Boyneburg tunnel contract awarded

23 August 2018


Germany – Züblin has been awarded the contract to build the Boyneburg tunnel. The tunnel is part of the 6km-long third section of the A44 highway in central Germany, which was let in July for EUR 183M.

The 1.7km-long tunnel consists of two tubes at 25m centres. The cross section will vary from 12.32m for two-lane sections and 16.02m for three lanes, while emergency turnouts will be excavated to 14.72m.

The tunnel will be excavated by observational drill-and-blast techniques through geology that mainly consists of Bunter Sandstone, with Quaternary loose rock at the portals. The lining will be reinforced concrete, sprayed to a thickness of 400-600mm.

The contract also calls for five emergency cross passages, each with two emergency bays. Three pedestrian cross passages will be 5.15m wide while two for rescue vehicles will be 7.06m wide.

Preliminary design was by the client, detailed design was subcontracted by Züblin to a JV of Müller-Hereth / EDR.

In addition to the tunnel, a 2.3 km long section of the BAB 44 highway will be constructed north of the tunnel, a 2.1 km long section south of it. These sections require extensive civil engineering and ground engineering works: a total of five underpasses and ramp structures, seven bearing walls, retaining structures and three bridges will have to be constructed.

Thomas Birtel, CEO of Strabag said, “We are proud that our intragroup cooperation in this project will make another contribution to the long-awaited closing of the gap in the strategically important East-West connection.”