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Metro Berlin: Extension of Line U5

Today, the U 5 links the eastern outer suburbs of Berlin with the Alexanderplatz. From there, there is a connection with the western districts of the city via urban railway lines and the Underground lines U 2 and U 8. After completion of the new section between Alexanderplatz and Lehrter Station, the U 5 will become a continuous east-west artery. It will provide a direct link to the new parliament and government district, enable the new business quarter to be reached directly and open up Berlin's cultural centre. Lehrter Bahnhof will be the hub for the S-Bahn, regional and main line traffic. The Lehrter Station to Pariser Platz (at the Brandenburg Gate) project is currently being realised. The sections, which are to be executed via cut-and-cover, are being built in the same excavation, which is being used for railway installations and the federal highway 96. The groundwater level, which is roughly 3 m beneath the surface, calls for water impermeable construction trenches. These are created by means of back-anchored slotted walls with back-anchored underwater concrete base or a deep-seated sealing base. To the south of Ruhsteg Station, the 2 running tubes are driven using a shield with fluid-supported face. The adjoining section from the Brandenburg Gate Station to the Berliner Rathaus Station, is still at the planning stage. On account of its special location in the centre of Berlin (Straße Unter den Linden), this section is largely to be tackled using mining means. The route tunnels are to be driven by a shield, the Brandenburg Gate and Spreeinsel stations by mining means protected by a frozen zone. The required track installations in the Straße Unter den Linden are also to be tunnelled underground. The Unter den Linden (U 5/ U 6) and Berliner Rathaus stations are scheduled to be constructed by cut-and-cover on account of the height at which the existing track installations are located. A wall-cover method with deep-seated sealing base is foreseen to ensure that the surface at the surveying point Friedrichstrasse/Unter den Linden is quickly made available again. After completing the U 5, 200,000 passengers per day will use this line, making it one of the city's most important east-west connections.

 

  • Country: Germany
  • Region: Berlin
  • Tunnel utilization: Traffic
  • Type of utilization: Underground, urban and rapid transit
  • Client: Senatsverwaltung für Bauen, Wohnen und Verkehr - im Auftrag der Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe
  • Consulting Engineer: Schüßler-Plan (IVZ), Zerna/Köpper + Partner, PSP, Jessberger + Partner, DMT, WKP/Krentel, SenBauWohnV
  • Contractor: Brückner, Ballast-Nedam, Hochtief AG, Strabag Bau AG, Walter Bau AG, Bauer AG, Max Bögl, Bunte, Heilit + Wörner Bau AG, llbau, Möbius, Övermann, Spie GmbH, vdw
  • Main construction method: Trenchless
  • Type of excavation: Shield machine
  • No. of tubes: 2
  • Tunnel total length: 4,100 m
  • Cross-section: Outer diameter (shield) 6.45 m, inner diameter 5,75 m, station up to 220 m²
  • Contract Volume: 1.3 bill. DM
  • Construction start/end: 1993 till1999
  • Opening: approx. 2006