Instrumentation and Monitoring in Mina Zayed Tunnel l United Arab Emirates

Instrumentation & Monitoring around an urban excavation

The tunnel is built following the “open-cut” method. As the road network passes around existing buildings or transport infrastructure, the retaining elements, the structures around and the ground between the buildings and the excavation need to be instrumented and monitoring activities must be performed. Sixense was contracted to carry out those activities, after conducting an extensive pre- condition survey of the structures in the vicinity of the excavation.

The deformations of the retaining wall are assessed by means of optical prisms and total station survey campaigns, as well as using inclinometer equipped with In-Place-Inclinometers sensors, datalogged to provide data in real-time.

Ground anchors are equipped with load cells, datalogged for automatic data acquisition and transmission in real-time.

Ground and buildings settlements are surveyed using settlement markers and digital levelling activities. Vibration monitoring activities were punctually carried out.

Monitoring activities have been carried out on a daily basis from project inception, while weekly reports are provided to the different stakeholders.