North portal of the Brenner base tunnel: engineers celebrate great success!

North portal of the Brenner base tunnel: engineers celebrate great success!

At the beginning of December 2024, a crucial step in the construction of the BRENNER base tunnel was carried out: the “Sillschlucht”, the northernmost section of the project, was successfully completed. The north portal of the longest railway tunnel worldwide is ready. Despite its strikingly short length of 600 meters, this section represented an immense challenge for engineers and construction workers, as 5min.at . The structural implementation of the Sillschlucht was a logistical masterpiece in particular due to the tight gorge and the complex geological structure of the Viller Berg. During the 52-month construction period, up to 60 pre-tensioners with lengths of up to 120 meters were installed in the rock for securing the north portal.

challenges and services

According to the project manager Martin Keinprecht, the challenges of the Sillschlucht project included several complex construction constructions, both over and during day. The work included 170 bored piles for a powerful reinforced concrete support wall, three impressive steel bridges of 50 meters each and a 55-meter-long clamping band bridge for pedestrians. Carried out by Porr Bau GmbH from Kematen, the construction work with an order amount of around 60 million euros has achieved the advanced goal and bring the Brenner Basi tunnel infrastructure project one closer.

The Sillschlucht is not only a technical challenge, but also as a decisive connection to the existing infrastructure, which includes nearby motorways, a power plant and the existing railway line. Martin Gradnitzer and Gilberto Cardola, board members of the project company BBT SE, explain that the portals are the only visible components of a railway tunnel. The north portal near Innsbruck, in connection with the southern portal near Franzensfeste, will give the Brenner Basi tunnel a unique and distinctive appearance, so tirol.at .