Problem solvers at the Doha Metro
Engineers working on the new super subway now being built in Doha, the capital of Qatar, are using surface drilling technology to solve a common underground dilemma.
Progress is on schedule, but the tunnels are constantly subjected to heavy groundwater ingress which presents a major challenge for the engineers, not least at the connection points for the many emergency cross passages all along the alignment.
These passages, which are 10–15 m long and constructed using mini excavators, cannot be connected to the main tunnels until the surrounding ground has been thoroughly dewatered – a task that requires special drilling technology and expertise.
The work is difficult but is being successfully carried out by the project contractor PSH JV, a joint venture of Porr Bau GmbH of Austria, Saudi Binladin Group of Saudi Arabia and Hamad Bin Khalid Contracting (HBK) of Qatar.
Ferenc Lavicska, Plant Manager of the PSH JV, tells M&C: “The focus here is on quality, reliability, safety and sustainability, so when we were looking for a way to tackle the water problem for excavating the cross passages we needed the best solution we could find.”
"The equipment is very effective and robust which is necessary for this application. "
Several different solutions were evaluated before the contractors settled on the one it considered was most likely to succeed – FlexiROC T20 R drill rigs together with the Symmetrix drilling system and round-the-clock technical support, all provided by Atlas Copco.
“During this selection process we had a very good technical discussion with Atlas Copco and they showed us that they could provide a solution that lived up to our demands,” says Lavicska. “Since then it has become obvious that we made the right decision.”
The FlexiROC T20 R drill rigs, which are mostly designed for use on the surface, proved to be well suited for this underground application. They are compact units designed with a short, customized feed, enabling them to work freely in the very confined space inside the tunnels.
Equipped with the powerful COP 1140 rock drill, which has a high torque rotation motor, they can drill at any angle. They can also be used together with permanent casing tubes (after a simple modification of the drill steel support system) and are exceptionally easy to maintain.
"The whole arrangement is working out very well. The equipment is not just getting the job done it is also proving to be very robust which is necessary for this application. We are very satisfied with the progress."
Epiroc operated under the trademark “Atlas Copco” prior to January 1, 2018.
