Study of Engineering Geological Conditions and Railway Tunnel Scheme across Qiongzhou Strait（琼州海峡工程地质条件及铁路隧道方案研究）

The cross sea channel for the Qiongzhou Strait not only provides a solution for transportation, but also plays an important role in the political and economic development of the region. In addition, the project has an extensive impact on many fields, such as energy, national defense, science and technology, opening up and reform, comprehensive utilization and so on. It is a significant project to enhance China′s comprehensive national strength, defend the country′s territorial integrity and promote regional economic development. The geological conditions across the Qiongzhou Strait are complex. A large amount of existing engineering geological information and hydrogeological data are collected, based on which the seismic impact on subsea tunnels and the main geological conditions including tectonic structures are analyzed. Different options crossing the Qiongzhou Strait have been considered and compared in terms of engineering geology, environmental condition, as well as the construction feasibility. The analystical results indicate that a subsea tunnel has more advantages over a bridge. Because more complicated technical difficulties have to be solved for a highway tunnel which would potentially increase construction and operation costs, a railway tunnel scheme is recommended. Vehicles can be carried by trains through the Qiongzhou Strait railway tunnel. Based on the seabed topography and geological conditions, four preliminary railway tunnel routes are proposed. After a comprehensive comparative analysis, the railway tunnel route Ⅱ is identified to be superior to other alternatives and should be the basis for determining the final tunnel layout. The proposed tunnel cross section includes two railway tunnels and one service tunnel. All the three tunnels have the same structural form and dimension and will be constructed by shield.