of Himachal Pradesh and onto Jammu and Kashmir even during the winter. It was envisaged that the tunnel would be driven from two sides by drilling and blasting. The horseshoe‐shaped cross‐section with an excavation diameter of more than 13 m carries two lanes of vehicle traffic, two footpaths and an emergency egress beneath the carriageway. In addition to the extreme conditions that were a feature of this project – portals at an altitude of over 3,000 m, with corresponding severe winters, avalanches and mudslides, etc. – the NATM was also driven to its limits. Friable soils instead of blast rock, water ingress in excess of 250 l/s, high rock pressure with extreme deformations and rapid changes in rock formations presented major challenges to all involved. Tunnelling operations are now nearing completion and the road tunnel will be open to traffic later this year.