Belchentunnel (Switzerland) – Project Film

The 3.2 kilometre long Belchentunnel in Switzerland, between Basel and Egerkingen, crosses the Jura mountains. A characteristic feature of this mountain range is the large proportion of #Anhydrite, which has caused damage to the tunnel structure due to swelling. Renovation of the two existing double-track tubes from the 1970s was necessary. A third tube, the so-called rehabilitation tunnel, will be built for this purpose. The #Herrenknecht and #MartiTechnik tunnel boring machine is special because it excavates the tunnel over a length of 75 metres, provides it with segments, seals it and concretes it. The diameter of the drilling head is almost 14 meters.