Tunnel under the English Channel. Eurotunnel (under the English Channel): idea, construction, incidents, interesting facts and significance How many km is the tunnel under the English Channel

The North and South tunnels were completed on May 22, 1991 and June 28, 1991, respectively. Equipment installation work followed. On May 6, 1994, Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain and French President François Mitterrand officially opened the tunnel.

The Eurotunnel is a complex engineering structure, including two circular track tunnels with an internal diameter of 7.6 meters, located at a distance of 30 meters from each other, and a service tunnel with a diameter of 4.8 meters located between them.

The journey from Paris to London takes two hours and 15 minutes, and from Brussels to London two hours. Moreover, the train stays in the tunnel itself for no more than 35 minutes. Eurostar has carried more than 150 million passengers since 1994, and passenger numbers have been growing steadily over the past decade.

In 2014, 10.4 million passengers used Eurostar services.

The European Union has approved the takeover of Eurostar by the French railway operator SNCF. Once the deal is completed, SNCF will have to allow competing firms to fly the same routes.

The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources

The world's longest undersea tunnel runs under the English Channel and connects England with France. This is an amazing piece of engineering. The length of the tunnel is slightly more than 50 kilometers, 38 of which are laid under the seabed. The Channel Tunnel opened in 1994 as part of a modern transport system connecting Britain to the continent.

Over the past 200 years, many ways to cross the English Channel have been developed. The tunnel was first proposed in 1802, and a committee to create it was formed as early as 1892. Some engineers even talked about building a bridge over the strait. In 1985, the British and French governments invited companies to get serious about developing plans for a tunnel. A year later, they chose the best of 9 projects.

In reality, there are three tunnels: two railway and one service. Work began on the English coast in December 1987, and on the French coast three months later. Huge machines with rotating cutting heads took a month to lay every kilometer. In total, the construction of the tunnel took three years.

The tunnels were laid on average 45 meters below the seabed. When the two halves of the service tunnel were separated by only 100 meters, a small tunnel was dug by hand to connect them. Workers met at the end of 1990. The completion of the two railway tunnels occurred on May 22 and June 28, 1991.

After another seven months, the laying of all three tunnels was completed, and the laying of rails began. During this time, engineers were working on railway terminals at Folkestone, England, and near Calais, France. The tunnel was opened by Queen Elizabeth II and President Mitterrand on May 6, 1994.

Cars use the tunnel trains as a moving highway. They enter the carriage at one end and exit at the other after a 35-minute journey. Electric locomotives reach speeds of up to 160 kilometers per hour.

After many centuries of mistrust, which at times led to military conflicts, the French and English were finally united... by a common dislike of seasickness. The waters that have separated Britain from France for the past 8,000 years have been very capricious and have often made ferry crossings an ordeal for passengers.

However, the unshakable belief of the British Empire in the need to preserve this semblance of a giant fortress moat until recently forced travelers to choose the air route or swim, painfully hanging overboard. Britain's accession to the European Union marked the beginning of a new relationship between old rival neighbors. In an effort to overcome all obstacles on the path to unity, the countries began to develop a project that would forever link their shores. Various proposals were received: construction of a tunnel, a bridge, a combination of both. In the end the tunnel won.

The main argument in favor of this decision was information received from geologists. They found that underwater the two countries were already connected by a layer of chalk-marl rock. This soft limestone rock was ideal for tunnel construction: it is quite easy to mine, has high natural stability and water resistance. Many wells drilled at the bottom of the English Channel and advanced acoustic sounding technology have given geologists the opportunity to obtain fairly accurate data about the underwater relief of the strait and the geological structure of its bottom. Using this information, engineers decided on the tunnel route.

To better control traffic flow, as well as avoid the huge ventilation problems that would inevitably arise in a 39-kilometer road tunnel, engineers opted for a rail tunnel. Now, instead of a ferry, cars and trucks board special freight trains that transport them to the other side of the strait. Regardless of the weather, the crossing from terminal to terminal takes 35 minutes, of which only 26 will be spent in the tunnel. Another train called the Eurostar transports passengers from central London to the center of either Paris or Brussels in just over three hours.

One of the greatest structures of the 20th century, the Channel Tunnel, is actually a complex system consisting of three “galleries” that run parallel to each other. Trains travel from England to France through the northern tunnel, and back through the southern tunnel. Between them there is a narrow technical tunnel, the main function of which is to provide access to the working tunnels for routine repairs. It is also intended for the evacuation of passengers. Increased air pressure is maintained in the technical tunnel to prevent smoke or flames from entering if there is a fire in one of the main tunnels.

All three tunnels are interconnected by small passages located along the entire length of the structure at a distance of approximately 365 meters from each other. Two transport tunnels are connected to each other every 244 meters by airlocks. Thanks to the locks, the air pressure that arises under the pressure of the moving train is neutralized: the air in front of the train, without causing any harm to the train, flows through them into another transport tunnel. This reduces the so-called piston effect.

By this time, tunneling was carried out using special drilling rigs - tunnel boring complexes, or TPK. These are almost fully automated devices, a modern high-tech version of the Greathead shield. By punching a tunnel, the TPK leaves behind an almost completed structure - a cylindrical tunnel lined with concrete. In front of each TPK there is a working installation. It consists of a rotating rotor that literally “cuts” the rock.

The rotor is forcefully pressed against the face surface by a ring of hydraulic cylinders, which also direct its movement. Directly behind the drill head there are hydraulic spacer cylinders. They press giant spacer plates against the walls, against which they push the cylinders and rotor away. Behind the working unit there is a control panel, from where the TPK operator monitors the progress of the drill head. Thanks to the laser navigation system, the complex absolutely adheres to the given direction.

The largest TPK rotor has a diameter of about 9 meters and rotates at a speed of two to three revolutions per minute. The rotor is reinforced with chisel-shaped pointed teeth, or attachments with steel discs, or a combination thereof. Rotating, the rotor cuts out concentric circles in the lime-chalk rock. At a certain depth, the cut rock cracks and splits. The broken pieces fall onto the conveyor, which transfers the waste rock to the trolleys already waiting for it at the tail of the tunneling complex

The last element of the TPK that needs to be mentioned is the mechanical lining stacker.

He installs lining segments on the tunnel walls. Behind the working TPK there is a technical staff 240 meters away. It delivers lining segments, transports waste rock, supplies fresh air, water, electricity, providing workers with everything they need “on the job.”

