ABSTRACT
The French Tunnelling and Underground Space Association (AFTES) recently published a recommendation on Shallow Shafts, complimentary to the recommendation on Deep Shafts published in 2008. This new text covers the state-of-the-art practices in this particular field and was written by a group of experts in the construction of shafts. The recommendation covers exclusively the case of vertical shafts up to a depth of 50 m approximately. The need for the text was driven by the high demand on the construction of these structures in the recent years in France, supporting the development of the Grand Paris Express (service and emergency shafts). Due to the variety of both temporary and operational functions they can have, shallow shafts are very frequently incorporated into the projects. The text covers most aspects of the general design of shallow shafts, including the importance of the data required for the design (geotechnical surveys, neighbouring buildings, environment…). The construction methods are developed with detail, with the objective of assisting the engineer to select the most appropriate method based on the requirements of the project. A table is included to give the reader a general overview of all the techniques. The main design methods also have an important part in the recommendation, with references to the design standards of dimensioning. The aspects of safety and emergency management during the construction are covered in a specific chapter of the text, as well as the monitoring of the main parameters and their importance in the quality process. The recommendation is supplemented by data sheets, each one giving detailed information about a specific constructed project.
