MULTI/COMMON UTILITY DUCTS/DUCT

BANKS FOR ROADS IN URBAN AREAS:

DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION

BASED ON TECHNICAL PAPER BYRAMESH RAINA IN INDIAN

HIGHWAYS, SEP 2019
The various utilities/services which are laid
underground along the roads in urban areas are:-
 Electrical cables (High Tension/Low Tension)
 Road Lighting cables
 Communication Cables
 Cable TV
 Tele/Broad Band Cables
 CCTV Cables
 Traffic Signal Cables
 Gas pipe Lines
 Water supply line
 Firefighting water pipelines
 Irrigation pipelines
 Drainage pipelines
 Sewerage pipelines
The concept of multi-utility ducts on urban roads is relatively a new
concept and very little work has been done on this front as far as
urban roads in Indian cities are concerned.

The Common Utility ducts or Duct Banks can be constructed in

right of way of road below green area or below walkway/ Paved
area or below carriageway. In Taiwan the practice of laying
common utility ducts below carriageway has been extensively
used.

This would prevent frequent digging of roads. So there is a need to

know as to how these concepts which are followed worldwide are
implemented on ground.
Multi Utility/Common Utility Duct
Any structure above or below the ground that carries more than two
types of public utility services/ lines is called multiutility or common utility
duct. It refers specially to the underground corridors. It has its own
drainage, ventilation, lighting, communication, power & monitoring
system.
Types of Multi Utility/Common Utility Ducts
 1) Partially Accessible Duct
 2)Fully Accessible Duct
 3)Duct Banks
 4)Utilidors
Partially Accessible Duct
Fully Accessible Duct
Duct Banks
In this case the pipes of different
sizes are laid to carry out the
cables i.e. communication &
electrical cables. These pipes are
encased either in concrete, gravel
or soil. These types of duct banks
are economical and widely used
Common Utility Ducts worldwide.
The duct banks result in lesser
impact on environment and
surrounding areas due to its size
vis-à-vis fully accessible duct.
Utilidors: These are multi utility ducts on ground level. They are
usually laid in cold climate areas where direct laying of lines
below frost lines is not feasible or where the water table is very
high. The most common example of Utilidor is in Disney Land.
Duct Bank Installation

i)Directly Burried Duct Bank (DBDB)

 In this case the
pipes are laid
directly into the
trench &
selected Earth is
backfilled
around it.
ii)Gravel Encased Duct Bank (GEDB)

 In this case pipes

are laid in trench &
encased with
Gravel upto some
height. Beyond this
selected Earth is
filled up. The type
of soil to be used in
backfill has got
direct bearing on
current carrying
capacity of
electrical cables.
iii) Concrete Encased Duct Bank (CEDB)

 In this case pipes are

encased alround with
concrete upto some
height. Beyond this
selected earth is filled
up. The warning tape is
laid at depth of 300
mm to avoid
accidental damage to
the Duct while digging.
This is the most
commonly used duct
banks in Urban Areas.
 Placement norms for construction of Multi/Comon
Utility Ducts
 There are some placement norms
which have to be followed while
laying the duct banks. These norms
for concrete encased duct banks
have been developed based on
best International practices & various
IS/IRC codes/regulations.

