Resource-efficient tunnel elements produced in a carbon-reduced lightweight design using AI-based manufacturing processes
Enormous material consumption and associated carbon emissions are still the rule rather than the exception in tunnelling. The RTTS research project funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) specifically addresses this situation. Under the head responsibility of Ed. Züblin AG, an interdisciplinary consortium is developing resource-efficient, climate-optimized tunnel segment and mortar systems based on new concrete technology approaches, digital manufacturing processes, and AI-assisted assessment of materials. This project aims to create an innovative tunnel support system that is sustainable, durable, and commercially viable.
Infrastructure consumes enormous amounts of materials
The infrastructure sector consumes enormous quantities of materials owing to complex soil-structure interactions and demanding durability requirements for structures. Production of such materials is associated with significant carbon emissions and resource consumption. Construction of the Gotthard Base Tunnel in Switzerland, for instance, resulted in approximately 4.1 million tons of carbon emissions, equivalent to about 27,000 tons of CO2e per kilometer of tunnel [1]. Similar figures are available for the Brenner Base Tunnel, for which...
