The concept of a tunnel is very general. It can be classified according to use, geographical conditions, type of construction etc. This paper is concerned primarily with a different type of tunnel which may be defined as follows on the basis of the classification criteria mentioned above. Use: road traffic with the emphasis on motorway tunnels. Geographical conditions: sub-aqueous crossings. Method of construction: immersed tube method with subsequent cut and cover construction on the banks. The general geometry of motorway tunnels in the netherlands is described in chapter 2. In section 2.1.3. Special attention is given to the relationship between the required traffic clearances and the resulting cross-section of an immersed tube tunnel. Some aspects of the design and construction of immersed tube tunnels and the adjoining sections on the waterway banks are discussed in chapter 3. A new development is described in section 3.2., i.e. the omission of watertight lining resulting for the first time in a genuine 100% reinforced concrete structure.
Abstract