So, the construction of the Channel Tunnel began with the construction of entrance shafts on both sides of the strait. Eleven TPKs and other equipment were lowered into them. After assembly, six TPKs, three each from England and France, began their journey under the strait in the hope of meeting safely under the water in the middle of the strait. The remaining five worked on land, designing the entrance areas of the future tunnel. The builders first planned to break through a technical tunnel - it was supposed to become a kind of “advanced landing force” in the overall system.

However, even with an arsenal of ultra-modern technical means, when breaking through the Eurotunnel, not everything went according to plan. Let's start with the fact that English TPKs were designed to work only in “dry” faces. Needless to say, when somewhere in the middle of the excavation the face began to flood with salt water entering through cracks in the rock, the builders had a very difficult time. The TPK on the British side of the working tunnel had to be stopped. Engineers urgently decided how to stop the flow of water. As a result, they built something like a giant concrete “umbrella”, which prevented the tunnel from flooding. It took months to pump cement slurry into the resulting cracks. The tunnel ceiling above the TPC was then dismantled and covered with steel panels and a thin layer of shotcrete was applied to them. Only after this did work on the English side continue.

All three tunnels are covered with a circular concrete lining consisting of individual segments. The segment that “closes” each ring is smaller in size than the others and has a wedge shape. This form subtly reminds us that this modern design belongs to the oldest family of arches. Most of the lining segments are cast from reinforced concrete, with the exception of those installed in the transition tunnels and air vents - they are made of cast iron.

In October 1990, when the two parts of the technical tunnel under construction were separated by just over 90 meters, the TPK was stopped. To make sure that both halves of the tunnel were in line, a probe hole with a diameter of 5 centimeters was drilled on the English side. When she reached the “French” part of the tunnel, a narrow connecting corridor was cut between them by hand. It was then expanded to the required diameter using small mining machines. Six months later, the main tunnels were connected. The work ended in a very interesting operation from a technical point of view. Instead of spending effort and money on dismantling and extracting their drill heads to the surface, English engineers simply directed them down, and the mechanisms themselves dug their final refuge. When the drilling equipment disappeared into the ground and the resulting depressions were filled with concrete, French TPKs passed above them into the English part of the tunnels.

When constructing any tunnel - especially if we are talking about a giant 50 kilometers long - one must carefully plan how the waste soil will be extracted and disposed of. The far-sighted British built a huge dam for these purposes, enclosing several sea lagoons not far from the entrance shafts of the tunnel. The spent soil was lifted up and poured into these lakes. Once dried, they increased the territory of Great Britain by several hundred square meters. The French were less fortunate - they had to deal with much more soil. They mixed it with water and pumped it into a lake located 2.5 kilometers from the shore. When the lake dried up, the resulting plot of land was sown with grass. The area of ​​the country, alas, remained the same, but one green corner became larger.

To ensure uninterrupted train movement 24 hours a day, even if part of the route had to be temporarily closed, two intersecting crossings were built in the main tunnels, they are also called passing chambers. They are located approximately a third of the way from each bank. Thanks to them, the train can always bypass the blocked section through another tunnel, and at the next junction return to the original track. This, of course, slows down the movement somewhat, but under any circumstances, except for the most extreme cases, the Channel Tunnel will work!

The patrol cells were built very large - about 150 meters long, 20 meters wide and 15 meters high each. To strengthen their structure, the rock around the siding chambers was reinforced with shotcrete and 4-6-meter steel rods - anchor bolts.

During the construction of the chambers, workers installed measuring instruments in the chalk rock to monitor the condition of the soil. If a problem was discovered, the thickness of the skin or the length of the anchor bolts was increased. During construction work, communication with the cameras was carried out through a technical tunnel: all the necessary materials and equipment were delivered through it and waste soil was removed.

Massive shutters were installed in the completed traveling cameras. They must prevent the spread of fire in the event of a fire; they are also used to independently supply air to each of the tunnels. The gates open only when the siding needs to be used.

After all the tunnels were completely punched, work continued for another two years. Workers installed miles of cables for security systems, signaling, lighting and pumping equipment. Two pipes were installed through which cooled water was constantly supplied to reduce the air temperature in the tunnel, which increased due to the movement of high-speed trains. All equipment, including the trains themselves, has been tested many times.

By the end of 1993, construction of the Eurotunnel was completed. And in May of the following year, this most expensive engineering facility in the history of mankind began to operate.

David McAuley. How it was built: from bridges to skyscrapers.

Not long ago, an underwater tunnel appeared on the European continent between France and England, with a total length of 51 kilometers, of which 39 kilometers are under water. There are two branches of railway tracks in this tunnel. This structure is considered the longest on the continent of Europe. Today, residents of not only two neighboring countries, but residents of the entire planet can get from the territory of continental Europe directly to good old England. The travel time of the train through the underwater part of the structure will take no more than twenty minutes, a maximum of thirty-five minutes, and the entire Channel Tunnel will be passed by the train. The entire journey from Paris to London will take no more than two hours and fifteen minutes. The grand opening of the constructed structure took place on May 6, 1994.

This railway Eurotunnel occupies third position in the world ranking. The Gotthard tunnel is considered the longest tunnel; its length is fifty-seven kilometers and one hundred meters. On the second line of this indicator is the Seikan structure, with a length of fifty-three kilometers and eight hundred meters. And yet, the French and British do not want to give up the palm, noting that the underwater part of the Channel Tunnel is larger compared to the Seikan structure, because the length of its underwater part is twenty-three kilometers three hundred meters.

The idea of ​​creation

The first ideas and first projects for the construction of a tunnel under the English Channel appeared at the end of the eighteenth - at the beginning of the nineteenth century. The Nord-Pas-de-Calais region was proposed as a construction site.

The French engineer Albert Mathieu-Favier proposed the idea of ​​building such a structure in 1802. In his project, the Channel Tunnel was to be illuminated through the use of oil lamps. Horse-drawn carriages were offered as transport for travelers and business people. The project provided for the creation of ventilation in the form of vents leading to the sea surface. The price of such a structure at that time was equal to one million pounds sterling. In the twenty-first century, in 2005, this amount would already be equal to sixty-six million four hundred thousand pounds sterling.

