An underground comprehensive pipe gallery is a public tunnel built beneath urban areas to centralize the installation of municipal pipelines, including electricity, communication, broadcasting, television, and water supply systems. This underground gallery effectively eliminates the issue of “zipper roads,” enabling technicians to repair, maintain, expand, and upgrade various pipelines within the gallery without repeatedly excavating the road surface, significantly reducing pipeline repair time.
In recent years, governments have strongly supported the development of underground comprehensive pipe galleries, which hold immense market potential. There is an urgent need to expand this market, improve core competitiveness, and develop independent core technologies.
By 2016, MCC Group had captured more than half of the domestic market share for underground comprehensive pipe gallery projects. Their work spans 49 BIM base cities across 26 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions in China, serving 10 national pilot cities and winning bids for 340 kilometers of pipeline galleries.
With the support and guidance of MCC Group, MCC Construction Engineering has independently researched green and efficient construction technologies for stacked assembly underground pipe galleries. Let’s delve into the innovations behind composite assembly pipe galleries.
Q1: What is a stacked assembly comprehensive pipe gallery?
The stacked assembly construction method involves prefabricating wall and roof panels for the pipe gallery structure, quickly assembling them on-site, and then casting concrete to form a unified structure. By integrating BIM and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, the entire process is managed—from detailed design and prefabrication to on-site hoisting and later operation and maintenance.
Node Construction
MCC Construction Group’s laminated prefabricated pipe gallery uses laminated panels for both wall and roof sections, while the base slab remains cast-in-place.
The prefabricated panel on the outer edge of the bottom node extends to the bottom of the slab, forming a Z-shaped construction joint that enhances waterproofing. The roof panel features a “sawtooth” design, allowing it to rest directly on the prefabricated wall panels without additional support. This reduces labor intensity and speeds up construction.
Q2: What are the advantages of stacked prefabricated construction compared to traditional cast-in-place pipe galleries?
1. Significantly reduces the need for formwork and scaffolding, lowering labor intensity.
2. Shortens construction time drastically—from 15 days for cast-in-place to just 5 days for stacked prefabrication—accelerating project delivery. Prefabrication can also proceed during rainy or winter seasons to minimize delays on critical routes.
3. Enhances project quality, producing smooth concrete surfaces comparable to plain concrete finishes.
4. Improves safety by reducing work at heights and near edges.
5. Offers superior structural performance, with mechanical properties equal to cast-in-place structures.
6. Provides excellent waterproofing thanks to secondary on-site concrete pouring that forms a sealed waterproof ring.
7. Supports eco-friendly construction practices, conserving energy and protecting the environment.
8. Aligns with national policies for modernizing the construction industry and industrial development trends.
Q3: What are the mechanical properties of the stacked assembly pipe gallery? How is it designed?
To understand the structural characteristics of MCC Construction Engineering Group’s stacked prefabricated pipe gallery, the company partnered with Chongqing University to perform mechanical simulations and comprehensive node tests during construction.
Analysis of stability and lateral bearing capacity for temporary structures during construction phase
Low-cycle reciprocating test of component nodes
Through extensive mechanical testing and effective construction methods, the stacked assembly pipe gallery components and nodes achieve bearing capacity and ductility comparable to cast-in-place structures.
Q4: How is the prefabrication of stacked assembly comprehensive pipe galleries carried out?
Prefabrication of Double-Layer Laminated Wall Panels
Temporary prefabrication plants enable flexible, nomadic production without permanent concrete batching plants. Commercial concrete is used directly, and simple steaming greenhouses and gantry cranes replace high-end curing kilns and automated platforms, ensuring efficient and cost-effective prefabrication.
Template support
Reinforcing steel bar binding
Concrete pouring on surface A
Steam curing
Binding and stacking secondary reinforcement on side B
Flipping the prefabricated panel from side A
The final three steps include pressing the A panel into the concrete on side B, leveling and vibrating for compaction, followed by steam curing, successfully completing the process.
Prefabrication of Stacked Roof Slabs
The process for fabricating the laminated roof panels mirrors that of the wall panels. The main difference is that the stacked roof panel uses a serrated aluminum formwork, enabling it to be self-supporting on the wall panels.
Stacked roof panel processing
Q5: How is the stacked pipe gallery assembled?
Positioning and layout of wall panels
Binding reinforcement on the bottom slab
Lifting the first panel
Lifting the second panel
Installing temporary supports
Lifting the third panel
Assembly completed
Q6: How is information management implemented for stacked pipe galleries?
BIM technology plays a crucial role and serves as the best platform within prefabricated building systems. It provides coordinated, consistent information throughout the entire lifecycle, offering robust support for the entire prefabricated building supply chain. IoT technology enables rapid collection and integration of data from various stages, delivering timely feedback.
Leveraging the strengths of BIM and IoT, the stacked pipe gallery project team integrates design, component production, construction, and other phases, achieving standardized design, intelligent manufacturing, professional construction, and comprehensive information management.
Q7: What are colleagues’ perspectives on this technology?
Starting January 27, 2017, the project team began applying for patents related to this technical solution. To date, 19 patents have been filed, with 6 practical assembly construction models authorized by the China National Intellectual Property Administration.
On July 27, 2017, Dong Yong, Chief Engineer of the Chongqing Municipal Construction Commission, and his delegation visited MCC Construction Engineering Group’s Xipeng Base to review the stacked prefabricated pipe gallery technology. They gave high praise to the innovation. This technology has since been approved as a local standard by the Chongqing Municipal Construction Commission and recognized as a science and technology project by the Chongqing Municipal Science and Technology Commission.
MCC Construction Engineering’s composite pipe gallery technology has been honored as a leading scientific and technological achievement within MCC Group and stands at the forefront of innovation in China.
In November 2017, the technology was applied to an underground comprehensive pipe gallery project in Ximeng Va Autonomous County, Yunnan Province. The project covers a total length of 1.1 kilometers, with 540 meters of applied area. So far, the prefabrication factory has been established, a prototype developed, and 120 meters of wall and slab components prefabricated.
On-site demonstration of pilot model construction
Mayor of Pu’er City visits and inspects the technology
Must log in before commenting!
Sign Up