The SBB is using the time between the opening of the Gotthard and the Ceneri Base Tunnels to upgrade and renew the access routes to the tunnels. This also includes the Axen route, where the track nearest the lake is to be redeveloped and upgraded. Preliminary operations started there in early October 2016. The renovation process as such for the Axen route will commence in January 2017 in three stages and is due to be completed in December 2019. Within the scope of the project, the SBB will redevelop a total of nine tunnels with an overall length of almost 6 km.
In early September 2016, one of the longest-running Robbins TBMs embarked on its most extensive project yet. The Main Beam machine with a diameter of 6.2 m, owned by the Shea-Kiewit (S-K) JV, is boring the 8.5 km long White River Tunnel as the first in the next phase of the DigIndy wastewater tunnels below Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. In addition to that work, the machine will bore the Lower Pogues Run, Fall Creek, and Pleasant Run Tunnels – a scope of work totaling about 28 km through limestone and dolomite rock.
Work started on the first tube of the Rastatt Tunnel on the new/upgraded Karlsruhe–Basle rail route at the end of May 2016 as scheduled. After the so-called “flying shield start-up” for the tunnel boring machine (TBM) and penetrating the jet grouted sealing block adjoining the construction pit, the Tunnel Rastatt JV (Ed. Züblin AG and Hochtief Solutions AG) was able to commence standard operation. After 100 m had been driven, the federal highway 36 was successfully undertunnelled and then the frozen section in the Federbach low-lying area accomplished. The first 1000 m was excavated by mid-September at an average gross rate of advance of 11 m per day. This article follows up on the project report contained in tunnel 1/2016 on building the roughly 4.3 km long Rastatt rail tunnel.
The capability to vary the density of the support medium between bentonite suspension and remoulded earth depending on the currently excavated ground is the essential feature of the Variable Density TBM (VD-TBM) from Herrenknecht. Especially for this type of machine, a support medium with an increased density has been developed, which reliably covers the transition from fluid to pasty – the High Density Support Medium (HDSM). On their first application for the Klang Valley MRT-Project in Kuala Lumpur, the VD-TBMs bored through karstic limestone in mixed face conditions with hard rock and soft ground. With the aid of the HDSM, the face support can be reliably maintained in otherwise problematic geology.
The pumped storage hydropower plant Obervermuntwerk II should be completed in 2018 to become one of the most ambitious power stations in Europe. The...
The 11th InnoTrans wound up after four action-crammed days on September 23 with its best ever result. New records were recorded for exhibitor and trade visitor participation. Some 145 000 trade visitors from more than 140 countries attended this year’s leading fair for transport technology in Berlin; 2955 exhibitors from 60 countries displayed their products on the fairgrounds. The “International Tunnel Forum” of the STUVA (Research Association for Tunnels and Transportation Facilities Inc.) was again a feature over two days at this year’s fair.
A qualitatively high-grade tunnel lining requires the tunnel segment annular gaps to be properly grouted. At the same time, this provides a decisive contribution to a high rate of advance during mechanised excavation. The STUVA in Cologne has devised a complex and intricate unit for testing annular gap mortars in order to ensure that annular gap grouting is further optimised.