When the fighting died down and a peace treaty was concluded between the two states of France and England, Napoleon Bonaparte invited England to get acquainted with this project. However, due to the resumption of military battles on the territory of the European continent, the project was not implemented. The Eurotunnel of that time did not appear. Moreover, in the British Parliament, Lord Palmerston's indignation knew no bounds. He spoke briefly and sternly in English: “There is no point in spending money directing it to shorten the distance with a neighboring state, because it is already very short.”

Half a century passed, and with the onset of 1856, another French engineer, Thomas de Gamond, proposed another project to create a tunnel under the English Channel, with the laying of railway tracks. Thus, France and England would become much closer. And if the French side approved this project, then on the shores of Foggy Albion they continued to doubt the feasibility of building such a structure. In this peak situation, Gamond manages to find an ally in the person of the British mining engineer Peter Barlow. Subsequently, sixteen years later, Barlow, along with his colleague Sir John Hawkshaw, began raising funds to ensure the construction of the lintel.

Three years later, in 1875, Peter William Barlow proposed a new project for the construction of a tunnel under the English Channel, which was based on the idea of ​​laying large-diameter steel pipes at the bottom of the strait, inside which the very desired tunnel would be located. But this project remained only on paper. At the same time, engineer Barlow is building the first metro line in his country. It will be the first line not only in the UK, but also on a global scale.

The idea of ​​​​building a tunnel structure continues to hover within the walls of the parliaments of the two states. As a result of paperwork, a resolution of the English and French parliament on the construction of the tunnel was born. But the whole project has not yet been implemented due to lack of financial support. A year later, the project begins to be implemented.

Throughout 1881, geological exploration surveys were carried out. With the arrival of two English-Beaumont drilling machines at the end of October of the same year, the construction of the structure came to life. Drilling is done from both sides. On the French coast, this is a place near the town of Sangatte; on the British coast, this place is chosen near the city of Dover in the town of Shakespeare Cliff.

The work had been going on for several months, when the idea began to float again in the English government and parliament that the construction of the tunnel would not contribute to the full security of the country, and enemy troops could easily penetrate into British territory. As a result, on March 18, 1883, construction stopped for an indefinite period. Since the beginning of construction work, the French dug a tunnel 1829 meters long, the British managed to overcome a greater distance, which was equal to two thousand twenty-six meters.

The next attempt to build a tunnel structure was made in 1922. The drilling took place near the town of Folkestone. Having overcome one hundred and twenty-eight meters, construction is frozen again, this time the reason was political considerations.

After the Second World War ended victoriously, the French and British returned to the implementation of the idea of ​​​​building a European tunnel. Since 1957, a formed group of specialists has begun work to find the optimal option for constructing such a long-awaited structure. It took a group of specialists three years to give their recommendations on the creation of two main tunnels and one service tunnel, which was to be located between the two main structures.

Construction

Another thirteen years passed, and in 1973 the project received general approval and went into operation. Regular financial proceedings lead to another stop in construction work in 1975. By that time, a test tunnel had been dug; its length was only two hundred and fifty meters.

Nine years later, the governments of the two powers come to the conclusion that such a grandiose construction cannot be done without attracting private capital. After publication in 1986, specialists and financial magnates were offered four options for this unique project for consideration and discussion. Oddly enough, the most acceptable option turned out to be the one that was most similar to the project dated 1973. Progress during the discussion was visible to the naked eye. It took government officials and financial tycoons only twenty-three days to sign an agreement on the creation of a tunnel in the Canterbury area on February 12, 1986. True, its ratification took place only in 1987.

This last project involved connecting two cities, on the English side - this is a place near the city of Folkestone, and on the French coast - this is the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe city of Calais. The approved option gave the go-ahead for the construction of the longest track compared to other options under consideration. Since in these places the most pliable chalk geological soil layer was located, but the future Eurotunnel had to run at a greater depth, this deepening mark was equal to fifty meters from the bottom of the English Channel. At the same time, the northern part of the structure should have been higher than the southern part of the tunnel. Therefore, the French mine went to a depth of sixty meters, and the diameter was equal to fifty meters.

The work of the first tunneling shield for horizontal excavation began on December 15, 1987. A year later, on the last day of February, the creation of the so-called French double begins. This work consisted of drilling a tunnel for household needs and in case of unforeseen circumstances with a diameter of 4.8 meters. To dig the two main branches of the structure, the most powerful equipment of that time was used, with the use of tunneling machines, which ensured the laying of paths through the rocky soil. The diameter of each of the main tunnels reached a value of 7.6 meters.

In the area of ​​the tunnel depth, simultaneous, continuous operation of eleven shields was carried out. Of this number of shields, three units worked on laying a tunnel, moving from the Shakespeare Cliff point towards the British terminal, this is already in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe city of Folkestone. Three other shield units advanced towards the sea, diving under the English Channel. Three French shields worked in the opposite direction, starting their journey from the mining area, near the town of Sangate. Two units of shields bit into the ground rock of three tunnels, heading inland, and from there the direction went to the terminal area, near Calais.

The operation of these machines made it possible to simultaneously strengthen tunnel walls with concrete segments. This achieved the enveloping formation of a tunnel shaft with one and a half meter rings. On average, it took no more than fifty minutes to create one such ring.

Models of British cars covered a distance of one hundred and fifty meters per day. French cars covered a path only one hundred and ten meters long. The forty-meter difference was due to different design features of the machines and different conditions for shaft drilling. In order to ensure the final result of meeting the broken shafts in the place specified by the project, a laser positioning system was used. Such high and precise technical support for the work made it possible to carry out the meeting at the exact designated location. It took place on December 1, 1990, where the depth of the tunnel shaft from the torrential bottom was forty meters. The size of the errors was small: vertically – 5.8 centimeters, and horizontally – 35.8 centimeters. French workers managed to dig sixty-nine kilometers of tunnel shafts, and the British dug eighty-four kilometers of tunnel shafts. The last meters of the broken trunks were achieved through the hard work of the diggers, because the trunks were broken through manually using shovels and picks. After the joining of the main tunnels took place, the French dismantled their equipment and removed it from the shafts, the British took their tunneling shields under their own power to a parking lot in the area of ​​the underground depot.

