The fourth tunnel element for the Fehmarnbelt Tunnel has been immersed, completing nearly 900m of the 18km-long tunnel.
The tunnel between Denmark and Germany will comprise 79 standard elements and 10 short special elements with a basement. Now the fourth element is in place, the first of the special elements will be immersed.
“When we had placed the first elements on the seabed, it was important to demonstrate that the equipment, method and co-operation work in practice. each operation is still a technically demanding task, but we feel well equipped for the next major task, which is the immersion of the first special element with a basement,” said Sund & Baelt deputy contract director Lasse Vester.
The special elements are placed at intervals of approximately 2km. The basements house the tunnel’s technical installations, while at road level there is a lay-by for service vehicles.
The first special element is expected to be immersed during the autumn.
Production of new elements continues at the tunnel factory in Rødbyhavn, where 16 standard elements and three special elements have so far been cast. The standard elements are 217m long and weigh 73,500 tonnes.
The Fehmarnbelt project is one of Europe’s largest infrastructure projects. The 18km immersed tunnel – the longest in the world – will have a motorway with two lanes in each direction and two electrified railway tracks.
The travel time will be 10 minutes by car and seven minutes by train.
