AlpTransit: opening of the Ceneri Base Tunnel (15.4 km)

After 15 years of hard work, this is the success achieved by our top engineers!

The Ceneri Base Tunnel, located in Ticino, between Bellinzona and Lugano, is a masterpiece of engineering technology. Despite considerable geological and structural difficulties, it was completed on schedule and within budget after 15 years of construction. Work on the highly complex construction site began in June 2005. Since then, more than 45 km of tunnels in pre-alpine, very metamorphosed rock have been driven by the traditional method. At peak times, around 600 people were working on the construction site. Despite its size and complexity, this construction site has a comparatively low accident rate with people.

3.7 million m³ excavated material; 1.1 million m³ of concrete built up, 35% of which is made from recycled excavated material, 164'000 meters of pipelines for capturing and draining water, 900'000 meters of electrical cable and 10'500'000 meters of fibre optic cable installed; 630 enclosures with control systems used for tunnel technology, 50 axial ventilation fans, 1557 test runs with train compositions, in total over 27'700 km ­- these are just some of the data that try to capture the scale of this impressive project. The construction site has fully satisfied all the strict environmental and landscape protection regulations required by the Federal Office of Transport.

Our team PINI was responsible for the site management during the entire construction period. About one hundred of our engineers were involved in this project, both in the detail design and in the site supervision.

General project manager Ing. Daniele Stocker, was responsible for the civil engineering work, the structural work finishings and led the construction management. Responsible for the project design is Ing. Davide Merlini and Dr. Ing. Stefano Guandalini was in charge of the external works.

Thanks Ceneri! Thanks AlpTransit! Thanks to all our engineers!

Date: 04.09.2020

Related pages

Pini Group Executive Board

Related news

Ceneri: Systems Engineering