Implenia involved in major tunnel project in Austria
Shaft driving work starts today for the Semmering Base Tunnel in Austria. The Swiss company Implenia AG is one of the project partners of the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) in driving the tunnel between Fröschnitzgraben in Styria and the towns of Gloggnitz and Mürzzuschlag.
According to the internationally active construction group, this is "one of the largest and most challenging European infrastructure projects". ARGE Tunnel Fröschnitzgraben is responsible for construction lot 2.1 on behalf of ÖBB-Infrastruktur AG. Together with Swietelsky Tunnelbau GmbH, Implenia has a 50 percent share in the consortium and is responsible for the technical management.
The approximately four kilometer long section in the direction of Mürzzuschlag is being built using excavator and blasting methods. The approximately nine kilometer long section in the direction of Gloggnitz is being built using two tunnel boring machines. In order for tunnel construction to begin from the Fröschnitzgraben, two 400-meter-deep shafts must first be built into the interior of the mountain. At the foot of these shafts, construction of the actual tunnel tubes will then begin in 2017. René Kotacka, head of Implenia's infrastructure division, expects construction to take ten years.
The Semmering Base Tunnel is being divided into three tunnel sections for geological and construction logistical reasons. In addition to Lot 2.1, a consortium with 40-% participation was recently able to secure the contract for the construction of Lot 1.1 for Implenia at Semmering. Implenia is also working on the Granitztal tunnel chain between St. Andrä and Aich, also on behalf of ÖBB. (mr)
