TUNNELLING THROUGH THE PRESENT TO THE FUTURE

This review of major tunnelling projects worldwide considers several innovative projects. Several new projects are in progress in Sweden, including rail tunnels through the Halland Ridge, a bored rail tunnel in Malmo, and a tunnel between Stockholm and Arlanda Airport. The Dublin Port access tunnel in Ireland consists of a 1.0km cut-and-cover section and 2.4km built by the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM). In The Netherlands, the 4km Botlek Tunnel under the River Maas and the 8km Sophia Tunnel on the new Betuwe railway line are the first shield-driven tunnels in that country. The Channel Tunnel Rail Link in the UK will require several tunnelling projects, including long tunnels under London, a large underground station at Stratford, twin tunnels under the River Thames (driven with closed-face earth pressure balance (EPB) machines), and a (possibly NATM) 3.2km tunnel through Blue Bell Hill. The Heathrow Express Project has recovered well, after the collapse of its NATM tunnels in October 1994. The New York City Water Tunnel is claimed to be the largest construction project in the city's history. Other important tunnels are being built in Puerto Rico, Chile, Mexico, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and The Philippines.