Technical Specifications
Project description
Construction of a modern, approximately 1.8-kilometre-long immersed and sinking tunnel to serve as a new central link between the island of Fehmarn and the German mainland. The sinking tunnel is connected on both sides to further tunnel sections, which are being constructed using the cut-and-cover method. The tunnel comprises four tunnel tubes – two each for road and rail – containing four lanes for road traffic and two tracks for rail. The entire structure will be approximately 2.2 kilometres long.
Rail partnership model: The project is being carried out in seven contract packages and in collaboration with numerous other construction companies under an alliance model.
Construction method
We are responsible for Contract Package 3, the immersed tunnel:
- On the mainland, to the west of the causeway leading to the Fehmarn Sound Bridge, a dry dock is being built for the fabrication of the 12 tunnel segments
- At the same time, the portal area on the island is being built using the cut-and-cover method
- Three elements can be produced simultaneously in the dry dock
- Once completed, the dock will be flooded and the three segments will be towed into the Fehmarn Sound and temporarily stored on the water
- Whilst the next three sections are being built in the dry dock, the completed sections will be lowered into the strait one after the other and connected to the tunnel portal on the island side
- Once all 12 tunnel sections have been joined, the dry dock will be converted into the tunnel portal on the mainland
- Road traffic across the Fehmarn Sound Bridge will continue throughout the entire construction period
Geology
The existing ground consists largely of tarraston, a particularly challenging construction ground due to its pronounced swelling behaviour. The construction of the dry dock therefore requires the highest level of technical expertise and experience from all those involved.
General information
Project
Fehmarn Sound Crossing (FSQ) – Package 3: Immersed Tunnel
Client
DB InfraGO and DEGES (Deutsche Einheit Fernstraßenplanungs- und -bau GmbH)
Contractor
Rail partnership model in an alliance with 15 other companies
Rail link for the Fehmarn Belt Fixed Link
The existing road and railway bridge over the Fehmarn Sound – which has been in operation since 1963 and is just under one kilometre long – currently forms the main link between the island of Fehmarn and the German mainland. However, studies have shown that, in the long term, the structure will no longer be able to cope with future increases in traffic volumes.
Consequently, a comprehensive study of alternative options concluded that the bridge should be replaced by a modern, approximately 1.7-kilometre-long floating and submerged tunnel. This new tunnel will accommodate four lanes for road traffic and two railway tracks, thereby significantly increasing the capacity of the link.
The Fehmarn Sound Crossing is part of the major European project ‘Rail Connection to the Fixed Fehmarn Belt Crossing’ and will in future provide a fast and environmentally friendly link between Hamburg and Copenhagen in just 2.5 hours.
The project is being implemented as an IPA project under the ‘Rail Partnership’ model, with a multi-party contract that ensures the full integration of all key project partners throughout the planning and construction phases.
Management is based on jointly agreed target costs and a comprehensive incentive scheme that distributes opportunities and risks among the partners throughout the entire course of the project.
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