TAKING THE LEAD

This article reports rapid progress on the construction of the 16km-long Oresund fixed link, which will carry a four-lane motorway and a two-track electrified railway. From Denmark to Sweden, the successive stages of the link will be: (1) a 430m-long artificial peninsula; (2) a 3510m-long immersed tube tunnel; (3) a 4055m-long artificial island to bring the road and railway above sea level, then separate them before they enter the double deck of the bridges; (4) a 3014m-long western approach bridge; (5) a 1092m-long bridge with a 490m main span; and (6) a 3739m-long eastern approach bridge. The tunnel has precast fabricated units for its four main tubes, one for road and one for rail in each direction. It is well over half finished; each of its 20 176m-long units weighs about 57,000t and is cast in eight sections, which are towed into position by tugs. The construction of the artificial island began with the formation of coarse pebble bunds with an interior geotextile lining and clay seal, used material from other parts of the project as fill, and has now been completed. The high bridge has two 240m-high reinforced concrete pylons, each with two legs and one crossbeam, and eight bridge girders; its pylons are growing and its first deck elements have been erected. The eastern approach bridge is steadily growing longer.