The Marieholm Project in Gothenburg, Sweden. April 24th 2017

Let the immersion begin

A ballast system for the immersion of the Marieholm Tunnel is now ready in Gothenburg. Delivered by Elmodan. Commissioned by Züblin. Repeated after Stockholm success. Installed, tested, and ready before Easter.

In Gothenburg is the first tunnel element out of three now ready to inundate and float out of the construction pit, the element will be immersed in autumn of 2017 with help of a ballast system that Elmodan delivered.

The project is part of the construction of the Marieholm Tunnel, which has been running since 2014 and is scheduled for completion in 2020.

The first tunnel element is ready in the dry dock in Gothenburg. In each corner of the 100-meter-long concrete block is built a large tank for water. Subsequently, Elmodan has installed two master Grindex pumps, a complete system of pipes and valves, as well as cables for each tank.

The whole system is connected to a control board that controls the immersion of the element in an effective and controlled manner.

"Elmodan have an important role in this project. They make sure that each part is installed and all connections work. There is absolute confidence in Elmodan” Nicole Jakobs says, project engineer and block manager of the immersion of the tunnel.

Nicole Jakobs represent the German construction company Züblin. Together with Boskalis they are responsible for the construction of the tunnel.

"Elmodan provide not just a product. They provide input, ideas, solutions, improvements and a lot of knowledge. So they are not just suppliers”, she continues.

And a lot of knowledge in this area, Elmodan has indeed. We have done it before. In Stockholm.

We repeat the success from Stockholm

Fortunately, the wheel is not invented again. Elmodan and Züblin has previously worked together on the Söderström Tunnel in Stockholm in 2008-2014, where a similar ballast system was immersing tunnel elements, and therefore the system is repeated from Stockholm.

"Elmodan has been there from the beginning. They know the system, and therefore it could be reused. So it's really good that we don’t have to start from zero," Nicole Jakobs says.

Back to Gothenburg

The project in Gothenburg also has another dimension. A sand-filling system to make sure that the tunnel element is supported on the bottom of the Göta-river. The sand is filled through a pipe system mounted on the outside of the element, and thereafter supporting the element on the bottom of the river.

Sand-filling is ordered for all three elements, and Elmodan has supplied pipes and valves for the task, which is the brainchild of Züblin’s engineers.

Are you also about to blow up of excitement of how interesting the project is? Follow the project live here.