Channel Tunnel

Channel Tunnel is an undersea railway tunnel, 50 km long, linking western France with South East England under the English Channel. The tunnel was built in cooperation of the governments of the United Kingdom and France. It is the second longest railway tunnel in the world, surpassed only by the Seikan Tunnel Japanese. Crossing cars, buses, motorcycles and trucks is provided by rail shuttles and takes about 35 minutes from platform to platform. Passenger transport is provided by the company Eurostar, TGV-type trains using modified to suit specific tunnel and the British network .

Technical characteristics Digging in blue chalk layer at an average depth of 40 m below the seafloor , the tunnel actually consists of 3 galleries : two rail tunnels, one for each direction, with a diameter useful 7.6 m; service gallery 4.8m wide by circulating special vehicles. The 3 galleries are connected to each 375 meters in color communication. This system allowed the evacuation of passengers during the fire on 18 November 1996. These provide color and tunnel ventilation. Air is introduced into the gallery at the ends and work on railway tunnels is pushed through uni-directional valves which prevent the penetration of smoke from a possible fire service gallery. There are pipes between the two rail tunnels, to allow air to move, thereby reducing resistance inaintare.La each third of the journey underground links between the two railway tunelrui to allow isolation of a section of the tunnel in case of need. At this point, gallery service is placed near the two tunnels. For security reasons, railway tunnels are illuminated by neon 20,000 and have a continuous sidewalk on the side gallery service to ensure rapid evacuation of passengers. There are antennas that provide radio communication with the surface. Tunnel construction cost about 105 billion francs (16 billion), provided by private investors who lost 87.2% of the current course of action.

Opening

Galleries British and French, who had been drilled using laser measurements were first met on October 30, 1990, through a small hole in the center gallery serviciu.Diferenta between the two tunnels was only 358 mm horizontally and 58 mm vertical. When the two tunnels were completely united on December 1, 1990, was the first time in the last 8,500 years when they could go on land between England and France. The tunnel was inauguratoficial by Queen Elizabeth II and President François Mitterrand francezt in a ceremony on May 6, 1994 in Calais.