News

Work at the Weissenstein Tunnel (SUI) construction site is progressing at full speed.
The first sections of the damaged masonry vault have been successfully removed and secured as part of the localized complete rehabilitation of the vault.
The most challenging part of the work is the complex geological conditions and the partially unknown conditions outside the existing masonry. The parts of the masonry vault that have been removed are located in the Opalinus Clay section of the railway tunnel – the geologically most challenging section. Differing conditions, fault zones and brittle conditions in the first section of the Opalinus Clay in the Folded Jura make tunneling difficult in this section.

As part of the rehabilitation work on the Weissenstein Tunnel, localized partial and complete rehabilitation of the vault is being carried out in various sections of the tunnel, and the tunnel drainage system, cable systems, safety installations and railway track running through the tunnel are being renewed. Two existing stations are also being modernized to meet the provisions of the Swiss Disability Discrimination Act.

IG WST (ILF Consulting Engineers in Switzerland and Emch+Berger AG Bern) has been commissioned by the sole contractor – the joint venture ARGE EWT (PORR Group and fretus ag) – as the “Tunnel and Stations Project Manager”, responsible for all rehabilitation works in the tunnel and the stations.