NORMA Group connects lines in the Gotthard Base Tunnel
13 July 2016
NORMA Group recently supplied the joining technology for the construction of the new Gotthard Base Tunnel – officially inaugurated on 1st June 2016 – which is the longest rail tunnel in the world at around 57km in length.
NORMACONNECT FLEX pipe couplings were used to connect the rainwater pipes in the two tubes of the tunnel. “We are excited about having supported a public infrastructure project of such great magnitude,” said Werner Deggim, CEO of NORMA Group. “The new Gotthard Base Tunnel will bring people from different countries together much faster, more reliably and more safely. This matches our high performance joining products that connect pipes safely and reliably. Our engineered joining technology has the same qualities as this ambitious project.”
The Gotthard Base Tunnel runs up to 2,300m below the Alps and reduces the travel time from Zurich to Milan by approximately one hour. In the future, around 260 freight trains and 65 passenger trains will roll through these two tubes every day with a speed of up to 250km per hour. The costs of the tunnel amount to around €11 billion in total. Construction took approximately 17 years. Approximately 28 million tonnes of rock mass had to be moved during construction. After its inauguration, the new railway tunnel will be put into scheduled operation on 11th December 2016.
NORMACONNECT FLEX pipe couplings connect metal, stainless steel, concrete and plastic pipes and insulate tightly where a gap between the pipe ends needs to be compensated for. The couplings can compensate for axial movements and changes in the length of straight pipe connections. The pipe joints of the FGR product range also eliminate fire hazards because they can be mounted without welding. The couplings resist high vibration loads due to their special geometry.
