More than 50,000 chemical and steel heavy-duty fixings by fischer have been used to reinforce Poland's longest underwater tunnel thus far, the Świna Tunnel.
The tunnel below the river Świna will strengthen the coastal region through improved infrastructure connections to the rest of the country and the world. The project is expected to be completed in late 2022 and to be opened in 2023. An emergency tunnel is being built parallel to the two lane 12m diameter tunnel. The road tunnel will span a total of 1.8km and will be Poland’s longest underwater tunnel yet. It will also be part of Poland’s S3 expressway connecting the north to the south over a span of 500km from the western part of Świnoujście on the island of Uznam to Lubawka in Silesia on the Czech-Polish border.
fischer heavy-duty fixings are being used to reinforce the tunnel after the tunnel boring machine work is completed. The chemical fixing systems and steel anchors fasten the reinforced concrete supporting structure. This required extreme anchor depths of up to 550mm with rods measuring M16 and M30 in diameters in order to connect the reinforced concrete shell after the TBM operation. Platforms and struts for the launching shafts were additionally secured with the fixing solutions.
The professional fischer solution FIS EM Plus was used in particular. Together with its system components, this injection mortar permanently and safely transfers heavy loads into concrete even under the most extreme of conditions such as during earthquakes, in water-filled boreholes and in the event of fire. FIS EM Plus’s two European Technical Approvals (ETAs) and its ICC approval for the USA and countries in the Far East comprise fastenings in concrete in addition to post-installed rebar connections. FIS EM Plus also has an assessed service life (ETA) of 100 years.
The fischer FIS SB superbond mortar was also used together with system components. With its silane technology, the fixing system achieves a high bond stress resilience for a strong performance and a high-level of security confirmed by its ETA for concrete and seismic loads. The variable anchoring depths of the injection mortar optimize the installation time and use of materials. Other mechanical anchoring solutions are also being used, including the fischer bolt anchors FBN II and FBZ as well as fischer concrete screws.
More than 50,000 fischer fixing solutions have been used on the Świna Tunnel project so far. The fixing expert will continue to support the client with products and services until the project's expected successful completion in summer of 2023.
Having spent a decade in the fastener industry experiencing every facet – from steel mills, fastener manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, as well as machinery builders and plating + coating companies, Claire has developed an in-depth knowledge of all things fasteners.
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