Water-level, velocity, and dye measurements in the Chicago tunnels
By: K. A. Oberg and A.R. Schmidt
Edited by: Shen Hsieh WenSu S.T.Wen Feng
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Abstract
On April 13, 1992, a section of a 100-year-old underground freight tunnel in downtown Chicago, Illinois was breached where the tunnel crosses under the Chicago River, about 15 meters below land surface. The breach allowed water from the Chicago River to flow into the freight tunnels and into buildings connected to the tunnels. As a result, utility services to more than 100 buildings in downtown Chicago were lost, several hundred thousand workers were sent home, and the entire subway system and a major expressway in the Loop were shut down. The breach in the tunnel was sealed and the tunnel dewatered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) and its contractors. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) assisted the Corps in their efforts to plug and dewater the freight tunnels and connected buildings. This assistance included the installation and operation of telemetered gages for monitoring water levels in the tunnel system and velocity measurements made in the vicinity of the tunnel breach. A fluorescent dye tracer was used to check for leaks in the plugs, which isolated the damaged portion of the Chicago freight tunnel from the remainder of the tunnel system.
Suggested Citation
Oberg, K.A., Schmidt, A., 1993, Water-level, velocity, and dye measurements in the Chicago tunnels, in Proceedings - National Conference on Hydraulic Engineering, no. pt 2, San Francisco, CA, USA, 25 July 1993 through 30 July 1993, p. 1476-1481.
| Publication type | Conference Paper |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Conference Paper |
| Title | Water-level, velocity, and dye measurements in the Chicago tunnels |
| ISBN | 0872629201 |
| Issue | pt 2 |
| Year Published | 1993 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Publ by ASCE |
| Publisher location | New York, NY, United States |
| Larger Work Title | Proceedings - National Conference on Hydraulic Engineering |
| First page | 1476 |
| Last page | 1481 |
| Conference Title | Proceedings of the National Conference on Hydraulic Engineering |
| Conference Location | San Francisco, CA, USA |
| Conference Date | 25 July 1993 through 30 July 1993 |