By rosebell
In order to reducing the environmental impact of tunnel segment production for the Brenner Base Tunnel, BBT SE selected an ecologically sustainable approach for minimizing the impact on the environment and on people living in the project area, which includes using aggregates from the tunnel boring in segment production, and opting for rail transport.
While the segments for the exploration tunnel are almost half the weight of those for the main tunnel, the prefabricated reinforced concrete segments’ weight for the main tunnel is approximately nine tonnes; a keystone around three tonnes; and a base segment 17 tonnes.
The location of producing segments for the H61 Mauls 2-3 lot is the Hinterrigger segment plant.
According to operations manager Giorgio Malucelli:” The aggregates required for the concrete production come from the tunnel boring process.They are mainly transported to Hinterrigger via conveyor belts. The conveyor belts run on the construction site from the tunnel face to the segment plant. After they are completed, the segments are delivered by rail to the TBM, where the tunnel lining is carried out. Each train transports up to two rings, or 16 segments.”
Considering that share of the dug material for using in segments is 30%, no material has to be obtained from external quarries that causes diminish in the number of road transports and the amount of material to be deposited.
Additionally, as the Ahrental segment factory is located on the construction site of the H41 Sillschlucht-Pfons lot, it removes the require for around 27,000 lorry movements.
Due to the space constraints, production of the segments on the construction site is not possible for the H53 Pfons-Brenner lot. Meanwhile, through rail transportation around 40,000 truck movements are avoided and the date of delivering first segments to the site was last month. TBMs Wilma and Olga begin driving north in September on this section of the tunnel.
