Right from the start and until today SIEMAG TECBERG had a share in the construction of the world’s longest and deepest tunnel in Switzerland.
The Gotthard Base Tunnel is one of the superclass building structures of the century and the answer to the question of how to get round the transport obstacle of the Alps. The tunnel opened in mid-2016, with a ceremony and the start of regular rail service. After its completion, the Gotthard Base Tunnel at a length of 57 km is the world’s longest tunnel. The access tunnelling works in Sedrun proved to be one of the markedly more complex tunnel construction sites of the project, since they were approx. 800 m above the actual tunnel level and the tunnel heading operations had to be supplied via these shafts.
The shaft hoisting systems, lot 356, by SIEMAG TECBERG in shaft I, have by their very high degree of availability and reliability over an operating period of more than 10 years- made a decisive contribution to the building structure of the century, the Gotthard Base Tunnel. In 2011, the client, AlpTransit Gotthard AG once again showed its confidence in SIEMAG TECBERG’s products by placing a follow-up order for the construction-project planning and the development of the final lifting equipment, lot D.
The project planning and construction of shaft hoisting systems is one of the company’s core expertise. The extensive potential experience, gained during operation of the company’s own shaft hoisting systems at the Gotthard Base Tunnel, led to an innovation push and further-development of existing products. Our experience guarantees engineering designs that incorporate the best available technology during the execution of new development projects and complete-system planning.
It proved highly advantageous that, right at the planning stage, the system concepts and special engineering designs were closely agreed with the client, AlpTransit Gotthard AG, its representatives, its experts and particularly the company’s own sub-suppliers. By this procedure delays, downtimes, obstructions and dangers to life and limb of employees or to the environment were reduced to a minimum and the desired success was achieved.
The future operation of the Gotthard Base Tunnel demands -high availability targets and functional safeguards. These stringent requirements were also made to SIEMAG TECBERG’s new shaft hoisting systems, lot D, which were successfully verified and documented by so-called RAMS analyses.
As part of the successful commissioning stages, the lifting equipment, lot D, was integrated into the control technology of the railway tunnel, followed by acceptance of the lifting equipment, lot D, in 2016.
