M85: construction completed in both tunnels of the Sopron tunnel

Structural works on the Sopron tunnel have been completed in both the southern and northern tunnels, magyarepitok.hu reports.The contractor for the tunnel, which is being built on the final section of the M85 motorway, is SDD Konzorcium, which includes Dömper Kft., Subterra-Raab Kft. and Pannon-Doprastav Kft.

The Építési és Közlekedési Minisztérium investment includes the construction of the 780 m tunnel pair, the 4.2 km four-lane road between the Fertőrákos junction and the Sopron border, and the construction of the north-western Sopron bypass.

In the latter project, the bypass 8647 will be built as a dual carriageway of about 4 km between the M85 and the Ágfalvi road leading west from Sopron.

The CKT base course and the asphalt layer separating AC-11 in the southern corridor have already been completed

According to the report sent to this newspaper, the finishing works of the construction, which was completed last December

One of the consortium's big tasks is to dismantle the machinery chain that will build the final structure: this will require time, space and logistics at the eastern and western tunnel lobbies.

The briefing summary also mentioned that the 17 cm thick CKT-4 hydraulic binder base course and the 4 cm thick AC-11 asphalt separation layer were paved in the south tunnel in late January. "In these works, great attention must be paid to the decreasing voids within the tunnel, which require constant concentration due to the continuous installation of fittings, cable trays and fans," the construction status was stressed.

The AC-11 asphalt layer is also significant because it will be used to start the preparation of the coating for the inner lining of the tunnel. This involves cleaning the receiving concrete surface and then applying the coating layers using a spray gun. "To comply with the specification, the coating is required to be applied to a limit of 5 metres above the pavement concrete in the closed sections of the tunnel and to the entire vault in the open sections. In parallel, the installation of the cable support structure and the concreting of the upper 15 cm of the pavement in both passages is underway," the report said.

Mobile concrete mixing plant dismantled and removed

The project report also covered the northbound section, where the installation of protective pipes is underway at block 22, as well as the grinding of the concrete surface. Dowelling of the fire-resistant function-retaining trays was underway between Blocks 20 and 27 at the time of the report.

Also in the northern tunnel, in the second emergency tunnel, the slope concrete was reported to be ready, and the concreting under the electric protection pipes was underway at block 36. The levelling concreting and formwork under the gap river is 4-5 blocks ahead of the laying of the gap river elements, and the re-pressure test of the fire water main up to block 49 has been completed.

A major change to the work area after the completion of the construction was the demolition and removal of the mobile concrete mixing plant, workshop tent, mixing plant depots and other dumped materials on the east side of the staging area. The temporary milling of asphalt could then begin.

Basalt concrete spreading can start in March

According to the construction report, the final road structure of the motorway is on schedule to start. The construction of the upper layer of the road structure, i.e. the laying of 26 cm of basalt concrete, is scheduled for March by SDD Konzorcium. This phase of work requires, among other things, the completion of the pavement concreting in both lanes, the preparation of the coating, the cable pull-ins and the installation of the vault. In addition, in the northern tunnel, the previously mentioned works must be completed, as well as the laying of the 17 cm CKT-4 layer and the 4 cm AC-11 separation layer.

After the construction of the basalt concrete, the main task will be to complete the largely installed traffic and control elements, as well as to revive the software responsible for the tunnel management, i.e. the SCADA, and to test the system elements.