Deutsche Bahn AG has commissioned a joint venture (JV) led by Ed. Zueblin AG of Stuttgart (60 percent) to build the 5.9 km Albabstieg tunnel along the new Wendlingen–Ulm rail line from the Swabian Jura to the tracks at Ulm Central Station. Contract value EUR250 million, starting spring 2014.

The tunnel, with a north portal in Dornstadt and a south portal in Ulm, will consist of two single-track bores lying up to 70 m below ground connected with one another by eleven crosscuts spaced at intervals of 500 m. The tunnel will overcome an elevation change of about 95 m. The tunnelling works for both bores will take place simultaneously from two starting points: downhill from Dornstadt to Ulm, and from an intermediate access tunnel from which both bores will be driven uphill to the north and downhill to the south. The JV will move around 1.4 million cu m of soil and rock material during construction. The Albabstieg tunnel is being built using sprayed concrete techniques: the rock is first loosened by blasting before an immediate protection is applied using sprayed concrete and reinforcement steel. Following waterproofing with plastic membranes, a load-bearing tunnel lining of in-situ concrete is inserted. Construction will take 4.5 years. Visit www.zueblin.de. 32/13.