SHAFTS, CAVERNS | TECHNICAL
SHAFTS - SELECTING THE METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION
Last year a guide on selecting shaft construction methods was published by ITA-AITES. A brief overview is provided by T&TI.
INTRODUCTION An excellent, 66-page report on ‘Selection of Shaft Construction Method’ was issued for the tunnelling industry last year by ITA-AITES. It emphasises that proper method selection is integral to successful tunnelling projects and as such gives briefings on water management, ground conditioning, options for excavation and lining, and mucking out - and pulls it all together decision trees and charts. After the briefing, though, it does emphasise that the
report does not replace the value of direct experience with the design and management of shaft construction.
REPORT STRUCTURE The contents are presented with the appearance of a journal paper although the guidance is, in effect, a short book - one that that is exceedingly clear in its well-structured information, effectively illustrated with graphics, photos and some tables, and is well referenced. The look of a journal paper comes from how the
information was first published (See box panel 2). The contents emerged from collaborative work by
Working Group 23 (WG23) of ITA-AITES (The International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association, or Association Internationale des Tunnels et de L’Espace Souterrain). It is Report 36, issued in July 2025. As such, however, this short technical book is
without a Contents page to easily map the structure of the information that will be presented - in chapter sections and their sub-sections, respectively. The limited labelling can leave it difficult to readily determine location in the body of the book. Neither is there an Index. While such is not common
in reports, the specialist briefing here of such length as to be akin to a short reference book would perhaps be served with such a helpful and practical bookend.
CONTENTS The covers plus the explanation of relationship to the TUST paper takes up three pages, leaving the bulk of the book to present its main information over 63-pages, in eight chapter sections, replicating the journal presentation. The chapter sections and their lengths are noted below, and clearly the majority of information relates to lining and excavation options, respectively, followed in pagination total by water management. The guidance has numerous illustrations, supporting the
Left:
Front cover of the ITA-AITES Report 36 (WG23) - ‘Selection of Shaft Construction Method’
various points of briefing and discussion. 1 - General Considerations - 15 short sub-sections; pp1-4 Topics include: table of ‘essential factors’ for selecting the shaft construction method then brief discussions of each, which are - future use, shape, size, depth, inclination, location, ground conditions, hydrogeology, environmental impact, existing loads, regulatory and permit requirements, safety and risk, contractor experience, and time & cost.
2 - Water Management Options - nine sub-sections of varied lengths; pp4-14 Topics include: discussion of the different techniques - open pumping (within shaft), pre-drainage by external pumped wells, in-shaft wells, pumping methods used in combination with support systems/water stopping methods, permeation/fissure grouting for water stopping, and jet grouting. There is very little coverage of the, albeit less common, method of artificial ground freezing (AGF). The discussion adopts this methodology - describe method, its applicability to shafts, suitability geotechnically, advantages and disadvantages, and
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