By rosebell
In its latest update, TELT, the French-Italian public company managing the construction, also says there are 17 excavation fronts in operation on the central element of the Lyon-Turin railway project.
At the French portal to the base tunnel, in Saint-Julien-Montdenis, traditional excavation is 80% complete. At the same time, the final lining has been applied to more than 20% of the tunnel.
In Saint-Martin-la-Porte, on LotCO7 being delivered by CO 6/7, the Italian-French consortium comprising Vinci Construction, Webuild, Dodin Campenon Bernard and Campenon Bernard Centre, TBM Viviana continues to make slower progress on the north tube while navigating a geologically complex section on its 9km drive.
“This configuration, already encountered during the excavation of the south tube, imposes particularly delicate excavation phases, requiring reinforced controls, technical adaptations of the machine and specific maintenance operations. As a result, the pace of progress alternates between excavation phases and technical stops, the duration of which can be extended depending on the conditions encountered,” TELT says.
In La Praz, the CO 6/7 consortium is preparing for the arrival of the two additional TBMs.
In Avrieux, on Lot CO5, one of the four ventilation wells is already in service while the last one is being finished and in Villarodin-Bourget/Modane, the assembly of the first of the two TBMs that will cross the border continues. Its commissioning is scheduled for this winter.
In Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne at the multimodal interchange on Lot CO9, the interconnection with the existing rail network is entering a critical phase. As part of the connection of the new tracks to the existing tracks, SNCF Réseau is carrying out continuous operationsfrom September 11 to October 9.
On the Italian side, on Lot CO3/4 – Chiomonte-Giaglione – the UXT consortium of Itinera, Ghella and Spie Batignolles is rehabilitating the Chiomonteconstruction site after the area was damaged in a violent attack by opponents to the railway project in July.
UXT is also preparing to excavate the Maddalena 2 gallery from which the sixth TBM will be launched.
The 57.5km twin-tube Mont Cenis Base Tunnel is being built across 12 co-ordinated construction sites. When completed, it will be the world’s longest railway tunnel.
