Concrete Solutions For Tunnelling

End-to-End solutions covering many phases of the tunnelling process

At CEMEX, we’re committed to developing reliable, efficient and more sustainable solutions for the tunnelling industry that put the needs of our customers, contractors and the public at the heart of what we do. 

Our partnership focuses on innovation through collaboration, capitalising on multiple areas of expertise to support your projects with a truly end-to-end approach. We work closely with you to fully understand your requirements and project landscape.

Futureproofing tomorrow's cities.

Urbanised cities are becoming denser and open spaces are becoming increasingly unavailable, in part due to continuous population growth. Tunnelling and underground infrastructure are therefore instrumental in creatively using space available to develop sustainable urbanised landscapes. 


Tunneling plays a key role in the set-up of urban environments by:

  • Connecting communities through people-orientated transportation systems and infrastructure
  • Supporting clean water systems by facilitating sewage treatment in older cities
  • Futureproofing the resilience of cities from the impact of climate change 
  • Reducing visual, environmental and noise impacts by minimising disturbance to surfaces
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Together, we successfully navigate today's challenges.

Tunnelling is an extremely specialist and performance-critical industry. Along with the importance of identifying the correct concrete mix and equipment, the nature of tunnelling in high-profile environments comes with its own set of unique challenges, requiring complex and well-planned solutions. 


To help you navigate these challenges, we capitalise on multiple areas of expertise through our collaborative approach with our partners Normet, to support you on your projects with a truly end-to-end approach to tunnelling.

 

We work closely with you to understand your requirements, the logistical challenges involved and your jobsite. This approach enables us to determine the best concrete mix design, silo solution and equipment to enable you to deliver your project successfully. 

Proximity To The Public

Proximity To The Public

Projects in major cities can mean construction activities take place in close proximity to the general public. Ensuring maximum health & safety concerns are addressed, while preventing escaped dust is vital.

Minimise Noise & Disruption

Minimise Noise & Disruption

With jobsites in highly pedestrianised residential and commercial areas, there is a growing pressure to find solutions that minimise the impact construction has on everyday life, for example, disrupting transport and blocking roads.

Working Environments Where Space Is A Premium

Compact Workspaces

Compact workspace presents challenges for the delivery of materials and the equipment used during the construction process.

Sustainable Construction

Sustainable Construction

There is a requirement to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. Contractors needs to consider their materials and approach in maximising sustainable opportunities.

Lower Carbon Sprayed Concrete

Our lower carbon sprayed concrete, part of our family of Vertua products and solutions, has a carbon embodiment of 23% below our industry renowned “Bank Mix” Silo Sprayed concrete, making it an ideal solution for constructors of large-scale tunnelling projects where the necessity of developing new infrastructure needs to be balanced against the environmental impact.

Lower Carbon Sprayed Concrete Roadmap

lower carbon sprayed concrete roadmap

The CEMEX Specialist Solutions Lower Carbon Sprayed Concrete is only the first step in our ambitious aim to supply the tunnelling industry with more sustainable products.

The introduction of our lower carbon sprayed concrete as our core product achieves the first phase objective. Our next aim is to produce a sprayed concrete with a target carbon embodiment reduction of up to 40%.

 

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The Vertua lower carbon product symbol is awarded to selected cement and other products characterised by their unique raw material composition, which contains the highest quality ingredients to reduce the carbon footprint of the finished product.

Lower Carbon Sprayed Concrete

Vertua is a CEMEX Group trademark that highlights specific characteristics of CEMEX Group products regarding environmental impact as described in the corresponding Fact Label. The Vertua label is not intended as a certification. The data label is defined on the traditional (CEM I) sprayed concrete mix. The data in this label is based on operational performance and emissions taken from actual figures. This is subject to change and will be reviewed and updated annually.

 

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Our Solutions - Tunnelling Applications

In addition to sprayed concrete primary lining solutions, we have extensive experience in designing, producing, and delivering concrete across all tunnelling related structures.

We have proficient experience and capability in providing sprayed lining solutions. We can produce both cast in-situ or sprayed concrete products delivered in a pre-blended dry silo.


We can design concrete solutions to meet your project requirements including the following parameters:

  • Flow retention
  • A range of flexural and residual strengths using high-performance fibres
  • Early age and durable long-term strengths
  • Pumped and transported long distances
  • New, reduced and embedded carbon concrete solutions.

We have engineered a range of special grouts for a variety of tunnelling applications. We have also conducted research and trials utilising a variety of alternative fillers.

Our grouts are designed and tested to achieve the required:     

  • Viscosity and open life
  • Stability
  • Compressive strength
  • Gel/reaction time
  • Initial set

 

Applications:

  • Ground settlement compensation grouts - suitable for stabilisation
  • Piling - for primary and secant piles

ISOFINES Series 


An effective treatment enabling a safe and secure removal of tunnelling sludge and spoil from jobsites, maximising transportation safety in busy urban environments.    


Using a special blend of recycled material, ISOFINES absorbs high amounts of the water contained in any type of tunneling mud, spoil or sludge, providing a quick method of stabilisation to transport waste.  

 

  • Quick and capable treatment for spoil 
  • Can help reduce pollution and minimise environmental impact 
  • Easier to finish 
  • Safe transportation of materials  

TAMSEAL 800/900

 

A high-performance polymer waterproofing membrane. Provides a tough and durable, seamless waterproofing membrane for many tunnel structures.

  • The DSM mix provides a suitable substrate for spray membranes and negates the need for separate sprayed mortar regulating layers, simplifying and speeding up the lining
  • Fast and easy application particularly for complex underground geometries
  • Supports the design of more efficient, thinner and low carbon tunnel linings
  • Waterproof: zero penetration beyond membrane when tested in accordance with BS EN 12390-8:2000 
  • Fast curing to speed up construction processes

Our Solutions - Services

Lab Experts

Reliably Delivered by Tunnelling Experts
 

All specialist technical support and laboratory testing is performed by our team of technical experts at our UKAS accredited
National Technical Centre laboratories. Our centrally located facility enables nationwide site testing for specialist tunnelling
concretes.
Our tunnelling partners can benefit from the wider resources and technical expertise of the global CEMEX business through LabExperts.
We offer an unrivalled comprehensive solution for all your testing requirements, from approval to continuous compliance and investigations

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Services

We understand your projects can be time critical.
We leverage our unrivalled expertise in CEMEX Specialist Solutions to build a close understanding of your jobsite location and identify challenges to collaborate with you on developing a process that minimises delays and optimises your project delivery.

 

We provide a free site inspection service considering:

  • Material quantity and programme requirements
  • Site restrictions
  • Pump locations and distances
  • Control panel location and its ease of use
  • Vehicle access and turning points
  • Delivery processes
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Normet

 

Our strong partnership with Normet secures your projects with the leading tunnelling 
and spraying robots. 


Together we focus on being process-efficient, coupled with supporting the need to switch from fossil fuelled tunnelling equipment. As part of our tunnelling solution partnership, Normet work with clients to reduce carbon and costs and enhancing the safety of the sprayed concrete process from batching to nozzle tip.

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