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The Validation of a Look-Ahead Geophysical System at the Rondout West-Branch Bypass Tunnel

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Abstract

Although geophysical investigations have been conducted in the past with the goal of characterizing rock structure from both the ground surface as well as vertical boreholes, no published studies have successfully demonstrated the capabilities of down-the-hole surveying through horizontal probeholes during the construction phase of a tunneling project. In this study, ground penetrating radar (GPR) was used ahead of the tunnel boring machine (TBM) at the Rondout West-Branch Bypass Tunnel to aid in the characterization of structural features that may indicate a change in ground behavior, such as crushed and/or saturated regions of bedrock. Preliminary look-ahead geophysical tests were conducted in the face of the project starter tunnel, which resulted in high confidence in the ability of GPR borehole reflection and cross-hole tomograph to identify changes in lithology and linear discontinuity features. Following these initial experiments, during the bypass tunnel construction phase, numerous GPR surveys were performed through holes drilled ahead of the TBM. These radar interpretations were successfully correlated with ground-truth borehole images and established structural trends. While no major features with significant implications for construction methods were encountered as part of this study, this research suggests that GPR can be used practically to identify changes in ground behavior ahead of an active TBM.

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Data Availability

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the study are not publicly available because of contractual obligation from the source of research funding.

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Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by Kiewit-Shae, AJV. Author John Hinton has received research support from Kiewit-Shae, AJV and Colorado School of Mines. The authors have no other relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.

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  1. Department of Geology and Geological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, 1500 Illinois St., Golden, CO, 80401, USA

    John Hinton, Luke Weidner & Gabriel Walton

  2. Kiewit-Shea Constructors, AJV, 5503 Route 9W, Newburgh, NY, 12550, USA

    Doug Neutzling

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All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by JH and Dr. GW. Data collection and analysis were performed with the assistance of DN. This manuscript was written by JH with comments and revisions from Dr. GW and Dr. LW.

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Correspondence to John Hinton.

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Hinton, J., Weidner, L., Walton, G. et al. The Validation of a Look-Ahead Geophysical System at the Rondout West-Branch Bypass Tunnel. Geotech Geol Eng 41, 803–818 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-022-02306-3

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