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Work on High Speed 2's (HS2's) Chipping Warden cut and cover tunnel is expected to resume next week after quality issues with some of the precast segments were identified last month.
Quality assurance tests have been carried out on segments that were installed since construction work on the tunnel in Northamptonshire started in June.
The 2.5km tunnel is being formed of 5,020 precast concrete segments, which are made in a factory in Ilkeston, Derbyshire, and then assembled on site.
HS2 main works contractor EKFB, a joint venture made up of Eiffage, Kier, Ferrovial Construction and Bam Nuttall, is building the tunnel.
The segments are slotted together to achieve an m-shaped double arch to provide separate halves for southbound and northbound trains. Each arch consists of five precast elements - a central pier, two walls and two roof slabs - with the largest weighing up to 43t.
The tunnel had reached around 100m in length and featured around 200 precast segments when construction work was forced to pause.
HS2 Ltd has now confirmed that test results have been “positive”, and it hopes to restart work as soon as possible.
A spokesperson for HS2 Ltd said: “Chipping Warden is the first of three green tunnels made of precast segments, and it’s important that we take the time to get the quality assurance and installation process right.
“Initial test results have been positive and we are actively engaging with our supply chain partners to ensure that we are ready to restart assembly as soon as possible. Meanwhile, excavation and foundation works are progressing well and off-site segment production is ongoing.”
Chipping Warden is the first of five “green”, or cut and cover, tunnels that will be built to blend the high speed railway into the surrounding landscape.
The testing regime for the tunnel is stringent because, like all major structures on the HS2 project, it is designed to achieve a minimum of 120 years before major maintenance.
The construction of the tunnel is expected to be completed in 2024.
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Tagged with: Bam Nuttall Eiffage Ferrovial High Speed two HS2 innovation Kier Tunnel tunnelling
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