Safe travel through the Alps

Heavy traffic, narrow and winding roads and potential dangers such as storms and forces of nature place high demands on the safety of the Gotthard Pass Road. Under the leadership of the German Federal Roads Agency ASTRA, construction planners and contractors have been able to master the renovation under these difficult conditions precisely on schedule. At the same time, the sophisticated project management of ASTRA regulates the continued flow of traffic on the important link between the north and south of the Alps.

Since 2017 April the renovation of the Tanzenbein (middle and south sections) and Brüggwaldboden galleries as well as the Fadegg tunnel has been planned. These devices protect road users from stone chipping, rock falls and mainly from avalanches. The existing roof has been reinforced to increase the safety of the Dance Leg Gallery. For this purpose, 1,900 fishermen’s FCC-A concrete-to-concrete push fasteners, consisting of anchor rod and special nut, were used on 250 square metres. The axle spacing was 25 and 35 centimetres to each other, depending on the direction. First, the concrete builders of the responsible construction company Implenia drilled holes in the old concrete to the specified dimensions. After careful cleaning of the borehole, they filled it with the 2-component injection mortar FIS V. They then manually inserted the FCC-An into the injection mortar up to the bottom of the borehole. After a short hardening time, these fasteners are fully resilient and now absorb and reliably transfer the tensile and shear forces that occur in the joint between old and new concrete.

Property profile Gotthard Passstraße

Project Leads

ASTRA Federal Roads Office

Scope:

1,900 fishermen’s FCC-A concrete-to-concrete push connectors, consisting of anchor rod and special nut, were used on 250 square meters.

Overall lengths

5150 metres of road with 357 metres of height difference

“Economical, high-quality and durable systems that can be installed quickly and easily are in demand, especially on demanding construction sites such as in the Schöllenen Canyon,” says Markus Unmüssig from SFS unimarket, the Swiss importer of fischer. "There, the moods of nature can still cross the plans for rapid construction progress in the 21st century. For this reason, the FCC-An and FIS V fastenings approved by the building authorities fit into the concept on this construction site."

In addition, Implenia used the FIS V to anchor new reinforcement bars to reinforce existing support walls and connect new baffles to the existing vertical supports. “The solution brings many advantages,” emphasises Markus Unmüssig. "The vinyl ester hybrid-based system exceeds the bond strength of embedded bars. The tensile and compressive forces are first transferred to the injection mortar via the ribs of the reinforcement bars. It then introduces them into the concrete via grain toothing and composite action. With its wide range of system approvals, such as in cracked concrete, masonry and special applications, the FIS V can be used in many ways."

Economical, high-quality and durable systems that can be installed quickly and easily are in demand, especially on demanding construction sites such as in the Schöllenen Canyon.

Markus Unmüßig, SFS Unimarket

In total, the “renovation of Schöllenen” includes the entire repair and modernisation of the 5,150-metre-long roadway with an altitude difference of 357 metres. This includes flooring, artwork, vehicle restraint systems and media lines. In addition, a new, separately routed cycle and hiking trail will be created for slow traffic and the drainage systems will be improved – for the benefit of people and the environment. Only two construction sites per year are in operation. A light signal system guides road users safely through the single-lane construction site areas. Clients and contractors thus strike a balance between the rapid progress of construction and the continued flow of traffic.

Property profile Gotthard Passstraße

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