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Breakthrough in Sedrun
The main breakthrough at the Gotthard Base Tunnel marks the most significant milestone on the way to completing the longest railway tunnel in the world.
Tunnelling in the south, Bodio/Faido and Faido/Sedrun lots
Fall 2006: Breakthrough into the Faido multifunctional station by the Herrenknecht Gripper TBM under the construction management of the TAT Consortium (Tunnel AlpTransit - Ticino).
Precision in mechanized tunnelling has reached an enormously high level. Achieving breakthrough after 13.5 and/or 14km with only minimum deviations is a degree of accuracy that is comparable to a marksman hitting a 1 euro coin at a distance of two kilometers.
Rear view: Overhaul work is carried out right behind the cutterhead of the gigantic Gripper TBM.
View of the gripper plates: They brace themselves against the rock on both sides. The thrust cylinders then push the machine forward.
Tunnelling in the north, Erstfeld/Amsteg and Amsteg/Sedrun lots
June 16, 2009: In only 18 months, the hard rock tunnel boring machine (Gripper TBM) managed a mountain stretch of 7.2 kilometers in the eastern tube under the construction management of the Gotthard Base Tunnel North Consortium (AGN). The section was completed six months earlier than planned.
September 16, 2007: Herrenknecht’s tunnel boring machine “Gabi 2” reached its target in the western tube of the Gotthard Base Tunnel in Amsteg - six months ahead of schedule. Thus, mechanized tunnelling in the north is completed.
Illustrations
We are happy to provide you with the following illustrations upon request as high-resolution, changeable data formats for download. pr(at)herrenknecht.de
Four Herrenknecht Gripper Tunnel Boring Machines are drilling and securing more than 85km of the main tubes of the Gotthard Base Tunnel. They are specialists in solid rock.
Illustration of a Gripper TBM with a legend showing how the machine functions and containing machine data.
Cross section: The Gotthard Base Tunnel crosses various geological formations a mere 550m above zero. 75% of the main tubes were constructed using Herrenknecht Gripper Tunnel Boring Machines.
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