The Silvertown Tunnel will become a key element in relieving traffic congestion and improving connectivity in the south-east of the British capital
The Silvertown Tunnel project, one of the largest and most eagerly awaited infrastructure works in the city of London, has completed another important milestone: the "Jill" tunnel boring machine has finished excavating the second of the tubes.
Ineco is part of the engineering team for the Design and Construction of the Silvertown Tunnel, as an Independent Certifier, contributing its experience in the supervision of tunnels of special complexity to guarantee the successful completion of this infrastructure.
The TBM began excavation at the end of summer 2022 and in just under a year has completed the excavation of the twin tunnels. This is the first road crossing of the River Thames since the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge was opened on the outskirts of London. It is also the biggest road investment in that part of the city in the last 30 years.
With the construction of the second tunnel, it provides continuity and connection with other units of work already advanced, such as the cut and cover tunnels, access ramps and connections with the existing roads on both sides of the river. It also paves the way for the next phases of the work, which include the connection galleries, the backfilling, paving and installations of the tunnels, equipment and safety tests.
The construction team will manage a total excavation of 600,000 m3 and all the suitable extracted material will be transported by river, minimising the impact of construction traffic on neighbouring communities and roads.
A novelty in this project is the construction strategy of the tunnel boring machine, which instead of being dismantled in the reception shaft and transferred back to the launch chamber for the execution of the second northbound tunnel, it is rotated in a rotation chamber once the southbound tunnel has been completed.
Another particularity is the structural configuration of the launch chamber in "peanut shape" instead of a rectangular geometry due to the conditions of the terrain, the occupation needs, the depth and, mainly, to avoid resorting to long lateral anchorages, which would have meant an interference with the construction of the second tunnel.
The Silvertown Tunnel will become a key element in relieving traffic congestion and improving connectivity in the south-east of the British capital. This major road tunnel, located under the River Thames, will provide an additional route for drivers, significantly improving mobility and reducing journey times in the area. The new infrastructure will also allow new zero-emission buses to cross the river more easily, improving air quality in this area of the city by reducing congestion and increasing access to public transport through greater connections north and south of the river, making a substantial contribution to improving the quality of life for citizens and stimulating economic growth in the region.
Ineco is also currently present in the United Kingdom in the development of the HS2 high-speed line, on which it began work in 2012
