Engineering geological investigations along the Meram railway tunnel, Konya, Turkey

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ICCESEN 2017

Engineering geological investigations along the Meram railway tunnel, Konya, Turkey Ali Riza Sogut 1 & Njong Joseph Samba 2 Received: 9 July 2019 / Accepted: 9 September 2019 # Saudi Society for Geosciences 2019

Abstract This paper presents the results of the geological and geotechnical studies of the rock masses along the Meram railway tunnel. The study area consists of limestone which is the base rock and covers a large area between the entrance and exit portals and sandstone which is only observed at the slope of the hill that overlies the tunnel. Results obtained from rock mechanics testing indicate that the limestone along the tunnel route is a moderately strong rock with an average uniaxial compressive strength of 61.88 MPa. Rock mass qualities of the rock units along the tunnel were determined by means of rock mass rating (RMR), Geomechanics Classification (Q) system and New Australian Tunneling Method (NATM). The study shows a very poor-to-fair rock mass conditions, with a rock mass rating (RMR) ranging from 40 to 49 and rock mass quality (Q-system) ranges between 0.69 and 2.52. The limestone was classified according to NATM into two ground categories, which are B2 (friable) and B3 (very friable). Correlations with the RMR, Q-systems and NATM suggested rock bolts and shotcrete as a suitable preliminary support system for the rock mass during excavation. Keywords Engineering geology . Geotechnical characterization . Tunnel support system . rock mass classification system

Introduction The growth of many cities have resulted in the need for increased infrastructure. However, in areas made up of undulating terrain and high and steep slopes, underground structures such as road and railway tunnels are becoming more efficient in providing easy means of transportation to urban areas densely populated. Due to increasing traffic volume between Konya and Seydişehir and as a precaution to reduce traffic congestion in the coming years, the Turkish State Railways (TCDD) adjudicated a highspeed railway project along the southern edge of the Konya region. The project includes the construction of railways and tunnels between Konya and Seydişehir (KM, 0 + 000–87 + 000). The study area is located between Kayıhüyük Village This article is part of the Topical Collection on Geo-Resources-EarthEnvironmental Sciences * Ali Riza Sogut [email protected] 1

Department of Geological Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Konya Technical University, 42130 Konya, Turkey

2

Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Konya Technical University, 42130 Konya, Turkey

and Kavak Town within the boundaries of Meram District, 30 km south of Konya (Fig. 1). Generally, the geomorphology of this area is considered by a steep topography rise from primarily northwest to southeast. The fields generally consist of soil and vegetation. Warm and dry weather dominate in summers; whereas winters have a whether condition of cool and rainy. The planned length of the Meram railway tunnel (KM, 70 + 045–71 + 940) is