Pipejacking success for Rhine sewer project 13 July 2016

Pipejacking is complete on a new 1,000m-long sewage culvert in Düsseldorf, Germany, following three months of tunnelling operations.

The micro TBM completed the drive between the City of Düsseldorf’s sewage treatment plant Klärwerk Nord in Ilverich on the left of the Rhine, and Lohausen on the right, on 11 May (2016). German technology provider DMT has been responsible for on-site construction supervision for the whole project since its inception in 2013.

The new culvert is excavated 25m downriver and parallel to the existing sewage tunnel, which also runs 5m below the riverbed of the Rhine from the Düsseldorf-Lohausen district to the Klärwerk Nord sewage plant.

In preparation for the tunnelling and pipejacking work a launch shaft of approximately 25m in depth was excavated using a reinforced slurry wall; and a 15m deep reception shaft was excavated using a bored pile wall system. To construct the tunnel, reinforced concrete pipes with an o.d. of 2.4m were driven through the ground from one side of the Rhine to the other. Inlet structures will now be erected at the two connection points on either side of the river.

DMT will continue to supervise the project and provide practical support until work has been completed.