SWISS TUNNEL PRODUCTIVITY IMPROVES USING CURVED CONVEYOR

Four years experience in the driving of the Neuchatel highway tunnel using an REI Curvoduc conveyor behind the tbm (tunnel boring machine) has proved the principle of curved conveyors in tunnels and opened up a viable option for soil disposal in a variety of situations. The Neuchatel tunnels, designed to relieve city centre traffic congestion, had severe environmental constraints placed on their construction because of the proximity of residential and commercial areas. The tunnel, 4km in length, is made up of a 740m western section through blue marl and yellow limestone and a 2.7km eastern section through massive marble connected by a central cut and cover section. Two bends in the tunnel posed a problem in spoil removal which was solved by the use of a curved conveyor made by REI. The conveyor was designed to be dismantled in sections and rebolted for use at the other end of the tunnel. The construction of the conveyor is described in detail. The 800mm wide belt has a top end capacity of 1000t/h at a speed of 4m/s. In use 16 hours a day and 5 days a week, the conveyor has not suffered any breakdowns. Models of the tunnel and the tunnel itself have become a tourist attraction. (TRRL)

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/09568700
• Corporate Authors:

  Mining Journal Limited

  60 Worship Street
  London EC2A 2HD,   England 
• Publication Date: 1988-3

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 26-7,29
• Serial:
  • WORLD TUNNELLING AND SUBSURFACE EXCAVATION
  • Volume: 1
  • Issue Number: 1
  • Publisher: THE MINING JOURNAL LTD
  • ISSN: 0956-8700

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Construction management; Conveyors; Excavation; Mucking; Spoil; Tunnels
• Geographic Terms: Switzerland
• ITRD Terms: 3666: Construction method; 3662: Conveyor (mater); 5155: Excavation (process); 5126: Spoil removal (tunnel); 8110: Switzerland; 3374: Tunnel
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Construction; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00492833
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 31 1990 12:00AM