TxDOT IH 35 McLennan County

Subcontractor to North Texas Contracting

As a sub-subcontractor to North Texas Contracting for utility relocations for general contractor Lane Construction, AR Daniel Construction constructed 384 LF of 72' diameter tunnel with the use of a tunnel boring machine. This two pass tunnel method used tunnel liner plate furnished by DSI Underground as the initial pass support system. Following the completion of the tunnel North Texas Contracting installed a 54' FRP pipe for a sewer relocation as part of the massive IH 35 expansion and reconstruction project.

During the construction of the tunnel AR Daniel Construction encountered soils containing hydrocarbons. Extensive soil testing and metering of the gas vapors from the hydrocarbons indicated that none of the vapors present exceeded the contact standards of the regulating agencies. With safety as a first consideration, construction of the tunnel continued under rigorous monitoring of the atmosphere in the tunnel. Spoil removed during this process was separated from other spoils and properly disposed following regulatory agencies' recommendations.

During construction of the tunnel AR Daniel Construction also encountered soil stabilization columns installed under the same TxDOT contract. These columns were tunneled through by the TBM under close monitoring by the project owner.