Consultants Atkins and Cowi have been awarded key tunnel design roles in separate major transport projects in China – parts of the Express Rail Link (XRL) from Hong Kong and the Shatin-Central Link project, and the immersed tube section of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau link, respectively.
MTR Corp has awarded Atkins the contract (C802) to undertake detailed design of twin tube tunnels and associated works for the “south” section of XRL, which is to extend approximately 15km from Kowloon, in Hong Kong, towards the mainland border, stopping approximately 10km short.
Atkins added that it is also involved in the contract (C803) to undertake detailed design work in this “north” gap section.
Atkins undertook preliminary design work for the tunnels, which it said would be bored through complex ground conditions in an urban area to a fast-track programme. Construction methods will include drill and blast, shield and cut and cover. The approx 25km-26km long section is to be completed by 2014-15.
Tenders were submitted in September last year. MTR Corp took over the project upon its merger with Kowloon-Canton Railway Corp, almost a year and a half ago.
Beyond the border, the link will run to Shenzhen and Guangzhou provinces. Part of the northern section, between Shenzhen and Guangzhou, is already under development and is to be operational by 2010.
Separately, in Shenzhen, MTR has just signed a concession agreement for Phase 2 of Line 4 of the city’s metro on a build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis for 30 years. The 15.8km long extension – almost a third of which will be in tunnel and with two underground stations – is to be operational by 2011, and MTR has been already working in the scheme over the last few years. The package involves also taking over operations on Phase 1 of the line – opened in 2004 – from about 2010.
Back in Hong Kong, MTR also awarded Atkins the preliminary design contract for the North-South Line section of the Shatin-Central Link project. The 6km long extension, from East Rail Line, is mostly underground between Hung Hom and Admiralty stations, involves excavation below the harbour and is due to be completed in 2019. The consultant is also working on the East-West Line, which is the other part of the project.
Distinct from the land links, the Chinese Government has launched the preliminary design work for a coastal road from Hong Kong to Zhuhai and Macau with the award of a contract to design a 30km long bridge and tunnel connection.
In the nine month contract, Cowi is to focus on developing the design of the 5.6km long immersed tube tunnel, which will be approximately 40m wide (three lanes in each direction) and placed at depths up to 38m. Its partners in the JV are Arup, the Chinese Highway Plan and Design Institute (HPDI), Shanghai Tunnel and Design Institute (STEDI), and the 1st Harbour Design Institute.
