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New Erfurt-Leipzig/Halle Line: Finne Tunnel

In order to accomplish the Berlin-Munich-Verona north-south artery the Deutsche Bahn AG is tackling the upgrading and new construction of the Berlin-Leipzig/Halle- Erfurt -Nuremberg-Munich route. The Germany Unity Transport Project 8.2 includes the construction of the new 123 km long section between Erfurt and Leipzig/Halle. In addition to a number of bridges spanning valleys and 2 further tunnels the 6.9 km long Finne Tunnel is the longest engineering structure on this section. Furthermore,  it is the sole tunnel along the entire route, driven by mechanised means with a monocoque segmental lining. The tunnel consists of 2 parallel tubes, which are linked every 500 m by cross-passages. Both tubes are driven parallel by 2 tunnelling machines (TBMs) by means of a staggered arrangement. The shield machines possess an external diameter of 10.82 m, the segment thickness amounts to 45 cm - given a ring width of 2 m - and the internal diameter is 9.60 m. The two TBMs made by the Herrenknecht AG are devised as convertible mix-shields. Over the first 1,500 m of the excavation the TBMs were operated as hydro-shields in closed mode with fluid support, then they were converted underground to open mode. Towards this end the cutterhead was adjusted without conversion chamber. The hydro-shield components such as locks etc. were removed and the specific open mode components such as belt conveyance installed. The prevailing geology is characterised by alternating beds of clays, silt stones and sandstones over the first 1,500 m, which are completely disintegrated at the 1st and 2nd Finne fault zones. In addition middle and lower keuper is to be found over the first 250 m of the tunnel. As the groundwater is located up to 60 m above the tunnel roof from tunnel metre 0 to 1,500 and the inflow of groundwater is very high, these areas have to be tackled by means of a hydro-shield. From tunnel metre 1,500 until the end at tunnel metre 6,822 stable intermittent beds of sandstone and clay prevail, which can be driven using the open mode. The prevailing groundwater here is also present up to 60 m above the tunnel roof and is lowered from tunnel metre 1,500 to 6,000 by means of a drainage system of drilled wells. Over the final 800 m the water level is located below the tunnel axis. Once the excavation work is finished, which is scheduled for early summer 2010, the base will be installed, the cut-and-cover jobs - each 75 m carried out and the 13 cross-passages and three passages for technical equipment produced.

 

  • Country: Germany
  • Region: Saxony Anhalt/Thuringia
  • Tunnel utilization: Traffic
  • Type of utilization: Railway Tunnel ICE High-Speed Route
  • Client: DB Netz AG, represented by DB Projektbau GmbH, Regionalbereich Südost Großprojekt VDE 8
  • Consulting Engineer: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dieter Kirsche
  • Test engineer: MaidI & MaidI Beratende Ingenieure GmbH & Co. KG, Bochum
  • Design Planning: Krebs und Kiefer Beratende Ingenieure für das Bauwesen GmbH/ Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dieter Kirsche
  • Execution Planning: Wayss & Freytag Ingenieurbau AG, Technical Department, Frankfurt am Main
  • Construction monitoring: lngenieurgemeinschaft Bauüberwachung Finnetunnel: Zerna Ingenieure GmbH, Bung Ingenieure AG
  • Contractor: Finnetunnel JV: Wayss & Freytag Ingenieurbau AG, Frankfurt am Main; Max Bögl Bauunternehmung GmbH & Co. KG, Munich; PorrTechnobau und Umwelt GmbH, Munich; Porr.Tunnelbau GmbH, Vienna
  • Main construction method: Trenchless
  • Type of excavation: Shield machine
  • Lining: Reinforced concrete segments
  • No. of tubes: 2
  • Tunnel total length: 2 x 6,970 m
  • Contract Volume: approx. 247 mill. Euro
  • Construction start/end: December 2006 till December 2011
  • Opening: 2015