During the work period, to ensure the precise direction of the machines, the operator reviewed computer screens and video monitors. All tunnel work was provided by satellite observatories, which carried out direct calculations, ensuring high accuracy of the laid path. The use of narrow drills ensured the probing of calcareous clay samples, which in general was able to achieve directional accuracy of one hundred and fifty meters forward. The use of a laser beam in the direction of the harvester light-sensitive point provided assistance to the driver in choosing the right direction.

In the tunnel shafts, at a distance of eight kilometers from the coastline of each of the two countries, additional junctions were created through the use of tunneling machines. If necessary, they can be used to transfer trains to the adjacent tunnel.

During the construction period, team tunnellers, using small-sized equipment, created additional passages with the help of which it was possible to get into the service tunnel. Transitions have been created along the entire length of the main tunnels every three hundred and seventy-five meters.

The arch located above the service trunk served to carry out the channels. designed to reduce pressure in the two main tunnels.

Over the entire period of construction work, about eight million cubic meters of natural rock were selected. Each country participating in the construction disposed of the extracted land wealth at its own discretion. The builders of Great Britain, by using their part of the rock on their native coast, managed to create an entire artificial cape, which now bears the name of the great English playwright William Shakespeare. On this territory, with an area of ​​0.362 kilometers, a park area was created. The French side followed a simple path, but without benefit to society, they took and washed away the extracted soil with water, and subsequently sent all the resulting pulp into the depths of the sea.

It took no more than seven years to implement such a grandiose project, which was discussed, reflected, fought and broke spears for almost two centuries. The tunnel between England and France was created by the hands of thirteen thousand workers and engineers. A lot of people gathered at the ceremonial event marking the start of operation of the longest tunnel on the European continent, opened by representatives of the participating countries in the person of French President Francois Mitterrand and Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain.

The meaning of the tunnel

Today, four trains operate in the Channel Tunnel. We are talking about high-speed trains of the TGV Eurostar type, which run along the route: from the Brussels Midi Zuid station, then the Paris Gare du Nord station and further to the English station in London St. Pancras, making intermediate stops at Lille stations, Calais and Ashford.

The maximum speed of such express trains reaches three hundred kilometers per hour. When passing through the tunnel part of the path, it decreases to one hundred and sixty kilometers per hour. On this line, on the French side, shuttle trains of the Eurotunnel Shuttle type are used, which can transport not only cars, but also vans and large passenger buses on the route from Folkestone to Sangatte. Using a special system of loading operations, vehicle entry to the carriage site takes only eight minutes. Passengers do not move anywhere, but remain inside their vehicles. The line also operates Eurotunnel Shuttle freight trains, which are an open carriage platform. Freight transport is delivered to them; drivers of large trucks follow locally in a separate carriage. Such trains can deliver cargo to or any other cargo. In freight trains, traction is provided by the operation of electric locomotives of the British Rail Class-92 type.

The Eurotunnel is significant primarily for the society of the countries participating in the construction of this structure. We are talking about the same notorious traffic jams. There are significantly fewer of them. With regard to economic benefits and the presence of development potential, these two factors have a significant positive impact, primarily on the surrounding regions. The English southwest benefits evolutionarily and socially because they have fast, efficient and cheap transport on their land. But again, all this applies only to the population living in the nearest administrative units adjacent to the transport artery. As with everything that surrounds us, the significance of this building has its own negative phenomena, starting with environmental issues.

After a five-year operational period, the first results were summed up. They looked disappointing in the economic aspect, because there was no benefit as such. The British were harsher in their conclusions, making a disappointing statement that the British economy would have performed better if the Channel Tunnel had not existed at all. Some experts went even further, saying that the payback on the constructed structure will only be exceeded after a whole millennium has passed.

Incidents

As for the rest of the negativity, there is plenty of that too. And above all, this is due to the unsolvable problems of illegal immigrants who use any possible transport artery to get to the shores of Foggy Albion. Most of this unorganized people enter the UK, making their way onto freight train sites. There were cases when bright personalities from the immigrant environment showed a kind of master class, jumping from a bridge onto a passing train. Not all such somersaults ended happily; there were also casualties. Some representatives of the emigrant environment managed to penetrate into the carriage areas and hide in the skerries of the transported equipment. Such actions led to delays of trains and disruption of train schedules. In some cases, unplanned repairs were required. Over the course of a month, such extraordinary expenses amounted to five million euros. Several dozen emigrants managed to penetrate into the interior of the main tunnel, where they died.

Ultimately, the French side made additional expenditures in the amount of €5,000,000, installing a double fence and CCTV cameras, as well as ordering enhanced police patrols.

The Channel Tunnel's security system was tested eight times while artificially creating real emergencies by specific culprits.

The first incident began on November 18, 1996; it was necessary to eliminate the consequences of a fire that occurred in a tunnel on board a shuttle train transporting trucks. Thirty-four vehicle drivers were rescued from the burning train and taken to the service tunnel. Ambulance medical personnel transported eight people who had severe burns. The remaining passengers were evacuated by using another train going in the opposite direction. Fire crews fought the fire for several hours in conditions of low water pressure in the fire main, overcoming the effects of strong ventilation drafts and the presence of high temperatures.

The consequences of such a fire were as follows; There was serious damage along the two-hundred-meter length of the tunnel. The same number of meters of the tunnel shaft were partially damaged. In some tunnel sections, burnt concrete rings were discovered to a depth of fifty millimeters. The locomotive and some of the last cars were taken out of service.

All victims were provided with the necessary assistance, and their ability to work was fully restored. The design features of the tunnel shafts and the coordinated work of the security services of Great Britain and France made it possible to avoid casualties.

After three days, the Eurotunnel again gave the green light to freight trains through only one of the tunnels. The full resumption of passenger train traffic occurred two weeks later.

10.10. 2001 there is a sudden stop of the train in the middle part of the tunnel. As a result, in such emergency situations, panic arises in the passenger environment, especially among those people who are susceptible to attacks of claustrophobia. The evacuation of the passenger flow was carried out through the service tunnel passages, after a five-hour wait and uncertainty.

On August 21, 2006, one of the trucks that was being transported on the shuttle train platform caught fire. Transport traffic through the tunnel shafts was suspended indefinitely.

The next force majeure event occurs on September 11, 2008. On the French side of the tunnel part, a fire occurs in one of the carriages of a freight train traveling to France from the English coast. The train transported trucks. The driving crew consisted of thirty-two people, all of whom were evacuated. Fourteen drivers required hospitalization due to minor injuries and carbon monoxide poisoning. The fire in the tunnel raged throughout the night and the next morning. In the UK, in the town of Kent, huge traffic jams occurred as the road was blocked by police to prevent vehicles from getting close to the tunnel entrance.

