HS2 Ltd has started construction on the longest Greatworth Tunnel, designed to connect the high-speed rail link to the countryside and reduce barriers for communities around Greatworth in West Northamptonshire, UK, as reported by the railway portal Railway Supply.

Work Begins on HS2's Longest Tunnel

Unlike a bored tunnel, this shallow 2.7-kilometer tunnel is being constructed using a ‘cut and cover’ process, which involves excavating a trench, building the tunnel, and then covering it with topsoil, trees, shrubs, and living hedges planted on top to blend in with the surrounding countryside.

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The tunnel’s structure will be made up of over 5,000 giant concrete segments manufactured at a specialized precast concrete factory in Derbyshire and assembled on-site by HS2’s main contractor, EKFB, a consortium consisting of Eiffage, Kier, Ferrovial Construction, and BAM Nuttall.

Drawing lessons from the construction of the latest French high-speed lines, EKFB opted for this modular approach instead of the traditional in-situ concrete pouring process to enhance efficiency and reduce embedded carbon in the construction.

Greatworth is one of five ‘green tunnels’ being built as part of the first phase of the HS2 project, aimed at improving connectivity between London, Birmingham, and the North, boosting the economy, and freeing up more capacity on the existing rail network for freight.

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