Cabrera tunnel
The Cabrera tunnel is a railway tunnel on the new Spanish line Madrid– Valencia . It passes under the Sierra de La Cabrera near Valencia and therefore bears its name. The two tubes measure around six kilometers in length.
With a construction time (shell) of 14 months, its erection is considered to be exceptionally quick.
course
The tunnel consists of two separate, single-track tubes, each 5974.40 and 5966.40 m in length.
The gradient rises continuously in the course of the tunnel to the east portal. A height difference of 170 m is overcome between the two portals.
It belongs to the 11.2 km long Siete Aguas – Buñol section of the new line.
history
The construction of the tunnel using a tunnel boring machine is considered to be extraordinarily fast. The machine was accepted by the manufacturer in Schwanau on April 12, 2007 and went into operation on July 27 of the same year. When driving the first tube, daily outputs of up to 83.2 meters were achieved. The driving of the first tube was completed on January 25, 2008.
The driving of the second tube began on May 5, 2008. The driving of this tube was completed on September 25, 2008. The planned construction time was thus shortened by five months, the total construction time by a quarter. Jacking capacities of up to 105.60 meters were achieved per day; the average weekly output in the second tube was 278 meters.
The Madrid – Levante high-speed line went into operation on December 19, 2010.
Web links
- Records tumbled in the Cabrera tunnel. Drilling has never been faster with a TBM. Press release from Herrenknecht dated November 27, 2008