Tunnel under the river Elbe - Hamburg - West Germany

Abstract

This important work, constructed to solve the traffic problem between the northern and Southern parts of Hamburg, has an overall length of 3,325 m. The greater part of the tunnel is provided with special aeration, supplied by three ventilation stations. The tunnel is made up of three independent! circulation tubes, each with two traffic lanes. The lateral tubes are intended for one way traffic, whereas the middle lane is designed for two way traffic. In the section under the river itself, these three tubes, along with the ventilating ducts, come together into one single rectangular piece. This particular stretch consists of eight members, which were constructed in nearby dry dock and were later sunk and laid on the river bottom, along a previously excavated trench. It was completed by means of highly advanced technological methods for sealing the joints and subsequently the trench was again covered up with the excavation material. The section under the greatest slope of the river bed was excavated by means of the method of the advancing driller pipe shield, and the end sections were so near the surface that the work was carried out in the open air. The northern ventilation station —a reinforced concrete construction, connecting sections of the tunnel— further contains the safety and control stations for the entire length of the tunnel, and is equipped with the most modern technical devices.