 Dia of duct pipe : 1.5X OD of cable

: 2 x OD of Gas Pipe
 The minimum Depth
below ground level for
cable ducts are as follows
 Low voltage & control
cable:750mm
 11 KV : 900 mm
 22 KV/33 KV : 1050 mm
 Road Crossings : 1000 mm
 Minimum 50 mm
separation between duct
pipes.
 Minimum 75 mm of
concrete around duct
pipes.
 The reinforcement bar
cage can be provided
on top of Duct Back if
depth available for duct
bank is less than
specified.
 Typical cross sectional details of communication/electrical duct bank with
Gas/water duct bank.
The minimum depth for Gas Line below ground level varies between 1 to
1.2 m.
 Minimum 300 mm separation
for foreign utility at
perpendicular crossing with
heat dissipation plate.
 Minimum 300 mm separation
with Gas/ Water line running
parallel.
 Electrical/ Telephone cable
separation Œ 300 mm parallel orŒ
300 mm vertical/ horizontal
 The complete primary &
secondary voltage electric
cables can be laid in
underground duct system.
i) Manholes are aligned parallel to The pull pits or manholes as we call them
street to facilitate conduit are either precast or can be constructed
installation. The duct Bank should at the site. These can be of RCC, brick
be straight & should drain into work etc. Its size depends upon the
manholes. number & size of duct pipes laid in duct
ii) Duct banks should contain pull bank.
cords & should be plugged with
tapered plastic plugs to prevent
entry of debris.
iii) Provision should be made for
steel brackets in manholes/vaults &
Sumps at bottom of each manhole.
iv) The sump pump discharge can
be connected to an adjacent
storm water drain or to the surface.
v) Weather proof light fixture with
switch should be provided in each
manhole.
 Duct bank for existing services
The existing utilities are a constant obstacle when
installing the underground utilities. In some cases the
duct banks are installed above these existing utilities and
in some cases due to insufficient depth available
reinforced cage is installed around the duct bank to give
a protection from future excavation in the same area.
This spilt duct can be used for existing services. The ducts
are cut longitudinal to place it around the cable and
cable is then placed inside the duct. Another
longitudinal section of the duct is glued to the already
laid spilt duct. Two pieces locking duct can also be used
Advantages and Limitations of constructing MUD/CUD
ADVANTAGES:
 MAXIMUM EffiCIENCY OF UNDERGROUND SPACE USAGE.
 DECREASES ABOVE GROUND CONSTRUCTION THAT CAN DISRUPT TRAffiC.
 ONE TIME RELOCATION AND LESS EXCAVATION AND REPAIRS.
 ALLOW RAPID ACCESS TO ALL UTILITIES WITHOUT HAVING TO DIG ACCESS TRENCHES DUE
TO CONFUSED AND OFTEN INACCURATE UTILITY MAPS.
 KEEPS ROADS/ SIDEWALKS SMOOTHER.
 EASY & QUICK ACCESS TO UTILITIES AFTER MAJOR NATURAL DISASTERS LIKE EARTHQUAKE
ETC.
 PUBLIC SAFETY & INCREASE IN QUALITY OF LIFE AND REDUCES SOCIAL COSTS
LIMITATIONS:
 THE ONLY LIMITATION OF COMMON UTILITY DUCT IS HIGH COST, IF EXISTING UTILITY
SERVICES ARE TO BE SHIFTED. HOWEVER NEW UTILITY SERVICES CAN BE LAID
ECONOMICALLY IN DUCT BANK AFTER REPAIRS & AUGMENTATION.
Deration of Conductors
WHAT IS DERATION ?
CONDUCTOR DERATING REDUCES THE AMOUNT OF CURRENT THAT WIRES ARE ALLOWED TO CARRY. THE
IDEA BEHIND IT IS TO PROTECT THE WIRE'S INSULATION FROM DEGRADATION BY EXCESSIVE HEAT. AS
CURRENT PASSES THROUGH A WIRE, HEAT IS PRODUCED. AS CURRENT LEVELS RISE, THE AMOUNT OF HEAT
PRODUCED ALSO RISES. THIS IS REQUIRED WHEN THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE RISES ABOVE 30 DEGREES
CELSIUS, AND WHEN YOU ARE BUNDLING MORE THAN THREE WIRES IN A CONDUIT OR CABLE.
THE DERATION OF CONDUCTORS IS REQUIRED TO BE CARRIED OUT WHEN THERE ARE LARGE NUMBER OF
ELECTRICAL DUCT BANKS BELOW GRADE LEVEL.
THE HORIZONTAL & VERTICAL SEPARATION AS WELL AS TOP ROW OF DUCT BANK WILL AFFECT THE
POTENTIAL DERATION OF CONDUCTORS.
THERMAL RESISTANCE OF SOIL ALSO HAS AN EffECT ON DERATION OF CONDUCTORS AS THE HEAT
GENERATED BY UNDERGROUND ELECTRICAL CABLES HAS TO BE DISSIPATED THROUGH ADJACENT SOIL.
FACTORS AFFECTING THE DERATION OF CONDUCTORS:
 NUMBER, SIZES & CONfiGURATION OF CONDUITS & CONDUCTORS.
 HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL SPACE BETWEEN CONDUCTORS
 AMOUNT OF THE BACKfiLL MATERIAL
 THERMAL RESISTANCY OF SOIL (RHO FACTOR)
 LOAD FACTOR OF THE CONDUCTORS
Examples of Multi/Common Utility Ducts in India
The common utility ducts
have been extensively
used in Taiwan, Japan,
Germany, Australia,
Singapore & United States.
Delhi International Airport
has used common utility
duct to carry out electrical
cables and chilled water
pipes across the airport.
Fully Accessible common
utility duct, first of its kind in
the country has been
constructed in Middle
circle Connaught Place,
New Delhi (2008-12).
Some of the pictures of
services in Middle Circle of
Connaught Place existing
prior to construction of
Common Utility Duct.
In Case of Cannaught Place the main Duct carries trunk services from where the branches were laid upto
blocks through smaller size ducts. On one side of Common Utility Duct the piped services were laid on
trays & cables were laid on another side.
 The topmost pipes & pipes below on
2nd tier were designed to carry
chilled water for Centralized Air-
conditioning. The pipes shown on 3rd
tier were designed to carry potable
water, irrigation water & firefighting
water. The bottommost trays were
designed to carry HT cables
followed by LT cables. The trays on
top were designed to carry
communication cables. Additional
trays were designed/provided to
meet the future requirement of
Electrical & communication cables.
The Gas line was designed to be laid
in separate duct within the main
duct.
 The transformers were also be
installed in the Common Utility Duct
as shown in Fig. 20 so that hanging
cables & ugly looking Electrical
structures are not seen on the
surface.
The inside clear size of Utility duct is 6.3 m X 6.9 m and length is 1.2 kms. It is in three segments
bisected by Barakhamba line of DMRC & Palika Bazar/ parking. The Common Utility Duct was
designed to have its own CCTV, PA, Fire Fighting system & Biometric Access Control installed.
Adequate precautions were taken at design stage to avoid flooding of tunnel by providing
pumps/ DG sets for dewatering at every 100 Meters. Battery operated trolley was designed to
be installed inside the corridor for movement of manpower & materials.
The typical Cross section of The section showing entry &
Common Utility duct fire exits at every 45 m of the
Common Utility Duct
Section of Duct Above DMRC Line
The Barakhamba line of DMRC cuts across the utility duct & less depth was available between
top of DMRC tunnel & road. So the duct was designed to go horizontally above the DMRC tunnel
at this crossing. The section of duct gets widened over this portion to 21 m with a depth of 2.5 m
& is shown in Fig. 24 & Fig. 25. The services in this section were designed be laid on horizontal trays
instead of vertical trays.
The 3D view of Common utility duct over DMRC
Stages of Construction
The various stages of construction of Common Utility duct in Connaught Place are shown below. The top
down method using diaphragm wall construction was adopted for construction of utility duct as very
limited space was available between the building lines in Middle Circle of Connaught Place. The depth of
diaphragm wall was 13 m & thickness 800 mm.
Duct Bank for S P Marg (New Delhi)
Thank You