En Longest and deepest soon ready to open
The Ryfylket tunnel will be completed in 2019 and will provide connection between small communities and the large city municipality of Stavanger, Norway. A large population travel daily by ferry, and will in the future travel through this 50 km long tunnel project, consisting of three main tunnels.
The Ryfylke tunnel is a 14.3 kilometer long subsea tunnel between Solbakk in Strand and Hundvåg in Stavanger. When the tunnel is finished, it will be the longest subsea road tunnel in the world. Part of the tunnel has a incline of 7 %. At the deepest, the tunnel is 292 meters below sea level.
There are two main engineering contractors and one main contractor for the electric technical work. The total tunnel length is 52,8 km tunnel tubes in the project. 900 workers has participated on the engineering contracts and a total of 15 000 drill and blast sequences and 4 million m3 stone has been transported from the tunnels.
The tunnel consists of two tubes, one for each direction, four lanes in total. For safety reasons, lay-bys and cross-connections is installed every 250 meters, and the tunnel can handle closures and divert traffic into the second tube. A feature that require more signs and security systems, and give us one of the most complex road tunnels in the world.
The Hundvag tunnel and the Eiganes tunnel are equipped with hybrid cameras , using both thermal and visual imaging technology. The Ryfylke tunnel use radar detection combined with visual cameras. The ventilation systems are designed to handle a 100 MW fire. The whole safety concept is based on to make sure that people in a safe way can evacuate the tunnel in case of fire or other incidents (self rescue principle).
To provide a feeling of safety and to prevent accidents due to monotony, lights and light installations has been used in innovative ways. A number of different artistic light patterns are installed, and the artistic lights are also included in a large cross-section in the deepest part of the tunnel.
Background
Ever since the mid 1970s has Ryfylke had a vision and worked for a connection to between Ryfylke and Stavanger. For a long time there was talk of crossing Høgsfjorden with submerged floating bridge. There were no bridge solution, and after a long and time-consuming process the politicians agreed to pursue the Ryfast project as we see it today.
World longest underground Hill-climb race?
In October 2019, before opening for traffic, a half marathon race will be arranged. 5000 competitors will participate in this special underground hill-climb race. Probably the largest underground hill-climb race in history.
Arild P. Sovik
CEO, editor, senior adviser and tunnel expert. News coverage based on many years of experience from key positions in the industry. Former National Tunnel Manager/Administrativ Authority in Norway, senior principal development manager in a major tunnel contractor company and long experience from activities in national and international professional networks.
