The Boßler Tunnel – the longest Tunnel on the new Line Wendlingen–Ulm

Quelle/credit: DB Netz AG

Alignment of planning section PFA 2.2

Quelle/credit: DB Netz AG

TBM and backup in the launching position at the Aichelberg portal

Quelle/credit: DB Netz AG

Quelle/credit: IMM

Discharge area

Quelle/credit: IMM

Quelle/credit: DB Netz AG

Segment store on the site in Aichelberg with 1200 storage places

Quelle/credit: DB Netz AG

Geology of planning section 2.2

Quelle/credit: DB Netz AG

Application area according to planning decision (shotcrete method)

Quelle/credit: DB Netz AG

Current application area of theTBM

Quelle/credit: DB Netz AG

The tunnel boring machine at the manufacturer‘s shop

Quelle/credit: DB Netz AG

Quelle/credit: IMM

Display of process data (incl. torque and thrust force of the cutting wheel) for the analysis of recorded data from the TBM

Quelle/credit: IMM

Mobile application to display TBM process data

Quelle/credit: IMM

Cutting wheel at the face

Quelle/credit: IMM

The Boßler Tunnel is currently under construction in the planning section 2.2 “Albaufstieg” on the new line from Wendlingen to Ulm as part of the upgrading of the “Main Line for Europe” (central European west-east rail corridor). The single-pass tunnel is bored by a tunnel boring machine (EPB-TBM) and has an excavated diameter of 11.39 m. The lining of the two tunnel bores consists of 45 or 65 cm thick reinforced concrete segments. The length of each bore is 8806 m. In particular the forecast squeezing rock conditions and karst phenomena pose engineering challenges. In the first seven months of tunnelling from April to October 2015, 2959 m were driven and 1457 segment rings were installed.

Overview of the overall Project

The Stuttgart–Ulm rail project is divided into the project sections Stuttgart–Wendlingen (Stuttgart 21) and the new line Wendlingen–Ulm. The project section Stuttgart–Wendlingen is divided into seven planning sections (PFA) and includes the rail junction at Stuttgart, the redesign of Stuttgart main station, the Filder station at the airport, the new line from the airport to Wendlingen and associated access lines. The construction works include altogether 18 bridges, 16 tunnels and culverts. The largest tunnel in this section (PFA 1.2) is the Filder Tunnel with a...