Transport traffic along the two tunnel shafts was restored after 134 days.

On December 18, 2009, there was a sudden failure of one of the systems, in particular the tunnel power supply. This force majeure occurred due to a sharp temperature change, which resulted in heavy snowfall in the northern part of French territory. Five trains stopped in the tunnel belly.

Experts found that such a stop was possible due to the unpreparedness of trains for operation in the winter. There was no adequate level of protection for live lines and undercar space. Carrying out annual maintenance of all trains was an insufficient measure for the operation of trains in winter, cold conditions with low temperatures.

On January 07, 2010, the Eurostar passenger train, carrying two hundred and sixty passengers, suddenly stopped. The train followed the route Brussels - London. For two hours the train stood in a tunnel under the English Channel. A team of specialists along with an auxiliary locomotive was sent to the place where the train stood. The faulty train was towed away by the dispatched locomotive. In the conclusion of experts, the reason for the sudden stop was named - it was melted snow on the tunnel section of the track. There was snow in the electrical equipment compartments. After entering the tunnel, he simply melted.

On March 27, 2014, a fire started on the British coast in a building located near the entrance to the tunnel. Train traffic is stopped. All four Eurostar trains returned to their departure points: Brussels, Paris and London. The cause of the fire was a lightning strike. No people were hurt.

On January 17, 2015, smoke begins to pour from the depths of one of the tunnel shafts, and the movement of trains is suspended.

The fire in the Channel Tunnel was caused by a truck that caught fire. The fire broke out in the tunnel part, near the entrance to it from the French side.

The passengers were evacuated in a timely manner. There were no casualties. Trains returned to the stations of their departure points.

This was the fourth incident since the beginning of the operational period of the Eurotunnel, when a truck caught fire on the platform of a freight train.

The total cost of constructing the Channel Tunnel is an impressive £10000000000, taking into account all inflationary costs.

Finance

As for the financial side of operating the Eurotunnel, the costs have not yet been recouped. The first payment of dividends to shareholders was made based on operating results in 2009.

A year later, Eurostar's losses amounted to €58,000,000. The main reason is considered to be the global financial crisis.

Based on the results of the company's work in 2011, a profit of 11,000,000 € was received. During the period mentioned above, 19,000,000 people were transported. The cost of one Eurostar share on the stock market increased to 6.53 €. The dividend amount per share was €0.08.

Eurotunnel - (French tunnel sous la Manche, English Channel Tunnel or simply EuroTunnel) is a railway tunnel, about 51 km long, of which 39 km pass under the English Channel. The structure, opened on May 6, 1994, was declared one of the Seven Modern Wonders of the World by the American Society of Civil Engineers.

The Channel Tunnel links Folkestone, Kent in England with Coquelles near Calais in northern France under the English Channel in the Strait of Dover. The lowest point is 75 m. The English Channel Tunnel has the longest section laid under the sea in the world. Overall, the largest is the Seikan Tunnel in Japan, its length is 53.85 kilometers and its depth is 240 meters. The tunnel is traversed by Eurostar high-speed passenger trains, as well as ro-ro trains, the world's largest international freight trains.

The idea of ​​​​creating a tunnel appeared back in 1802, but the first real project was proposed a century and a half later; construction began in 1988, and it was opened only in 1994. The total cost exceeded expectations by 80%, in addition, concessionaires from Eurotunnel (Eurotunnel) overestimated the potential traffic and therefore faced financial difficulties. Fires interrupted the tunnel's operation several times. Illegal immigrants and adventurers used the tunnel to enter the UK, forming a queue outside the Sangatte refugee camp, which was forced to close in 2002.

Eleven drilling machines from France and Britain were digging through layers of clay to dig two railway tunnels and a service tunnel. Car terminals are located at Sheriton (part of Folkestone) and Cockels and have links to British and French motorways.

Proposals for the creation of communication routes across the English Channel date back to Albert Metier's 1802 plan, according to which crews would move along an artificial bridge under the canal. For 150 years, the British government blocked all initiatives of this kind. In 1974, the French and British governments began construction of a tunnel at both ends, but the project was stopped by the British government due to financial problems. In 1985, the French and British governments paved the way for a new attempt. Eurotunnel, a group consisting of 10 construction companies and 5 banks, received the right to build the tunnel, or rather, to continue the project in 1974. Work began in 1988 and was completed in 1994. At 1985 prices The entire project cost £4,650 million (£10,153 taking into account inflation for 2007), the financial plan was exceeded by 80%. At the height of construction, 15,000 people were involved in the work at a time, costing about £3 million per day. Ten workers, including eight Britons, were killed during construction between 1987 and 1993, most in the early months.

The tunnel is used by three services: Eurotunnel Shuttle (originally Le Shuttle), ro-ro ships, including cargo ones; Eurostar passenger trains; and freight trains.

Eurotunnel's traffic estimate turned out to be overestimated, so the group of companies experienced some financial difficulties. In 1996, 2006 and 2008 Freight trains started several fires, closing the tunnel for periods of time, although no one was seriously injured in any of the incidents. Five years after the opening, the financial situation remained almost unchanged, and therefore it was difficult to make any changes to the design. In 1996, the American Society of Civil Engineers, with the participation of Popular Mechanics, named the tunnel one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World.

Suggestions and attempts

In 1955, arguments about the need to protect the country seemed irrelevant due to the development of air transport. The British and French governments supported technical and geological research.

Construction work began on both banks of the canal in 1974; two tunnels were provided, one of them a service tunnel, where commuter cars could travel. In January 1975, to the disappointment of the French partners, the British government canceled the project. The fact is that the Labor Party came to power with doubts about entry into the EU, the growing cost of the project (up to 200%) and problems in the national economy. By that time, the British company TBM was ready to work, and the Ministry of Transport was ready to finance 300 experimental meters. However, representatives of the British side soon abandoned this short tunnel.

