Koralmtunnel

The Koralmtunnel is the core of the construction in progress Koralmbahn Graz- Klagenfurt. He should as a base tunnel traverse the Koralpe and connect the area to Germany Mountain with the Lavant valley and go into operation in 2022.

With a planned length of about 32.9 km it is the longest tunnel in the route and will be the longest railway tunnel in Austria and siebentlängste railway tunnel in the world after its completion.

• 5.1 technology

General

The Koralmbahn between Graz and Klagenfurt is a relevant section within the Baltic- Adriatic axis dar. With this new high-speed rail connecting new capacity and significantly improved conditions for passenger and rail freight are to be created.

The Koralmtunnel as the centerpiece of the 130 -km-long high-speed rail route Koralmbahn to on its completion a length of just 32.9 kilometers have own two -lane tunnels and cross passages every 500 m. The maximum overlay is 1200 m. In the middle of the tunnel an emergency stop is provided. The center distance of the two tunnel tubes is around 40 m, in the field of emergency station 50 m.

After about 130 exploration drill holes totaling approximately 21,000 linear meters were carried out in a multi-phase exploration program on preparing for the last official procedures and the procurement of 2003 a total of 10 km-long exploratory tunnel system, begun consisting of four contract sections in Leibenfeld and Paierdorf. The exploration tunnel Leibenfeld, Mitterpichling and Paierdorf as well as the exploration shafts Leibenfeld and Paierdorf are meanwhile successfully completed.

The groundbreaking ceremony for the first lot of Koralm tunnel at the east portal ( KAT1 ) was held on 20 March 2009. The work on the second contract section ( KAT2 ) began in January 2011 and the work on the third contract section ( KAT3 ) started in November 2013.

The ÖBB Infrastructure AG maintains near the construction sites Leibenfeld ( KAT2 ) and Mitterpichling ( KAT3 ) Visitor information centers - so-called Infobox - and also allows visits to the tunnel construction site.

Construction phase

On 21 May 2010 the tunnel of the lot KAT 1, was 2.3 km of tunnels and 3.2 km open track, the shortest section of the three tunnel sections, chipped. At the same time, however, the Austrian Ministry of Infrastructure announced a further evaluation of all major Austrian infrastructure projects. In a political summit on the east portal of the tunnel Koralm on 25 June 2010, the financing was assured finally, the largest with about 20 km of tunnel construction lot KAT 2 was awarded on 12 October 2010. This is considered the "point of no return" for the Koralmtunnel. Construction of the tunnel construction lot KAT2 began with January 2011. In May 2012, the first tunnel breakthrough between the two contract sections KAT1 and KAT2 was. In January 2013, the official tightening the first tunnel boring machine was to Styrian side and in November 2013 started the construction work on the third and last Koralmtunnel Baulos KAT3 of Carinthian side.

The Koralmbahn

→ Main article: Koralmbahn

Due to the place in 2004 enlargement of the European Union as a transit country Austria of its EU outskirts position moves away and consolidate its status within the EU as an important link with the countries of South-Eastern and Eastern Europe.

As a key link in the Trans-European Networks (TENs), the Pontebbana axis has been set. Efforts to accommodate this axis in the list of EU priority transport projects are currently running, this route is ultimately the verkehrsgeografisch logical continuation of the Pan-European Corridor PP23 to a " Baltic-Adriatic axis ", which Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the space Vienna, southern Austria, northern Italy and the Adriatic ports to connect. This also important for Austria regions along the Danube are connected to a high standard with the regions in the south and east of Austria.

Also in Austria made ​​great efforts to increase to a promising level have been made for several years along this rail corridor. Due to the nearly complete new construction of approximately 130 km long Koralmbahn between Graz and Klagenfurt future track capacity to be increased significantly along a significant portion of this axis. It created better conditions for railway freight transport, passenger travel times are massively reduced by the project, thus improving the web-side accessibility in southern Austria.

The Koralmtunnel

Short portrait

• Design: 2 single-track
• Center distance of tubes: 40 m; in the field of emergency stop 50 m; due to the plant lower in the portal areas near
• Inner radius of the tunnel tubes: 3,95 m
• Outbreak area: 82 m² per tube
• Cross passages every 500 m ( serve as escape routes in the event of a fault in the safe tube )
• Emergency stopping point: center of the tunnel ( in this area 50 m distance between the two tubes)
• Overall length: 32.893 km ( south tube ) or 32.860 km ( north tube )
• Maximum overlay: 1,200 m
• Zuluftschächte: Leibenfeld and Paierdorf

The tunnel has a roof profile. From the high point, around 18 km from the east portal, the gradient falls to 5.44 per thousand and 3.00 per thousand towards the east from the west.

