161 Dynamics of Natural and Built Environments

Our communities, economies and infrastructure depend on interactions between the natural and built environments. Engineered systems (e.g. earthworks, structures, utilities) must be resilient to evolving natural forcings, and similarly engineered systems must also minimize negative effects on the natural environment.

Tuesday, 21 October 2025
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
HBGCC, 214A

Application of cement grouting for controlling water leakage in the pressurized headrace tunnel of Maya Khola hydropower Project, Nepal

Paper number: 161-10
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 10:30 AM – 10:45 AM

Authors

Abstract

Most of the project suffer from the water leakages from the tunnel during the testing and operation of the hydropower projects. The water leakage phenomenon is common during the testing of tunnelling. Grouting has been extensively used in tunnelling industries for controlling these issues.  In the context of Nepal Himalaya, most of the project has suffered from water leakage problem during testing and operation. This study has tried to analysed water leakage phenomenon in the tunnelling of the Himalayan region. For this purpose, pressurized headrace tunnel of Maya Khola Hydropower Project has been selected. The headrace tunnel is 2.8 meters width with a height of 2.9 meters, featuring an inverted D-shaped cross-section having total length of 2,204 meters. The main rock types found in the tunnel was gneiss. The adopted rock mass classifications system was Q-system during excavation of headrace tunnel in the construction stage. The excavation procedure that has been carried out was drilled and blast method. Similarly, this study has review, compare, performance of cement based grouting method for controlling water leakage in the shotcrete lined tunnelling in the Nepal Himalayan terrain.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 57, No. 6

doi: 10.1130/abs/2025AM-413670

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