In 1979, the “Mouse-hole Project” was proposed for consideration by the Conservative Party, which came to power in Great Britain. His concept is the only railway tunnel with a service tunnel, but without terminals at the exits. The British government stated that it was not interested in this project, but Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher said that if this project was private, no questions would arise. In 1981, British and French leaders Margaret Thatcher and François Mitterrand agreed to create a working group as part of a private project and in April 1985 the process of reviewing the design of the future tunnel went through. The following were submitted for consideration:

• Railway plan based on the 1975 project Channel Tunnel Group/France-Manche, abbreviated CTG/F-M
• Eurobridge - a 4.5 km long bridge in the shape of a pipe
• Euroroute - a 21 km long tunnel between artificial islands, which, in turn, were planned to be reached by bridges
• Channel Expressway is a wide tunnel with ventilation towers in the middle of the channel.

The protesters united in a company called Flexilink. In 1975, no protest campaign was organized; the state owner was one of the largest railway companies, Sealink. Flexilink continued its opposition activities in 1986-1987. At the same time, public opinion unanimously supported the project, but safety issues, in particular various incidents, caused fear, which led to the reduction of the list of candidates for work on the project to a single company, CTG/F-M.

Organization

The Channel Tunnel Group includes two banks and five construction companies, while its French counterpart, France-Manche, has three banks and five construction companies. The role of banks is to provide financing advice and secure loans. On July 2, 1985, the groups merged as Channel Tunnel Group/France-Manche, CTG/F-M. Their design was based on the 1975 plans and also highlighted the environmental side of the project.

The construction and decoration were entirely carried out by ten construction companies of the CTG/F-M group. The French terminal and the section to Sungate were developed by five French construction companies united in the GIE Transmanche Construction group. The English Terminal and the section to Shakespeare's Cliff were developed by five English construction companies as part of the Trankslink Joint Venture. The two companions were linked by TransManche Link (TML), a French-English organization. The Maître d'Oeuvre is an engineering company hired by Eurotunnel to oversee the development of the project and report to governments and banks.

In France, with a long tradition of infrastructure investment, the project received widespread approval and the French National Assembly funded the project in April 1987, followed by the Senate in June 1987. In the UK, select committees examined the proposal outside Westminster, in Kent. In February 1987, the Channel Tunnel project had its third reading and was approved by 94 votes to 22 against. The Channel Tunnel Act became British law in July. The BOOT Channel Tunnel project was accepted. TML will build and design the tunnel, but the financing was provided through a separately registered entity: Eurotunnel. CTG/F-M became part of the Eurotunnel and signed a contract with TML; however, the British and French governments monitored the progress of work and the level of safety of the process. The British and French governments gave Eurotunnel a 55 (later 65) year loan to pay off its debts and pay dividends. A Railway Usage Agreement was signed between the Eurotunnel, British Rail and the Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français, guaranteeing future income in exchange for the railways taking up half of the tunnel .

Private investment has reached unprecedented levels. The initial sum of £45 million raised by CTG/F-M was increased by £206 from private proceeds, a further £770 million was added when press and television were brought in, and the syndicate bank arranged a loan of £5 million. Overall, all private investment at 1985 prices amounted to £2,600 million. By 1994 costs in 1985 prices were £4,650, or 80% more. This was partly due to problems with increasing safety and environmental requirements. The final amount exceeded the planned amount by 140%.

Progress

The Eurotunnel completed the project on time and the tunnel was opened by Queen Elisabeth II and French President François Mitterrand in Calais on May 6, 1994. The Queen traveled through the tunnel to Calais on the Eurostar train, which was nose-to-nose with President Mitterrand's train from Paris. As part of the ceremony, President Mitterrand and the Queen traveled on Le Shuttle to a similar event in Folkestone. The Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL), today called High Speed ​​1, extends 111 km from St Pancras railway station in London to the Channel Tunnel in Folkestone in Kent. Its cost is £5.8 million. On 16 September 2003, British Prime Minister Tony Blair opened the first section of Expressway 1, from Folkestone to north Kent. On 6 November 2007, the Queen officially opened Expressway 1 at St Pancras International Station, replacing the conventional rail line to Waterloo International Station. Express Line 1 trains travel at speeds of up to 300 km/h, traveling from London to Paris in 2 hours 15 minutes, and from London to Brussels in 1 hour 51 minutes.

Usage and flights

The number of passengers and cargo transported increases every year. The number of cargo flights fell in 1996-1997. due to a fire in November 1996 at the British terminal at Cheriton in west Folkestone. Terminal services are connected to the M20 motorway. The White Horse at Folkestone is the last thing passengers in England see when they board a train at Cheriton. Services offered by the tunnel:

• Eurotunnel Shuttle (originally Le Shuttle) - road for ro-ro cruisers
• Eurostar passenger trains
• Freight trains

Traffic on both cargo and passenger flights was initially overestimated, although Eurotunnel carefully calculated future fees. Although traffic in canal areas (close to sea and air) was predicted correctly, high competition and reduced traffic resulted in lower revenues. IN

Passenger traffic volume

Passenger traffic peaked at 18.4 million in 1998, then fell to 14.9 million in 2003 and rose again to 16.1 million in 2008. When it was decided to build the tunnel, it was estimated that 15.9 million passengers would use Eurostar trains in the first year after opening. In 1995 - its first full year - the number of passengers slightly exceeded 2.9 million, reaching 7.1 million by 2000 and falling again to 6.3 million in 2003. However, Eurostar was also limited by a lack of expressways in the UK. After the opening of Expressway 1 (originally CTRL) to London in two stages - in 2003 and 2007. — traffic has increased again. In 2008, Eurostar carried 9,113,371 passengers through the Channel Tunnel, 10% more than last year, despite the 2008 fire.

Freight traffic volume

Freight traffic volumes are volatile, falling sharply in 1997 due to a freight train fire. Since then, the volume has been growing, the tunnel has proven its competitiveness with the sea. Traffic volumes are now almost identical to Eurotunnel predictions in the 1980s, but calculations in 1990 and 1994 turned out to be overestimated. In the first year, freight train traffic was expected to be 7.2 million tons, but in 1995 this figure stood at 1.3 million tons. The maximum volume of transportation was recorded in 1998 - 3.1 million tons. However, due to unresolved issues, this figure returned to 1.21 million tons in 2007, adding slightly to 2008's 1.24 million tons. However, taking into account suburban cargo flights, a gradual and constant increase in traffic can be traced, from 6.4 million tons in 1995, to 18.4 million tons in 2003 and 19.6 million tons in 2007. Eurotunnel's subsidiary is Europorte 2. In September 2006, EWS, Britain's largest rail operator, announced it would end French-English government subsidies of £52 million to cover the Channel Tunnel's "Minimum User Charge" (subsidy of approximately £13,000 per train with 4,000 trains per year), freight trains will stop operating from November 30.

