WORLD'S LONGEST ROAD TUNNEL IS BEING DRIVEN THROUGH THE SWISS ALPS

DETAILS ARE GIVEN OF THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE ST. GOTHARD PROJECT EXPECTED TO BREAKTHROUGH IN 1975 AND TO BE OPENED TO TRAFFIC IN 1978-9. THE PROJECT INCLUDES 16.3 KM OF HIGHWAY TUNNEL EXCAVATED TO 70-90 M SQUARE CROSS-SECTION AND A SIMILAR LENGTH OF 6-8 M SQUARE SAFETY TUNNEL RUNNING PARALLEL, 65 SHELTERS WITH CONNECTIONS BETWEEN MAIN AND SAFETY TUNNELS, AND FOUR VENTILLATION SHAFTS OF 30-45 M SQ SECTION. THE MAIN TUNNEL AND LOCK CHAMBERS WILL BE LINED WITH CONCRETE; THE TUNNEL WILL HAVE A TWO-LANE CARRIAGEWAY 7.8 M WIDE WITH A HEAD-ROOM OF 4.5M, AND VENTILATION AIRWAYS SITED ABOVE THE FALSE CEILING. AT A LATER DATE, THE SAFETY TUNNEL WILL BE WIDENED TO DUPLICATE FACILITIES. THE EQUIPMENT USED FOR EXCAVATION AND DRAINAGE OPERATIONS IS DESCRIBED, AND MENTION IS MADE OF A SLIDING FLOOR USED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN EUROPE. /TRRL/

• Corporate Authors:

  Ground Engineering

  7 Ongar Road
  Brentwood CM15 9AU,   England 
• Publication Date: 1972-1

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 18-23
• Serial:
  • Publication of: Ground Engineering /UK/
  • Volume: 5
  • Issue Number: 1
  • Publisher: Ground Engineering

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Concrete; Drainage; Equipment; Excavation and tunneling; Floors; Structural design; Tunnel lining; Tunneling; Tunnels; Ventilation systems
• Uncontrolled Terms: Tunnel design
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Construction; Highways; Hydraulics and Hydrology;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00215749
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Dec 18 1972 12:00AM