Túnel sumergido de Coatzacoalcos
HEIGHT: Maximum 9.6m Minimum 9.2 m
WIDTH: 25.1 m
TOTAL IMMERSED LENGTH: 698 m
DEPTH AT BOTTOM OF STRUCTURE: 30.5 m below sea level
ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS:
At the tunnel location water levels are influenced by the tide in the Gulf of Mexico. River
conditions allow only for immersion in the period February - May
The Rio Coatzacoalcos has high discharge in the rain season (September – November) and
also transports a lot of siltation.
The port of Coatzacoalcos is important for the region because of the petroleum industry and is
visited by many ships.
FABRICATION METHOD:
Element cast in segments with permanent prestressing to
enable transport and immersion and to coop with seismic
impact.
Casting basin on eastern embankment.
WIDTH: 25.1 m
TOTAL IMMERSED LENGTH: 698 m
DEPTH AT BOTTOM OF STRUCTURE: 30.5 m below sea level
ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS:
At the tunnel location water levels are influenced by the tide in the Gulf of Mexico. River
conditions allow only for immersion in the period February - May
The Rio Coatzacoalcos has high discharge in the rain season (September – November) and
also transports a lot of siltation.
The port of Coatzacoalcos is important for the region because of the petroleum industry and is
visited by many ships.
FABRICATION METHOD:
Element cast in segments with permanent prestressing to
enable transport and immersion and to coop with seismic
impact.
Casting basin on eastern embankment.
Rio Coatzacoalcos, state of Veracruz,,
Mexico
(Project promotor:) State of Veracruz and Banobras
CTC: Joint venture of FCC from Spain and Impulsa and OPC from Mexico
Tunnel Engineering Consultants (TEC)
4 @ 138 m 1 @ 146m
698m
30.5m
Project construction
5
Two tubes with two lanes each and a service gallery in between
Maximum 9.6m Minimum 9.2 m
25.1m
Variable and soft soil conditions
Moderate to severe seismic conditions, seismic zone B (PGA = 0.32g), which require special
immersion and segment joint design:
- Immersion joint: special large GINA profile to accommodate seismic movements in
combination with passive tendons
- Segment joint: permanent prestressing (0.5-2.0 N/mm2) in combination with crack inducers
and injection hoses to repair potential cracks due to seismic events
Due to permanent prestressing in the segment joints the element will behave as a monolithic
tunnel structure, resulting in heavy shear keys in the immersion joints.
The longitudinal reinforcement is continued over the segment joints using smaller bar diameters.
Internal Gina gasket in last element (at 8 meter from element face) constructed in casting basin.
Moderate to severe seismic conditions, seismic zone B (PGA = 0.32g), which require special
immersion and segment joint design:
- Immersion joint: special large GINA profile to accommodate seismic movements in
combination with passive tendons
- Segment joint: permanent prestressing (0.5-2.0 N/mm2) in combination with crack inducers
and injection hoses to repair potential cracks due to seismic events
Due to permanent prestressing in the segment joints the element will behave as a monolithic
tunnel structure, resulting in heavy shear keys in the immersion joints.
The longitudinal reinforcement is continued over the segment joints using smaller bar diameters.
Internal Gina gasket in last element (at 8 meter from element face) constructed in casting basin.
Element cast in segments with permanent prestressing to
enable transport and immersion and to coop with seismic
impact.
Casting basin on eastern embankment.
enable transport and immersion and to coop with seismic
impact.
Casting basin on eastern embankment.
Elements are fitted out in the
casting basin, where a
temporary mooring location is
created.
casting basin, where a
temporary mooring location is
created.
At the tunnel location water levels are influenced by the tide in the Gulf of Mexico. River
conditions allow only for immersion in the period February - May
The Rio Coatzacoalcos has high discharge in the rain season (September – November) and
also transports a lot of siltation.
The port of Coatzacoalcos is important for the region because of the petroleum industry and is
visited by many ships.
conditions allow only for immersion in the period February - May
The Rio Coatzacoalcos has high discharge in the rain season (September – November) and
also transports a lot of siltation.
The port of Coatzacoalcos is important for the region because of the petroleum industry and is
visited by many ships.
For placement of the elements winch pontoons, land winches and 2 catamarans are used. For
positioning a GPS survey system is installed on the access shaft and survey tower. All
immersion equipment for this project is containerized.
positioning a GPS survey system is installed on the access shaft and survey tower. All
immersion equipment for this project is containerized.
Special large Gina Seal to deal
with seismic impact and
Standard Omega seal.
Dywidag bars over immersion
joints to prevent opening of
joints during an earthquake.
with seismic impact and
Standard Omega seal.
Dywidag bars over immersion
joints to prevent opening of
joints during an earthquake.
Watertight concrete using artificial cooling and a sprayed structural waterproofing system on
walls and roof.
walls and roof.
Gravel bed (thickness 0.6-0.75 m), placed using scrading method with fall pipes
1.5m: gravel, filter layer and rock fill
C30/37; reinforcement steel grade 42,
permanent longitudinal prestressing
EN 1992-1, prestressed in longitudinal
direction (after immersion prestress is not cut).
permanent longitudinal prestressing
EN 1992-1, prestressed in longitudinal
direction (after immersion prestress is not cut).
temporary condition1,025/ permanent condition 1,05