Prequalification documents for the two main contracts on Sweden’s US $1000 million Malmö Citytunnel rail project were due back in late April as T&TI went to press. At 3000M SEK, the largest contract covers construction of 4.5km of twin bore tunnel and Triangle Station. The second contract is for construction of the 1000M SEK Malmö Central cut and cover station. Tender documents are due to be sent out to prequalified bidders in August.
Subject to a smooth transit through the Swedish Environment Court, this means work on both Malmö station and the bored tunnels should begin late next year.
Logistics, environmental and geotechnical aspects of urban tunnelling are set to play a major role in the choice of contractor.
“The biggest part of the job will be tunnelling under the central part of the city, where there are buildings vulnerable to settlement, and environmental issues such as noise, vibration and groundwater control” says Michael Bindseil of the project’s Danish consultant COWI. Bindseil is also deputy project manager, with SWECO-COWI, the JV design consultant for the project’s tunnels.
The two 7.9m diameter tunnels will run through water-bearing fractured limestone using closed face double-shield TBMs. Typical depth of cover to the tunnel crown will be around 11m.
Thirteen cross passages used for electrical and mechanical equipment will also serve as evacuation routes joining the two main tunnels. Additionally there will be two emergency exit shafts located at approximately one third and two thirds along the tunnel.
The second biggest contract package is the new Malmö Central cut and cover station. With 320m long platforms and four tracks, it will be fully integrated into both Malmö’s existing local public transport and Sweden’s national rail network.
The National Rail Administration backed scheme will link Malmö centre to the new Øresund crossing, giving a journey time by rail between the centres of Malmö and Denmark’s capital Copenhagen of only 30 minutes.
The project includes 17km of new electrified railway, 11km linking the centre of Malmö to the Øresund fixed link and an additional 6km single-track section linking to Trelleborg and Ystad to the south east of Malmö.
A second new station will be constructed at Hyllie which is on an overland section of the project.
Construction of the bored tunnels and Triangle station will make up the biggest single contract on the project at around 3000M SEK. The plan is to open the new link by late 2008.
Related Files
Figure 1: Proposed route map of Malmo’s 4.5km long twin tunnel rail project
