Nepal Engineering College | Thesis Abstract

All Thesis Abstracts

Assessment of Factors Influencing the on-site Construction Productivity of Building Construction Projects in Kathmandu Valley.

Kishor Awasthi

Er. Subash Bhattarai

Assessment of Urban Pluvial Flood Resilience Using Low Impact Development Techniques in Storm Water Management Model For Pokhara, Nepal.

Pratima Bhandari

Dr. Samit Thapa

Regeneration status of Sustainable Forest Management applied in Community Forests of Saljhandi, Rupandehi District.

Deepa Oli

Dr Narayan Prasad Koju

Evaluating the Impacts and Scaling Potential of Grid-Connectes Solar Irrigation Pumps: A Case Study of Chhipaharmai Rural Municipality, Nepal.

Amrita Rauniyar

Shishir Shrestha

Impact of Different Sources of Coarse Aggregate on M25, M30 and M35 Grade Concrete: A Case Study of the Upper Arun Hydroelectric Project with Optimization of Trial Mixes.

Amrit Shrestha

Er. Aakarsha Khawas

SUSTAINABILITY ASSESSMENT OF THE RAMPURPHANT IRRIGATION SYSTEM IN PALPA, NEPAL

Himal Bhandari

Dr. Santosh Kaini

Cycle Time Analysis of Drill and Blast Method Tunnel Construction based on Geological Condition in Hydropower Projects in Nepal

Student: Suraj Pant

Supervisor: Er. Satya Ram Jyakhwa

Submitted Date: November, 2023

Abstract

Tunnelling construction processes are considered to be quite complex. They involve many variables which interact with each other and the resourced used. Drill and Blast method is one of the popular methods used in tunnel construction in Nepal. In order to understand and determine the tunnelling construction processes time the thesis analyzed the cycle time and derived productivity rate equation based on the geological conditions by analyzing the data from six hydropower projects. Field measurement data from two projects were used to determine the equation and root mean square error was used to validate equation. The research obtained that out of six projects five projects had lesser root mean square error with the derived equation while comparing with the actual productivity rate which validates the equation. The thesis identified twenty-six factors that impact the cycle time and from the questionnaire analyzed the responses using the RII technique, determined Spearman’s correlation and performed t-test for establishing the significance. The five major factors identified were; long breakdown time of critical machines, geological conditions, design and scope changes, inexperienced and incompetent contractors and ignoring consultant instruction by contractors. The niche is a temporary structure build in excavation phase of the tunnel, commonly with the same diameter of tunnel and length of the hauling vehicle, with its main function to organize the equipment and reduce mucking distance within the tunnel. The thesis determined that in medium diameter tunnels the optimal mucking time is achieved when distance from niche and tunnel face is in the range of 150 to 175 meters. It is recommended to use the result of this thesis for estimation of the tunnel construction time of medium diameter (3m to 3.8m) sized hydropower project applying full face excavation by drill and blast method which can accommodate moderate size equipment. It is recommended to perform a detailed geological investigation before starting the construction of the tunnel.

Keywords

Tunnel, Cycle Time, Productivity rate, Rock class, Niche