Stuttgart–Ulm Rail Project: Widderstall Tunnel

Quelle/credit: DB Projekt Stuttgart–Ulm GmbH

1) Overview of the part-projects “Stuttgart 21” and “New Wendlingen–Ulm Rail Route” |

Quelle/credit: DB Projekt Stuttgart–Ulm GmbH

2) Overview of the eastern part of the new rail route with plan approval section PFA 2.3 |

Quelle/credit: DB Projekt Stuttgart–Ulm GmbH

3) Standard cross-section in PFA 2.3 |

Quelle/credit: DB Projekt Stuttgart–Ulm GmbH

4) The two-track basket arch section was selected for stability reasons on account of the depth with up to 12 m overburden |

Quelle/credit: DB Projekt Stuttgart–Ulm GmbH

5) Geological longitudinal section |

Quelle/credit: DB Projekt Stuttgart–Ulm GmbH

6) Predicted karstification intensity (green = no or minor karstification; yellow = moderate karstification; red = severe karstification) |

Quelle/credit: DB Projekt Stuttgart–Ulm GmbH

Quelle/credit: Burbaum

7) Parallel courses of the Widderstall Tunnel and the A8 motorway |

Quelle/credit: Burbaum

Quelle/credit: DB Projekt Stuttgart–Ulm GmbH

8) Diagram showing the principle of the concreting cycle |

Quelle/credit: DB Projekt Stuttgart–Ulm GmbH

9) A tunnel tower crane served four concreting sites from a central position – two invert blocks and two arch blocks. Concreting was always carried out with gaps |

Quelle/credit: DB Projekt Stuttgart–Ulm GmbH

10) Concreting site |

Quelle/credit: DB Projekt Stuttgart–Ulm GmbH

Quelle/credit: Burbaum

11) Open karst cleft in the construction pit base |

Quelle/credit: Burbaum

Quelle/credit (2): DB Projekt Stuttgart–Ulm GmbH

12) Karst cleft filled with loam in the construction pit slope |

Quelle/credit (2): DB Projekt Stuttgart–Ulm GmbH

Quelle/credit: Burbaum

13) Karst cavities in the construction pit slope |

Quelle/credit: Burbaum

Quelle/credit: DB Projekt Stuttgart–Ulm GmbH

14) Presentation of results with indicator of anomalies (low to high expectations of karstification on a scale from 0 to 5) |

Quelle/credit: DB Projekt Stuttgart–Ulm GmbH

15) The largest karst cavity found so far on the construction sites for the Alb plateau was discovered at the Widderstall Tunnel |

Quelle/credit: DB Projekt Stuttgart–Ulm GmbH

The Stuttgart–Ulm rail project is part of the new trans-European corridor from Paris to Budapest/Bratislava. The new Wendlingen–Ulm route as an element of the project crosses the Swabian Jura and is divided up into the sections Alb foothills, Alb ascent, Alb plateau, Alb descent and Ulm Station conversion in the appropriate plans. The 962 m long Widderstall Tunnel is located on the Alb plateau close to the route’s topographical highest point and is being constructed by cut-and-cover. The total cost of the tunnel will amount to 37 million euros. This report describes the tunnel and the course of construction taking the special geological aspects of building in karstified limestone into account.

1 Classification in the