Challenges on Cut-and-cover Tunnels Construction in Busy Urban Area

Abstract

In year 2004, KCRC was commissioned by Highways Department to undertake the Middle Road Subway Extension (MRSE) project as one of the packages under the Kowloon Southern Link. Being located at Tsim Sha Tsui, the thriving tourism spot in Hong Kong, construction of MRSE had faced tremendous challenges imposed by the busy urban environment. Although MRSE will only be completed by March 2010, on top of being on-time and within budget, the project had achieved a splendid record of zero accident and zero major complaint from the public in the past 2.5 years. Having worked in the construction team for almost a year, I summarised the good practices by the construction team attributing to that glittering record in this paper, such that lights could be shed on how to undertake an urban project successfully.

Keywords:

• Excavation
• Giken Piling
• Construction
• Urban
• TTMS