ULMA provided comprehensive solution for the Widest Tunnel on the Iberian Peninsula — ULMA Begira

Ulma Construction

ULMA provided comprehensive solution for the Widest Tunnel on the Iberian Peninsula

The project is designed to drastically improve travel conditions for traffic going in and out of the city of Porto. Measuring 19.2 m in width, this cut-and-cover tunnel is to become the widest on the entire Iberian Peninsula.
ULMA provided comprehensive solution for the Widest Tunnel on the Iberian Peninsula
Jun 28, 2017

As part of the first phase in the expansion of the A-4 Motorway, this project includes both the construction of a new tube 367 m in length and the renovation of extant tubes.  One of the complexities posed by the project was its location in an urban centre with significant geotechnical risk, characterised by thin soil cover and areas of extremely weathered granite.

ULMA’s technical team developed three separate structures in partnership with the client, in order to make work as efficient as possible.  First, a BRIO-MK scaffolding carriage was used to waterproof the entire tunnel. A similar carriage was then used to install the rebar. In both cases, ULMA’s most versatile systems were combined to create carriages adjusted and optimised to meet the demands of the project without any need for oversizing.

Afterward, the MK formwork carriage was used to pour the tunnel structure itself. The carriage allowed for the passage of vehicles during construction, which is a necessity in such projects. Using a single MK formwork carriage 12.1 m long, 10 m tall, and 19.2 m wide, the tunnel was entirely completed in three months, including assembly and disassembly. The pace of work exceeded client expectations.