Economic situation

Eurotunnel shares were issued at £3.50 per share on 9 December 1987. By mid-1989 the price had risen to £11.00. Delays and exceeding the planned cost of the facility “dropped” the value of shares; During the demonstrations in October 1994, the share price reached its lowest level. Eurotunnel delayed payments in September 1995, fearing bankruptcy. In December 1997, the British and French governments extended the loan term by 34 years until 2086. Financial restructuring of Eurotunnel in mid-1998 reduced the debt and financial burden. However, despite the restructuring, The Economist stated in 1998 that Eurotunnel would have to increase prices, traffic and stock to survive the period. An analysis of the costs and benefits of the Channel Tunnel showed that the British economy fared better if the Tunnel had not been built. As part of the same Project, Eurotunnel was obliged to study the possibility of building an additional tunnel. In December 1999, designs for a conventional tunnel and a railway tunnel were submitted to the British and French governments, but it was decided that the design did not meet the requirements for a second tunnel. A tripartite agreement between Great Britain, France and Belgium defined the boundaries and zones where representatives of other countries could perform certain duties. For greater convenience, these powers are distributed at the ends of the tunnel, for example, a French post at the British exit from the tunnel and a British post at the French one. For some trains, the train itself is the control area. The French-English emergency plan coordinates the actions of British and French services.

Fires

There were three fires in the tunnel, due to which it had to be closed, all cases occurred on heavy freight trains.

1996

On November 18, 1996, a freight car caught fire, but no one was seriously injured. The exact cause is unknown, but the accident was not due to Eurotunnel equipment or problems with the rails; Arson may have been the cause. During the fire, temperatures were estimated to reach 1,000 °C (1,800 °F), and a 46-meter (151-foot) section of the tunnel was partially damaged, and a 500-meter (500-meter) section was also damaged to some extent. All flights resumed in full six months after the fire.

2006

The tunnel was closed for several hours on August 21, 2006, when the contents of one of the freight trains caught fire.

2008

On 11 September 2008, the Channel Tunnel fire started at 13:57 GMT. The incident occurred on a freight train heading to France 11 kilometers from the French exit from the tunnel. No one was killed, but several people were taken to the hospital suffering from strangulation and minor injuries. The tunnel was closed to all traffic; the undamaged South Tunnel reopened two days later. On February 9, 2009, renovations were estimated at €60 million.

Impact on regions

A 1996 European Commission report stated that Kent and north Calais could face a significant increase in traffic as a result of increased traffic in the Tunnel. In Kent, high speed rail is set to solve this problem. Regional development in Kent is accelerated by the tunnel's proximity, but limited by its proximity to London. It is mainly the traditional industry that benefits, and in general this benefit depends on the development of the international passenger station in Ashford, without which Kent would gradually find itself in the territory of a growing London. Nord-Pas-de-Calais enjoys the powerful effect caused by the proximity of the tunnel, thanks to which a great leap has been made in the manufacturing industry. Relieving congestion through projects such as the Channel Tunnel does not necessarily result in economic benefits for surrounding regions; the fact that these regions have high-speed transport and are actively involved in political activities is much more important for their development. The south-west of England likely benefits evolutionarily and socially from the proximity of fast and cheaper transport to mainland Europe, but this benefit is limited to some parts of the region. In general, the environmental impact of the tunnel is negative. Five years after the tunnel's opening, there has been little impact on the economy, making it difficult to associate major changes with the tunnel's arrival.

Homeless people and immigrants

Illegal immigrants and house seekers used the tunnel to enter Britain. By 1997, the problem had attracted the attention of the international press and the French Red Cross opened a center for immigrants in Santgate in 1999, using a warehouse that existed during the tunnel's construction; by 2002 it was holding up to 1,500 people at a time, most of them trying to enter the UK. On the one hand, most of them came from Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran, but Africa and Eastern Europe were also represented, albeit to a lesser extent. Most of those who arrived here traveled by freight train, and the rest by Eurostar trains. Although the tunnel was guarded and it was believed that it was impossible to penetrate there, emigrants even jumped from bridges onto moving trains. In several cases, people were injured during their journey through the tunnel; others were hidden among equipment, causing delays and sometimes even repairs. Eurotunnel said it was losing £5 million a month due to the problems. Dozens of emigrants died trying to get through the tunnel. In 2001 and 2002 During several demonstrations, groups of emigrants broke into Sagate (up to 550 in December 2001), they attacked the fences and tried to get through en masse. Immigrants also arrived as Eurostar passengers, but without identification documents. Local authorities in France and the UK called for Sungate to be closed, and Eurotunnel was ordered to do so twice. The UK accused France of not adequately policing Sungate, and France accused the UK of not having strict enough laws for immigrants. This caused other problems, including the detention of journalists. In 2002, after the European Commission failed to declare France that it was breaking EU rules by allowing free movement of goods, and citing delays and closures as a result of insufficient security, a double fence was built at a cost of £5 million, reducing the number of emigrants from 250 a week almost to zero. Other measures include CCTV cameras and increased police patrols. Sungate closed at the end of 2002 after the UK agreed to take in some emigrants.

Engineering

The service tunnel uses the Service Tunnel Transport System (STTS) and Light Service Tunnel Vehicles (LADOGS). Fire protection was a particular area of ​​criticism. Between the entrances at Beussingue and Castle Hill, the tunnel is 50.5 km (31 miles) long, of which 3.3 km underground on the French side, 9.3 km underground on the British side and 37 .9 km underwater. Thus, the English Channel Tunnel is the second railway tunnel in the world, after the Seikan Tunnel in Japan, but the longest underwater section is still at the English Channel. The average depth is 45 meters from the seabed. On the UK side, of the 5 million cubic meters (6.5*106 cubic yards) of excavated earth, 1 million cubic meters was used in the construction of the terminal, the remainder being hauled to Shakespeare's Crag behind the causeway, occupying 30 hectares of land. This land was subsequently used for Samphire Hoe Country Park. The environmental situation did not pose any risks to the project, and subsequent safety, noise and air pollution studies were generally positive. However, the environmental situation was affected by the high-speed line from the tunnel to London.

