4.20km
long
INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE
Build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
Economic growth, social advancement and action against the climate emergency depend largely on investment in infrastructure, sustainable industrial development and technological progress. Today, about 1 billion people live more than 2 km from a roadway, 940 million live without electricity, and 663 million lack improved drinking water sources.
ACCIONA participates in the entire infrastructure construction value chain, from the identification of opportunity, design and execution, to the operation and maintenance of the constructed works, using the most advanced and innovative techniques.
Performance quality and safety are two of the criteria that maximize the company's value proposal in the development of large infrastructure projects and that differentiate it from other competitors in the construction field.
The works covered by the contract consisted of the construction of the North Tunnel, using a 15.20 m diameter EPB (Earth pressure Balance) single shield tunnel boring machine, "Dulcinea". Of the 4.156 km of the M-30 Southern Bypass, 3.539 km were bored by 'Dulcinea', which at the time of the tunnel's construction was the largest in the world, and the rest was bored between diaphragm walls. A total of 600 metres of artificial, open-air tunnel was built using 1.5 m diameter pile walls with an average depth of 35 metres.
The inside section of the tunnel, with an excavation diameter of 15.20 m and a 0.60 m thick lining, has a useful width of 13.45 m and a useful section of 186 m2. The lining was made by placing voussoirs manufactured in an own plant in Villarubia de Santiago (Toledo).
A pre-stressed prefabricated slab has been placed in the centre, providing the necessary space for the rails, each 3.5 m wide, as well as for the two side tracks. Underneath the platform with the rails is the service and rescue track.
The tunnels are connected to each other by means of transversal emergency and evacuation galleries distributed every 200 m for people and every 500 m for vehicles. For the construction of these galleries, the traditional Madrid method (or Belgian method) has been used as the construction system and they are completed with four ventilation shafts for access from the outside.
GENERAL INFORMATION
- Location: Madrid, Spain.
- Contract type: Construction,
- Infrastructure: Urban tunnel measuring 4,156 km long with 3 3.50-m wide lanes and a 0.50-m wide hard shoulder, with 0.70-m wide pavements. 3,538 m of the tunnel were drilled using Dulcinea, the largest EPB tunnelling machine at the time of construction, with a diameter of 15.16 metres.
- Year of project completion: 2007
KEY ASPECTS
The cross-section of the tunnel built with the TBM consists of a platform made up of:
- Three carriageways, each 3.50 metres wide.
- Shoulders on both sides of 0.50 metres wide.
- Two 0.70 metre wide pavements with a 4.50 metre gauge.
This platform is supported on pre-stressed prefabricated slabs that separate it from a 4.80 m wide and 3.90 m high lower track that serves as a salvage and service lane.
The North Tunnel of the South Bypass has emergency and evacuation galleries and four ventilation shafts.
The 107 metre long EPB TBM has two cutter wheels, the inner cutter wheel has a diameter of 7.00 metres and the outer coaxial cutter wheel has a diameter of 15.16 metres. Both cutter wheels are mounted on the same working plane, which allows them to operate with clockwise and counter-clockwise turns independently of each other.