Innovation in tunnelling

The HS-EPS compression element

The roads of tomorrow will be built where impenetrable mountains stand today. Thanks to HS-EPS compression elements, demanding ground is not an obstacle, but a challenge. Together we are revolutionizing tunnel construction and setting new standards for the future.

The base tunnel - a challenging construction project

Mountain ranges often represent natural barriers to efficient transportation links. By building tunnels, we create efficient transport routes, connect people and regions and promote local economic development.

The construction of base tunnels for rail-bound freight traffic is particularly challenging. They extend over considerable lengths below the valley floors of the mountains and cross different geological formations with varying degrees of stability. This has presented modern tunnel construction with previously insurmountable challenges.

But our construction experts know: New paths require new approaches.

With the help of innovative technologies and construction methods, we have been able to rethink tunnel construction and once again become a pioneer in the industry. That's why Implenia is the only construction services provider working on all the major transalpine routes currently under construction:

Semmering Base Tunnel
Brenner Base Tunnel
Mont-Cenis Base Tunnel
Gotthard road tunnel

When new depths require new innovations

At the base of a mountain range, you will find enormous rock formations, some of which are of low strength, which push even experienced tunnel builders to their limits. This is referred to as "compressive rock conditions", in which conventional tunnel construction methods have already led to massive safety problems, cost explosions, delays or complete project abandonment in the past.

Difficult conditions in tunnel construction require innovations

Rethinking instead of demolition

Implenia's construction experts set themselves the task of making base tunnel construction safe and efficient, thus enabling the realization of previously utopian projects. Our employees Manuel Entfellner and Helmut Wannenmacher developed the innovative HS-EPS compression element, which was to revolutionize construction in pressurized rock conditions.

the HS EPS compression element

HS-EPS stands for "High-Strength Expanded PolyStyrene". It is a lightweight, flexible and yet extremely resistant material that is ideal for use at the base of the rock. With our unique compression elements, we are able to deform the rock in a controlled manner, which reduces the rock pressure and allows the tunnel lining to be constructed at an economically justifiable cost.

Why is the HS EPS compression element a structural milestone?

Easy installation due to low weight (10-20 kg)
Increased occupational safety and improved health protection for employees
Time-saving and efficient thanks to quick assembly (approx. 5 minutes per element)
Flexible adjustment of the stress-strain behavior and thus targeted design of the removal resistance thanks to modular sandwich construction
Flexible adjustment of the dimensions, making variable cut-off lengths possible
High resistance to tilting in the event of asymmetrical deformations and elasto-plastic material behavior and full-surface load transfer in the axial direction

Together we are redefining tunnel construction

Implenia's commitment to innovation and excellence in tunnel construction is not only reflected in the successful development of the HS-EPS compression element. We focus on our continuous development, adaptation and shaping of an industry that is constantly changing and growing. Thanks to the comprehensive know-how and pioneering systems of our construction experts, we open up new possibilities for the realization of the most complex projects in the world of modern tunnel construction. This is how Implenia transforms construction visions that were previously considered illusory into tangible reality.

Specifically: Semmering Base Tunnel

The innovative HS-EPS compression element is already being used in various tunnel projects, including the 27.3 km long Semmering Base Tunnel. The Semmering Base Tunnel is one of the most important and complex large-scale infrastructure projects in the heart of Europe.

To the Semmering Base Tunnel