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  Twin tunnels excavated in sandy soils in a density urban area

  The Line 5 Extension is being the major government investment for the public transport in São Paulo/ Brazil. It will connect the São Paulo south area to its central area, with a whole extension of 11 kilometres, including 11 new stations. The first stretch consists of two single tunnels with 4 kilometres long each, which will be executed by two 6,86 m EPB Shields. The two machines will bore together more than 300.000 m³ with an average productivity expected of 15 m per day, per machine. Figure 1 presents a plan view of the two single tunnels stretch. The machines begin the excavation from the access shaft Conde de Itú, built under the Avenida Adolfo Pinheiro, near to the Adolfo Pinheiro Station. Immediately after departure, the machines leave the axis of the avenue to go through an old theatre, toward Avenida Santo Amaro. In this stretch, the machines go underneath the foundations of some close existing buildings, which required some special studies. Once on Avenida Santo Amaro, the machines reach the Alto da Boa Vista Station, and, in sequence, the Borba Gato and Brooklyn Stations. Along this stretch, the minimum coverage over the tunnel is close to 15 m, while the maximum is close to 25 m. After Brooklyn Station, the machines cross an important avenue with heavy traffic which is under a valley. In this passage, the cover of the tunnel is close to 20 m, 8 m of very soft alluvial sediments. After that, the ground cover increases rapidly, reaching a maximum coverage close to 30 m. Before leaving the axis of Avenida Santo Amaro, the machines go through a conventional tunnel, designed to have track-switch equipment. A crossing through the Campo Belo Station is foreseen before the machines head toward the Bandeirantes Shaft, where the final breakthrough occurs. Along this final stretch, the machines will cross blocks essentially occupied by small houses. Throughout the whole line, the distance between tunnel axes varies between 12 and 25 m.

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