In detail

The twin-tube Koralmtunnel poses with a length of about 32.9 km and maximum superpositions of approx. 1,200 meters, the core of the new high -speed line between Graz and Klagenfurt dar. It crosses in the portal areas near Neogene, fine clastic sediments, and in the central part of the polymetamorphic massif of the Kor, consisting of gneiss and mica slate successions with subordinate marbles, amphibolites and eclogites.

The two tunnel tubes, which, according multiphase cross-section optimization under consideration of Railway and aerodynamic requirements usually an inner radius of 3.95 m, run with a spacing of approximately 40 m and 500 m above crosscuts all interconnected. The cross passages serve as escape routes in case of failure in the second, secure tube and include rooms for railway equipment. Depending on the installation is located in the portal areas close before a lower center distance. In the central part of the tunnel Koralm the center distance was increased to 50 m in order for one -off space between the tubes route to enable 2 x 400 m long emergency station. The emergency stop is located approximately in the middle of the tunnel and forms a portion additionally increased levels of safety in case of malfunction. On the basis of extensive operational and conservation and safety-related studies was to dispense with the execution of a control center over in the first construction phase, creating a safety and ventilation technically simple tunnel system could be created.

About the two Zuluftschächte Leibenfeld ( 60 m deep) and Paierdorf ( around 120 m deep) can be introduced in the maintenance and incident in the tunnel system of air.

The propulsion of the main tunnel is carried out in three main phases:

In the areas between the eastern portal and the Body field, in the emergency stop and the cross passages as well as in the south tube of the lot KAT 3 cyclic propulsion is provided, other areas will be excavated in the continuous tunneling with shield machines.

Milestones

Project Status

Based on the results of the corridor studies for the Koralmbahn was started in 1998 with the initial rough planning and geological and geotechnical edits in the route corridor of the Koralm tunnel. The route selection was completed in 2001. In particular, for routing in the central part of the Kor a way was found at an early stage to avoid tunneling technically difficult and risky areas as possible.

The environmental impact assessment (EIA ) for the 44.2 km long section Wettmannstätten - St. Andrew the Koralmbahn, in which the Koralmtunnel located, has ended with a positive result in 2003. The ground investigation was carried out in a multi-stage process, with the aim of obtaining a each project phase to phase of the project in-depth, three-dimensional consistent knowledge. The chosen path is a clearly subdivided, multi-stage procedure, in which the knowledge is deepened gradually adapted to the required in each project and official procedures, allowing an efficient and structured obtaining an extensive knowledge about the expectable ground conditions.

In the course of deep exploration wells were drilled 133 core with approximately 21,000 linear meters and maximum depths of 1,200 m in total. Drilling methods have been further developed for the specific conditions and exploration targets of the Koralm tunnels, as well extensive upgrades and new developments were injected through the Koralmtunnel project in geophysical exploration methods.

As part of this gradual deepening exploration program was carried out in 2003 and the construction of a total of about 10 km long system of exploratory tunnels and shafts that serve particular the obtaining of detailed geological and hydrogeological knowledge as a basis for the tenders of the main headings. The last ongoing excavation work at the exploratory tunnel Paierdorf were completed in the spring of 2010.

For the Koralmtunnel end of 2007, the railways are planning permission has been obtained, the start of construction for the first lot on Koralmtunnel (KAT 1) took place in December 2008. The lot KAT 2 was awarded in mid-October 2010. The construction work on the lot KAT 3 launched in November 2013. A completion of tunneling work on Koralmtunnel from today's perspective in 2017 expected. The lot KAT 1 was completed on schedule in October 2013.

As part of the budget negotiations, it was also announced that as a completion date not go as planned in 2020, but only 2021 ( part operation) or 2023 (full operation), will coincide with the Semmering base tunnel set.

Technology

For the power supply of the trains is to be used an overhead conductor rail. Now appropriate approval has been requested for operation at 250 km / hr.

Rescue plan

During the construction phase, the entire construction personnel, contractors and visitors will be equipped with active RFID tags. These allow precise monitoring of the number of persons within the tunnel area in real time. The tags work with a range of more than 100 meters. To ensure that all people are detected in the tunnel, including those who drive with up to 20 km / h in the tunnel or be transported later inside the tunnel with cars. Specific portals at the tunnel entrance recognize the people, and in a case of danger, the number and position of the persons to be evacuated will be on a fire control station display.

Criticism

Critics reject the project because it was in costs. According to the daily newspaper The Press and courier the construction project including financing expenses could cost more than 10 billion euros. It was also criticized that the Austrian Southern Railway not part of the favored by the EU transport infrastructure (TEN ) is, and the EU would not be involved in the financing. This criticism was rejected by the Federal Ministry of Transport as part of the answer to a parliamentary question, however; the Koralmbahn is simply not enough as a priority project, but has been promoted by the TENs budget. Furthermore, it was argued that the Koralmtunnel is meaningless without the Semmering base tunnel; the realization of this tunnel, however, is planned by the ÖBB until 2023. See also: Criticism of Koralmbahn.