1. Introduction

Hey readers… we always come across some or the other type of tunnel, be it city metro lines, railway or roadways tunnels, but what keeps the tunnel standing intact during its operational life is its support system. Tunnel linings, temporary, primary or permanent, constitute the support system of the tunnel or shaft. In my previous article ‘Guidelines for Tunnel Design’, I had presented some basic design considerations and highlighted Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO) specifications for tunnel design. Now in this article, we would proceed further towards understanding tunnel support system and what could be the essential considerations for the design of tunnel linings.

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