Gotthard Base Tunnel – Lot Bodio-Faido
The Gotthard Base Tunnel (GBT) is the key project of the High-Speed Rail Link between Zurich and Milan, running continuously underneath the Central Alp Mountain Range.
Year: 2003
Country: Switzerland
Contract Value (US$): 2,000 Million
Twin tunnels of 8.9m diameter and a length of 27km each, were constructed using Open Beam Hard Rock TBM’s, as part of the longest tunnel in the world (57km total length). Geological conditions were highly variable, which made tunnelling extremely challenging in overburdens of up to 1700m in squeezing ground conditions.
The Project Director for this section of the GBT was Andreas Tauschinger for a period of 2 years, while these geological difficulties were being overcome.