Pipeline installation design for Heilongjiang crossing of China-Russia Eastern Gas Pipeline

A small sized shield tunnel (I.D 2.44 m) is adopted in the Heilongjiang crossing section of China-Russia Eastern Gas Pipeline, but the installed pipeline diameter is 1 422 mm, so the conventional method, i.e., welding in the drift of shield tunnel is not useful. In this paper, therefore, a new technical scheme for installing large-diameter pipeline in small sized long tunnels was designed. According to this scheme, the pipeline assembling, welding, testing and anti-corrosion are completed in the launching shaft, and then the pipeline is pulled to receiving shaft by a draw off equipment in the receiving shaft. And thus, the pipeline is installed inside the shield. Based on this, a series of support devices (e.g. outgoing rail, rolling bearing and compensator) suitable for the special engineering requirements were developed. It is demonstrated from numerical simulation and field test that this pipeline installation scheme is feasible and can provide the reliable reference for the installation of large-diameter pipelines in small sized long tunnel crossing projects.