Engineering characteristics of bedrock for the proposed superconducting super collider in Illinois
Sixteen test holes were drilled in a 36-township area in northeastern Illinois as part of a geological feasibility study for the proposed Superconducting Super Collider. Bedrock tunneling suitability is being characterized by comprehensive testing of continuous core of lower Silurian, Ordovician and upper Cambrian units. Tests include unconfined compressive (UCS) and indirect tensile strength (ITS), fracture spacing, rock quality designation, drilling rate and water injection tests. Preliminary results indicate that the 38-m thick Wise Lake Formation of the Ordovician Galena Group is best suited for tunnel construction. The Wise Lake is a vuggy, fossiliferous dolomite with subordinate limestone. Two joint sets oriented N50E and N50W are found in this unit with spacings between joints of about 0.8 m. The overlying Maquoketa Shale Group consists of basal shales from 1 to 22 m thick which are overlain by interbeds of dolomitic shale and dolomite. The Silurian Formations are composed chiefly of fine-grained cherty dolomite; engineering characteristics are similar to the Wise Lake Formation. The upper 3 to 4 m of bedrock can be severely jointed and weathered; permeability ranges from 1.0 x 10/sup -3/ to 1.0 x 10/sup -4/ cm/sec. Although the ring design and national location have not been decided, the geotechnical data indicate that the most favorable tunneling conditions at the Illinois site are 130 to 150 m below the ground surface in the Wise Lake Formation of the Galena Group. By comparison, conditions are more favorable than similar test data developed for the successful TARP project in Chicago.
- Research Organization:
- Illinois State Geological Survey, Champaign (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 6595011
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-8510489-
- Journal Information:
- Geol. Soc. Am., Abstr. Programs; (United States), Vol. 17; Conference: 98. annual meeting of the Geological Society of America, Orlando, FL, USA, 28 Oct 1985
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
GENERAL PHYSICS
58 GEOSCIENCES
DOLOMITE
ROCK MECHANICS
STRESS ANALYSIS
ILLINOIS
SUPERCONDUCTING SUPER COLLIDER
ENGINEERING GEOLOGY
SITE CHARACTERIZATION
SUBSURFACE STRUCTURES
BOREHOLES
DRILL CORES
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
GEOLOGIC FISSURES
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
ORDOVICIAN PERIOD
PERMEABILITY
SITE SELECTION
TUNNELING
WELL DRILLING
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
CALCIUM CARBONATES
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBONATE MINERALS
CARBONATES
CAVITIES
DRILLING
FEDERAL REGION V
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOLOGY
MAGNESIUM CARBONATES
MAGNESIUM COMPOUNDS
MECHANICS
MINERALS
NORTH AMERICA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PALEOZOIC ERA
STORAGE RINGS
USA
420201* - Engineering- Cryogenic Equipment & Devices
580100 - Geology & Hydrology- (-1989)
580300 - Mineralogy
Petrology
& Rock Mechanics- (-1989)