108-inch Waterline EPBM Tunnel Project Beneath US59 – Smith to Lee Segment

Work is underway on Houston’s Northeast Transmission Line, a 108-in. diameter pipeline intended to move up to 365 million gallons per day of treated drinking water 16.5 miles across the city’s urban landscape. This project required the design of a pipe brake system for a tunnel launch pit. The system was designed to restrain the hydrostatic forces on the EPB TBM cutting face. Stiver Engineering provided plans for the shoring design, as well as the concrete tunnel eye where the pipe brake system would be anchored. Anchor points were designed for both the tunnel eye seal and the steel casing pipe. We also provide a design of a concrete thrust block.