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Elbtunnel, Lot 1, Submersed tunnel

The tunnel passes under the Elbe. The most outstanding feature was the method used to submerse the tunnel blocks, which were made on dry land, a method applied here for the very first time. The tunnel was divided up into three job lots for completion. Various construction methods were used for the three lots. Construction lot I comprises an in situ concrete section and the tunnel blocks which had to be submersed. Construction lot II is a shield driven tunnel. Construction lot III was built by cut-and-cover. The section that was most difficult to construct was the one with the elements requiring to be submersed. Its total length amounts to 1,057 m. There are 8 elements in all, each 132 m long, with a cross-section of 150 m² and weighing 46,000 t. They were produced in a dry construction dock, provided with pressure proof bulkheads. Once the final element was completed, they were floated and moved into position one by one via tugs above the excavated tunnel channel, where they were gradually flooded and connected to one another at the point of assembly.

 

  • Country: Germany
  • Region: Hamburg
  • Tunnel utilization: Traffic
  • Type of utilization: Road tunnel
  • Client: Bundesrepublik Deutschland
  • Main construction method: Open
  • Type of excavation: Immersion/Submersion
  • No. of tubes: 1
  • Tunnel total length: 1057 m
  • Contract Volume: 500 mill. DM, 130 mill. DM for Lot 1
  • Construction start/end: 1969-1975 (78 months)
  • Opening: 1975