Motorway A4 - Tunnel Königshainer Berge

Specialist Planning: Technical Equipment for Road Tunnels

The tunnel Königshainer Berge, realised near Görlitz on the A4 federal motorway, is a twin-tube traffic tunnel with a structure length of 3,300 m.

For the technical equipment of road tunnels and their operation, the RABT 2006 or its follow-up rule EABT-80/100 contains guidelines, principles, instructions and criteria, which also apply to the equipment of the tunnel Königshainer Berge. Due to the length of the structure, the safety standards in this project are particularly high.

ZPP was commissioned by Die Autobahn GmbH (formerly: Federal State Authority for Road Engineering and Traffic Development of Saxony) with processing the HOAI service profile “Technical Equipment” according to §§ 53 - 56, service phases 3 (conceptual planning), 5 (execution planning) and 6 (preparation for awarding contracts).

The tunnel Königshainer Berge was opened to traffic in 1999 as part of the expansion and new-construction of the federal motorway A4. Based on the facts that some of the technical equipment is discontinued and no longer meets the current technical requirements in the meantime, the tunnel is being renovated. Due to its significant location in the higher-level road system, the renovation will take place during ongoing traffic. The scope of planning therefore includes the development of complex traffic management concepts as well as measures to set up oncoming traffic operations with safety-related monitoring of the construction phases.

Operational buildings of the tunnel are located at both portals, which will be upgraded to meet current technical requirements.
Structurally, the tunnel will be equipped with walk-in emergency call boxes at a distance of around 150 m from each other and from the portals. Furthermore the tunnel walls will be coated in pure white up to a height of 3 m. Due to the high dependency of the construction and operational aspects, planning takes place in the form of a closely coordinated iterative process.

The tunnel Königshainer Berge is ventilated using jet fans.

The tunnel ventilation, including sensors and controls, will be optimised for the oncoming traffic operation during the construction period. In addition, the tunnel will receive the latest operational and safety equipment in accordance with RABT: an emergency call system, a video surveillance, a loudspeaker system, an orientation lighting and escape route marking, guidance devices and elements for visual guidance, fire alarm systems, firefighting systems such as the renovation of the DEA and the retrofitting of hydrants in the tunnel tubes as well as LED lighting systems. The control and automation technology with connection to the higher-level tunnel control centre, the switchgear of the UPS network and the ventilation system will be converted or renewed. Lightning and surge protection systems to protect the existing systems and the new technical facilities will be installed.