Geological-Geotechnical Studies for the Ore Transport Railway Line “S11D—Sudeste do Pará”, Brazil

In Brazil, the railway transport of iron ore moves large quantities and needs to overcome huge distances between the mining areas and the shipping harbors. As the Brazilian railway network requires renewal and expansion, sound procedures to conduct suitable engineering geology studies are needed. The objectives, methodology, and study phases are presented, focusing on the geological and geotechnical constraints of the terrains crossed by the railway line. These constraints may increase the costs, cause construction delays, or generate difficulties during construction or operation. The new iron ore railway project, “S11D—Ramal Ferroviário Sudeste do Pará” in Brazil, is used as a case study. It is 100 km in length, connecting the new S11D mine to the existing Carajás railway, and hauls the iron ore to a shipping port, the Ponta da Madeira Maritime Terminal. The geological-geotechnical studies developed for the design, and utilized during construction along the S11D railway branch line, are presented and discussed. Several unusual aspects of the engineering geology studies for an excavation, an embankment, a bridge, a tunnel, and for the location of natural granular materials for sub-ballast and ballast layers are presented. It is concluded that continuous improvement of the engineering geology studies is desirable to increase the efficiency of the design, construction, and operation of a railway.