CONSTRUCTING THE PIET HEINTUNNEL AND THE WIJKERTUNNEL

During the period from 1993 to 1996 two immersed tunnels were built in the region of the Amsterdam North Sea Canal. Near IJmuiden (canal entrance) the Wijkertunnel was built as a part of the A9 motorway, whilst at the eastern border of Amsterdam the Piet Heintunnel was built as a part of the new main city road, the IJ boulevard. The Wijkertunnel has a total length of approximately 1400m, containing two tubes each for three lane traffic. The total length of the Piet Heintunnel is circa 1900m with two tubes each for double lane traffic and one tube for a double track light city rail. Characteristic for both tunnels is that their construction docks were located a long distance away from the construction sites. The six elements of the Wijkertunnel, each 100m long, were built in an existing dock near Rotterdam. The eight elements of the Piet Heintunnel, each 157m long, were built in an existing dock near Antwerp. All fourteen elements were towed on tidal rivers to the North Sea and along the coast to the North Sea Canal. For this transportation in relatively rough sea conditions special design requirements were implemented by model testing and risk analyses. Insurance companies required special provisions for the elements. A good weather forecast formed part of the decision for departure. Both tunnels have a specially designed ventilation and management control system. Both tunnels omitted the traditional entrance awning screen. For the Wijkertunnel this was replaced by counter beam lighting and for the Piet Heintunnel highly intensive lighting at the entrance zone was installed. The management for both tunnels is linked to that of neighbouring tunnels. (A) For the covering abstract see IRRD 895561.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0727726048
• Corporate Authors:

  Thomas Telford Limited

  London,   United Kingdom 
• Authors:
  • DE RONDE, S F
  • VAN VLIET, J
• Publication Date: 1997

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 310-9
• Serial:
  • IMMERSED TUNNEL TECHNIQUES 2. PROCEEDINGS OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ORGANIZED BY THE INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE INSTITUTION OF ENGINEERS OF IRELAND AND HELD IN CORK, IRELAND, ON 23-24 APRIL 1997
  • Publisher: Thomas Telford Limited

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Conferences; Construction; Design; Hazards; Highways; Railroad transportation; Seas; Transportation; Tunnels; Underwater construction; Underwater structures; Ventilation systems; Weather
• Geographic Terms: Netherlands
• ITRD Terms: 8525: Conference; 3655: Construction; 9011: Design (overall design); 2755: Highway; 8078: Netherlands; 1173: Rail bound transport; 9150: Risk; 4368: Sea; 1155: Transport; 3374: Tunnel; 3626: Underwater; 3392: Ventilation; 2545: Weather
• Subject Areas: Construction; Design; Transportation (General);

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00748466
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• ISBN: 0-7277-2604-8
• Files: ITRD
• Created Date: May 27 1998 12:00AM