Hallandsås Tunnel
 

Service under extreme conditions

The task 

The twin-tube Hallandsås Tunnel for the expansion of the rail link between Gothenburg and Malmö on the west coast of Sweden is one of the most challenging tunnel projects in the world. Along the tunnel alignment, both hard and very abrasive rock formations and soft and mixed tunnel face conditions are encountered. This is compounded by the fact that groundwater presses against the tunnel at a pressure of up to 10 bar. Several attempts to build have failed in the past.

The Herrenknecht service solution

Due to the enormous challenges presented, the tunnelling project is carried out in close cooperation between the Skanska-Vinci joint venture and the service specialists from Herrenknecht. From TBM transport and site assembly through excavation of the 2 tubes to final breakthrough in 2013. During TBM assembly in an upstream cavern, both sides rely on each other’s many years of experience to ensure smooth work processes and get the machine fully ready for its extraordinary mission.

Despite continuous maintenance, after 2.5 kilometers of driving through the hard, sometimes extremely heterogeneous rock formations, some components are badly worn, particularly at the cutterhead. To minimize this high wear over the remaining tunnelling distance, together with Skanska and Vinci and based on the experiences of the first section, Herrenknecht develops a modified cutterhead. The adjustments include a modified geometry and equipping it with 19-inch instead of 17-inch disc cutters. This reduces the wear on the remaining 3,000 meters of the first tube by up to 50 percent.

To ensure consistently high quality and the availability of all spare and wear parts for the TBM, the customer tasks Herrenknecht with the setting up of a permanent consignment stock on site under its own management. In addition, experienced service staff from Herrenknecht are practically always on site. This ensures that both scheduled maintenance intervals as well as unforeseen challenges are dealt with professionally and on time. As a result, on September 4, 2013, after eight years of relentless advance, the successful breakthrough can be celebrated in Sweden. With the support also of extensive Original Herrenknecht Services and the absolute will displayed by everyone involved.

Project advantages

• Pioneer projects such as the Hallandsås Tunnel can only be successfully realized through teamwork and on the basis of major project expertise.

• Continuous improvements to the overall system such as the modification of the cutterhead make advance even more efficient.

• Depending on the customer's requirements, a large pool of service specialists can also be relied on at Herrenknecht, at short notice if necessary.

„As the contractor, the tunnelling in Hallandsås stretched us to the utmost. Tunnelling is teamwork and only works with the help of partners who also pull their weight when the going gets really tough.“

Thomas Schubert, TBM Production Manager at Skanska-Vinci