=Excavation.=--The sequence of excavation is shown by Fig. 14, p. 36.
First the top center heading, No. 1, whose dimensions varied from 8.25 ×
8.6 ft. to 8.5 × 9 ft., according to the quality of the rock, was driven
never less than 1000 ft. and sometimes over 3000 ft. in advance of parts
No. 2. The excavation of parts No. 2 opened up the full top section, and
parts Nos. 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, were removed in the order numbered.
=Strutting.=--Where regular strutting was required, the construction
shown in Fig. 62 was adopted.
=Masonry.=--The St. Gothard tunnel is lined throughout with masonry.
After the upper portion of the section was fully excavated, the roof
arch was built with its feet resting upon short planks on the top of the
bench. Plank centers were used in constructing the arch. For the arch
brick masonry was employed, but the side walls were built of rubble
masonry. Shelter niches, about 3 ft. deep, were built into the side
walls at intervals, and about every 3,000 ft. storage niches about 10
ft. deep, and closed with a door, were constructed. The culvert was of
brick masonry.
=Mechanical Installation.=--Water-power was used exclusively in driving
the St. Gothard tunnel. At the north end, the Reuss, and at the south
end, the Tessin and the Tremola, rivers or torrents were dammed, and
their waters conducted to turbine plants at the opposite ends of the
tunnel. The power thus furnished by the Reuss was about 1,500 H.P., and
the power furnished by the combined supply of the Tessin and Tremola was
1,220 H.P. The turbine plant at both ends at first consisted of four
horizontal impulse turbines, but later, two more turbines were added at
the south end. Each of the two sets of four turbines first installed
drove five groups of three compressors each, and the two supplementary
turbines drove two groups of four compressors each. The compressors were
of the Colladon type with water injection, and four groups of three
compressors each were capable of furnishing 1,000 cu. yds. of air
compressed to between seven and eight atmospheres every hour, or about
100 H.P. per hour, delivered to the drills at the front. This air when
exhausted provided about 8,000 cu. yds. of fresh air per hour for
ventilation.
The compressors at each entrance discharged into a group of four
cylindrical receivers of wrought-iron each 5.3 ft. in diameter by 29.5
ft. long, and having a capacity of 593 cu. ft. The cylinders were placed
horizontally, the first one receiving the air at one end and discharging
it at the other end into the next cylinder, and so on. By this
arrangement the air was drained of its moisture, and the discharge from
the end receiver into the tunnel delivery pipes was not affected by the
pulsations of the compressors. The delivery pipe decreased from 8 in. in
diameter at the receiver to 4 ins. in diameter, and finally to 2¹⁄₂ ins.
in diameter, at the front.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account