Images courtesy of PERI SE
Images courtesy of PERI SE

PERI SE is supplying formwork material for 79 standard tunnel elements, each 217.00 m in length and 73,000 tonnes in weight. Each of the total of 79 standard elements is composed of nine concreting sections with a width of 45.00 m and a height of 9.00 m. Around 3,000 m3 of concrete are used per concreting section, resulting in a weight of more than 8,000 tonnes each.

After the concreting process, the elements are fitted with bulkheads at both ends and sealed tightly. The basin containing the elements is then flooded with water. Thanks to the tight seal, the elements float and can be transported to the location in the Fehmarnbelt, where they are immersed in the tunnel trench and connected so they are watertight.

Images courtesy of PERI SE
Images courtesy of PERI SE

The solution developed by PERI SE forms the foundation for monolithic concreting, which reduces the risk of water penetration during tunnel operation. In addition, a tunnel section is concreted without ties in the outer walls. At the same time, the approach means considerable savings in material and labour costs, thereby reducing the use of raw materials.

The special steel components of the PERI SE formwork solution were produced in Poland, Italy and at the PERI SE plant in Weissenhorn, Germany. Planning and execution of the delivery of the entire material with a total of twelve ships and over 250 trucks in accordance with requirements and deadlines were a key factor for on-time completion of the construction project and were made possible through close coordination between the client and PERI. At the end of February 2023, PERI SE already celebrated the delivery of the one millionth part to the construction site of the Fehmarnbelt Tunnel project in Denmark.

Images courtesy of PERI SE
Images courtesy of PERI SE

The Fehmarnbelt Tunnel will connect Denmark and Germany for road and rail traffic. Thanks to a travel time of only seven minutes by train, and ten minutes by car, the construction project is making an important contribution to environmentally-friendly transport and providing a fast rail connection between Scandinavia and Central Europe.

The immersed tunnel, with a total width of 45.00 metres, consists of a total of five tunnel tubes, two of which are two-lane tubes for motor vehicles, two are single-lane tubes for rail traffic and one is a service and escape tube.