The Lötschberg railway base tunnel

✍ Scribed by F. Vuilleumier; P. Teuscher; R. Beer

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1997
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 665 KB
• Volume: 12
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0886-7798
• DOI: 10.1016/s0886-7798(97)00034-5

✦ Synopsis

In 1991, the Swiss government announced a major rail network project to establish northsouth high capacity rail links across the Alps. The L6tschberg base tunnel is a key component of this endeavour. It will connect the Swiss capital city of Bern to the Rhone valley, thus ensuring a liaison between northern Europe and ltaly via the existing Simplon tunnel. The tunnel project encompasses two parallel single track tubes measuring approximately 30 km each. The project also includes two intermediate access tunnels with underground emergency stations and cross-over links. The selection of the construction metho&r (excavation and support) is presented together with the measures foreseen for crossing typical geologic conditions. The role of the project engineer and that of the project geologist in the selection of the excavation modes and support requirements is discussed. The construction of the base tunnel is scheduled for 1.998 and its completion for rail traffic is foreseen for 2006.