U5 Europaviertel: Completion of conventional tunnel driving in the south tube
/ Structural engineering / Tunneling / News / Press Release
The extension of underground line 5 in Frankfurt will connect the Europaviertel to the city's underground network. The ARGE U5 Europaviertel consortium, consisting of PORR Tunnelbau, Ingenieurbau and Stump-Franki Spezialtiefbau, is working together to construct the 1,160 m long underground section. An important project step has now been reached: after around 850 m of tunnelling for the south tube, the team is standing in front of the so-called existing wall to the main station.
After ARGE U5 had completed the first mechanised tunnelling in the south tube in October 2020, the next major challenge lay ahead: conventional tunnelling. At the same time, mechanised tunnelling in the north tube was started in January 2021. At the end of May 2021, tunnel boring machine EVA reached its final position under the Platz der Republik in Frankfurt am Main.
Between mechanical and conventional tunnelling, the tunnel boring machine and the 72-tonne cutting wheel were dismantled and all preparations were made for the compressed air work.
The team mastered the last 11.00 m in the south tube up to the existing wall with flying colours in the tightest of spaces and under compressed air using the mining method. During the work, which took place under one of Frankfurt's busiest road junctions, almost no subsidence, compressed air losses and - most importantly - no accidents were recorded.
Next up is the construction of the in-situ concrete shell in the south tube and the conventional tunnel driving in the north tube. The team is looking forward to this work with the greatest motivation. SBEV GmbH also congratulates on this successful milestone.
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