Type of work

Tunnels

Atocha-Chamartín High speed line tunnel

Spain

  • Tunnel depth
  • Construction of the AVE tunnel at Chamartin
  • Construction of the AVE tunnel at Chamartin
  • Construction of the AVE tunnel at Chamartin
  • Tunnel construction
  • TBM assembly
  • TBM assembly
  • Tunnel depth
  • Construction of the AVE tunnel at Chamartin
  • Construction of the AVE tunnel at Chamartin
  • Construction of the AVE tunnel at Chamartin
  • Tunnel construction
  • TBM assembly
  • TBM assembly

Description

The works consist of the execution of the platform and a railway tunnel to connect the Atocha and Chamartín stations, both of which are in Madrid and for exclusive High-Speed AVE train transit.

The tunnel allows the coordination of the railway connection with destination or origin in the southern and eastern half of Spain with the lines in the north.

Bored to accommodate double international track and width, the tunnel length is 6.82 kilometers. 

Most of the tunnel was excavated with a tunnel boring machine (TBM), except one 110 meters section near Chamartín Station, which was executed on the surface. The tunnel was lined with 1.8 x 0.36 voussoirs that were assembled by the TBM and it also has eight emergency exits.

It also includes the remodelling of the marshalling yard at the south head of Chamartín Station in order to enable the arrival of the high-speed here through the tunnel that will connect with the future expansion of Puerta de Atocha Station.

This railway connection between Atocha and Chamartín stations forms an essential infrastructure for the development of a vertebral network of international width in Spain.

Highlight

  • The tunnel execution was an engineering challenge, given the urban environment in the which it was executed; requiring multiple crossings with existing heritage buildings, and transport infrastructure.
  • A tunnel that allows the coordination of the railway connection between the southern and eastern half of Spain and the north.
  • It increases safety, with the adoption of cutting-edge technologies in automatic train driving systems.