Underground: distinguished mega-project
With specialised civil engineering and tunnelling 3,4 Kilometer through the inner-city of düsseldorf
About eight years after the beginning of construction, the “Wehrhahn-Linie“ was opened on time on the 20th of February, 2016. It is a 3,4 kilometer long expansion of the underground railway system in Düsseldorf. From the beginning, the mega-project was deemed to be a flagship project, being awarded several accolades – among others, the STUVA award 2015.
The urban railway which mainly proceeds underground in the centre of Düsseldorf improves distinctly on the offer of public transport. The route includes, beside the two aboveground stations, also six underground stations that could be visually inspected during the “pre-opening” in 2015. The special feature: Every station was build based on a clear design concept, while being accompanied and guided by artists.
High complexity, 843 million Euros invested
The amount to be invested, namely 843 million Euros, thereby mirrors the complexity of the whole project. The route segments between the stations were developed via shield tunnelling with liquid-supported heading face. The underground stations and ramp structures were created in waterproof building pits via cut-and-cover, respectively cover construction method.
Existing structures elaborately secured
For the connection of the new route with the existing urban railway network, comprehensive specialised civil engineering and tunnelling measures were required. Apart from this, comprehensive securing measures on existing structures, due to the tight inner-city development: Starting with the ground strenghtening, over to elevation injections all the way to intrusions into the building structure. Several conduit and traffic allocations posed an additional challenge for all involved parties.
Underground stations | Images Jörg Hempel
ZPP plans, consults and verifies
Within the frame of the engineering association “Wehrhahn-Linie”, ZPP was commissioned with the project and structural planning of the civil engineering structures. Furthermore, ZPP took an advisory position toward the client during the executive phase, among others during the plan verification.
OUR SERVICES
- Project planning civil engineering structures
- Project planning traffic installations
- Structural planning
- Consulting for the client
- Plan verification
- IT-servicing / ZPP Interproject
In order to forward information on time and into the right directions and in order to support the communication process, the project information and management system ZPP INTERPROJECT was utilised within the engineering association.
Creation of a flexible databank concept, among others for the realisation of an active plan management with indications concerning the axial true run, the plan lists for the overview of reproduction costs and archiving, tracking and processing, respectively answering of the relevant correspondences.
SHAPING LIFELINES:
ZPP EXPERTISE IN DEMAND FOR URBAN RAILWAYS
Municipal infrastructure projects are often complex and a special challenge for the engineers and experts at ZPP. As competent partners for the municipal, as well as the private clients, our specialists have established their stellar reputation since 1973. Not only with recent mega-projects such as the North-South-urban railway in Cologne with the tunnelling through 2000 years of city history (with an investment sum of approx. 1 billon Euros, it is one of the most complex construction projects in all of Europe). Also, e.g. with fire protection-technical strenghtening or feasibility studies, with the development of calculation theories or with research projects concerning structure redevelopment, ZPP is in action world-wide.
