In January of 2014 Euro Alliance Tunnels JSC will begin a new tunnel project in Germany. This project is located between Würzburg and the Rhein-Main region, with its metropolis Frankfurt am Main.
Situated in Spessart mountain an old tunnel called Schwarzkopftunnel (build in 1850s) will be taken out of service. Schwarzkopftunnel has been a part of a wider connection and will be replaced by four new tunnels. Euro Alliance Tunnels JSC will perform the excavation works of three of these tunnels according to the New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM) by Euro Alliance Tunnels JSC.
The longest twin tube tunnel is Falkenberg with 2.623 m long right tube and 2.619 m long left tube. Every 500 m a crosscut will be excavated to connect the tubes. The cross section is 49,6 m2 and decline nearly constantly 11,75 - 12,50 ‰.
On the second tunnel called Hirschberg only the left tube will be excavated using the NATM. This will be 505 m long with basket arch cross section 48,7 m2 and a constant decline 12,50 ‰.
The third tunnel is Metzberg. Here again two tubes will be excavated: right tube 586 m and the left 629 m long with a cross section 48,7 m2. These tubes will cross below the existing railway tracks with minimum overburden of 11 m.
After finishing the excavation, lining and the installation of tracks and technical equipment the existing connection will be reduced by 500 meters. The service speed for trains will reach 160 km/h and the route will be leveled more evenly than the old track. This will eliminate one of the most inefficiencies: pushing trains with a second locomotive uphill will become unnecessary.
Key facts:
- tunnel Falkenberg: twin-tubes tunnel;
length 2.623 + 2.619 m;
49,6 m2 cross section;
5 crosscuts.
- tunnel Hirschberg: twin-tubes tunnel;
length 505 m (left tube built using the open method);
48,7 m2 cross section.
- tunnel Metzberg: twin-tubes tunnel;
length 586 + 629 m;
48,7 m2 cross section.
