GOING DUTCH UNDERGROUND

In 2003, construction began on a new line for the Amsterdam metro in the Netherlands. This connects the northern part of the city via Amsterdam Central station with the southern traffic and rail ring. A new station, Station Buikslotermeerplein, is being built at the northern end of the new line. The station is being built at street level using a reinforced concrete frame. A tunnel will be sunk beneath the existing central station. A tunnel-boring machine will cut a 3.8-km tunnel beneath historic Amsterdam. Three new underground metro stations (Rokin, Vijzelgracht, Ceituurbaan) will be constructed using the cut-and-cover diaphragm wall technique. The diaphragm walls are constructed from heavily reinforced concrete and hold mechanical connections for the slabs and station walls. Reinforced bar with a diameter of 50 mm and Lenton taper thread couplers from Erico were selected. A weldable Lenton coupler connected to the anchor plate was used to overcome the forces transferred to the concrete walls by the floor. A special bending adapter for the reinforcing bar was manufactured.