By rosebell
Following a 15-week closure for reconstruction of sections of the tunnel vault, the Mont Blanc Tunnel has reopened.
As experimental renovation to address wear from water infiltration and to waterproof the areas, two 300m sections underwenthe , whereas these sections were located almost 2km and 8km from the tunnel entrance in France.
Removing equipment, such as cameras, signs and incident detection; installing containment airlocks before planing 5-10cm from the vault; injecting micro-mortar at the back of the vault and re-sealing; as well as reinstating all tunnel equipment, were the contents of this work.
Also the renovation of a further 600m next year will be done in accordance with the lessons learned from this work.
According to ATMB: “The aim was to identify the best operating procedure, including the technology used and the time required. The Mont Blanc Tunnel is more than 60 years old. It is now the first of the major European tunnels to undertake deep renovation work on its structure. In addition to the regular maintenance carried out during maintenance nights, this exceptional infrastructure naturally enters a period when it requires large-scale civil engineering work. This work is necessary to guarantee the sustainability of the work over the long term.”