Research

Measurements of the depth of the strait by Thomas de Gamond in 1833-1867. showed that the maximum is 55 meters, and below there are geological layers. Research continued for many years with 166 offshore and 70 onshore drill holes and 4,000 km of seabed explored. Research was undertaken in 1958-1959, 1964-1965, 1972-1974. and 1986-1988 Research in 1958-1959 required the involvement of a metro and a bridge, as well as a dug area; this entire area was researched. At this time, marine geological research for engineering projects was just in its infancy, and there were no seismic instruments. Study 1964-1965 concentrated in the north on the English coast at Dover Bay, 70 boreholes were drilled into the rock-solid ground south of Dover Bay. After preliminary results and difficulties with access, the territory slightly to the south was explored in 1972-1973, where it was decided to build a tunnel. Other information also came from this research until it was closed in 1975. On the French side at Sungate a large shaft with several galleries was made. On the English side at Shakespeare's Cliff, the government has given permission to dig a 250-metre-diameter tunnel out of 4.5 metres. The modern tunnel was designed in exactly the same way as they tried to do in 1975. During the study in 1986-1997. it was found that 85% of all soil is chalk and limestone. For this purpose, geophysical techniques from the oil industry were used.

Geology

To successfully implement the canal tunnel project, a clear understanding of the geology and topography was necessary, as well as proven building materials for finishing the tunnel from the inside. Geological research is mainly in the chalk layer, partly on the spurs of the mountains in Weldon and Boulogne. The following characteristics were given:

• According to Vestegan's observations in 1698, the slopes on both are represented by Cretaceous rocks without significant changes
• The slopes consist of four geological strata, marine sedimentary rocks deposited 90-100 million years ago; the upper and middle chalk layers above the lower chalk layer and finally the waterproof alumina. A sand layer and glauconitic limestone were found between the chalk layer and the clay.
• The 25-30 meter chalk limestone layer (craie bleue in French) at the bottom of the chalk layer was considered the best place to build a tunnel. Chalk contains 30-40% clay, which makes it waterproof and at the same time easy for excavation and powerful without unnecessary support structures. Ideally, the tunnel would have been built 15 meters below the chalk limestone layer, allowing water to flow out of the openings and providing the fewest number of joints, but above the clay layer the pressure on the tunnel could be increased, and high humidity and unpleasant odors were feared. On the English side of the canal the slope is about 5°, but on the French side it is 20°. Small offsets are present on both sides. On the English side the displacements are small, no more than a meter. But on the French side they reach up to 15 meters, to the anticlinal folds. These displacements are limited in width, filled with calcium, pyrite and clay. An increasing slope and some defects limited the choice of route on the French side. To avoid inclusions of other soils, we used special equipment to look for places with chalky limestone soil. On the French side, especially close to the coast, the chalk was harder and finer than on the English side. Therefore, different techniques were used on different banks.

The study did not identify any significant risks, but the Fosse Dangaered underwater valley and Castle Hill were expected to be affected. In 1964-1965 A geophysical survey of Fosse Dangered showed that the length of the valley is 80 meters and it is located 500 meters to the south, approximately in the middle of the channel. A 1986 study showed that underground rivers ran through the area where the tunnel was planned, so it was moved as far down and north as possible. The English Terminal would take place on Castle Hill, which comprises chalk beds, glauconic limestone and alluvial heavy clay. This area was fortified with buttresses and drainage galleries. The service tunnels were pilot projects before the main tunnels were laid in order to have advance knowledge of the geology, areas of eroded rock, and wet areas. Research samples were taken in service tunnels, including above, below and to the sides.

Tunnel

A typical service tunnel between two main railways. The connection between two railway tunnels shown in the diagram is represented by a piston needed to control the pressure changing due to the movement of trains. The tunnel between England and France was the largest project besides the Seikan Tunnel in Japan. The most serious risk facing any underwater tunnel is the proximity of water and its pressure on the tunnel surface. The English Channel Tunnel also had its own problem: since the investors in the project were mainly private companies and entrepreneurs, it was necessary to implement it as quickly as possible and pay off the lenders. The goal was to build: two railway tunnels with a diameter of 7.6 meters, 30 meters apart, 50 km long; a service tunnel with a diameter of 4.8 meters between the two main tunnels; pairs of perpendicular tunnels with a diameter of 3.3 meters connecting the railway tunnels with the service tunnel over a space of 375 meters; auxiliary 2-meter pistons connecting railway tunnels every 250 meters; two underwater caves connected to railway tunnels. The service tunnel was always built at least 1 km faster in order to become familiar with the composition of the soil; in the mining industry it was already necessary to build tunnels through chalk soils. Underwater intersecting caves have become a serious engineering problem. The French Cave was modeled after the Mount Baker Ridge Freeway Tunnel in the United States.

The British Cave was connected to the service tunnel before the main tunnel was built to avoid delays. Prefabricated segmental mounts were used in the TBM main engines, but differently on the French and English sides. On the French side, neoprene fastenings made of reinforced cast iron or reinforced concrete were used. On the English side, speed was preferred and segments were bolted together only where the geology required. The British tunnels used eight fastenings and a key segment, while the French side used five fastenings and a key segment. On the French side, a 55 meter shaft in Sungate with a diameter of 75 meters was used for the descent. On the English side, this site was located 140 meters below the top of Shakespeare's Cliff, where the New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM) was first used. On the English side, underground tunnels were built from Shakespeare's Crag, as well as underwater ones, rather than from Folkestone. The platform at the base of the cliff was not large enough, so the excavated earth was placed behind a reinforced concrete dam, but on the condition that the chalk soils were transferred to a closed lagoon to avoid their dispersal. Due to limited space, the prefabricated factory was located on the Isle of Grain in the Thames Estuary. On the French side, due to insufficient soil impermeability, TBMs were used, putting pressure on the post.

The TBMs were hidden for the first 5 kilometers of the route, then they were exposed and rested on the chalky limestone soil. This minimized the pressure on the base of the tunnel and ensured maximum safety from flooding. Such actions on the French side required the involvement of five TBMs: two main sea vehicles, one main land vehicle (the engines allowed the vehicle to move 3 km in one direction, then change it and continue moving in the other direction using a different engine) and two vehicles in the service tunnel.