O maior projeto de Engenharia Civil da Europa está acontecendo em Londres, capital da Inglaterra. Em construção desde 2009, com conclusão prevista para 2018, os novos 50 quilômetros de túneis (que estão sendo escavados a 40 metros de profundidade) do metrô de Londres vão custar 18 bilhões de euros!
Esta ampliação do metrô ligará a capital inglesa ao aeroporto de Heathrow, e às cidades de Reading e a Essex.
Oito máquinas de escavação, conhecidas aqui no Brasil como “tatuzão” estão sendo utilizadas para escavar estes túneis. Com 6 metros de diâmetro, elas funcionam 24 horas por dia, coordenadas por grupos de trabalho que se revezam nos três turnos da obra. Mais de 3,4 milhões de toneladas de terra já foram removidos, valor que será duplicado até o fim da obra. Toda esta terra será depositada em um bota-fora com 6,07 km2.
Segundo a CNN, esta expansão corresponde a 10% das linhas que já existem, o que melhorará a mobilidade de 1,5 milhões de pessoas. Espera-se, contabilizando o fluxo turístico da cidade, que este novo o sistema seja utilizado por 200 milhões de pessoas por ano.
Dez novas estações de metrô serão criadas, e serão capazes de receber composições de 200 metros de comprimento.
LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 04: Workers on Crossrail breakthrough into the Whitechapel station which forms part of the Crossrail network on April 04, 2014 in London, England. The 150 metre long, thousand tonne boring machine broke through this morning marking the three quarters completion point on the Crossrail project which will consist of 19 miles of tunnel. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
A tunnel opening is pictured in a Crossrail tunnel in Canning Town in east London, on October 2, 2014. Crossrail trains will link central London with Maidehead in the west and Shenfiled in the east, upon the projects expected completion in 2018. AFP PHOTO/CARL COURT (Photo credit should read CARL COURT/AFP/Getty Images)
Linda Miller, Crossrail project manager for the Connaught tunnel, looks at the roof an old Victorian tunnel which is being brought back into use for the Crossrail project in London on March 24, 2014. Work is taking place to deepen, stengthen and widen the structure to ensure it is ready for the arrival of Crossrail trains, which will link central London with Maidehead in the west and Shenfiled in the east, upon its expected completion in 2018. The 550 metre-long Connaught Tunnel, which runs below the Royal Docks in East London and emerges close to the ExCel centre, was built in 1879 but has been derelict since 2006. AFP PHOTO / ADRIAN DENNIS (Photo credit should read ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 08: A worker walks past a digger in the partially completed Crossrail rail tunnel that will become Bond Street station on December 8, 2014 in London, England. Crossrail is Europes biggest infrastructure project. A total of 26 miles of train tunnels are being built beneath the streets of the capital by eight tunnelling machines. When complete in 2018, ten new stations in central and southeast London will increase the capitals rail capacity by 10 per cent and bring an extra 1.5 million people to within 45 minutes of central London. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 08: Concrete is spayed (L) on a crossover rail tunnel on December 8, 2014 in London, England. Crossrail is Europes biggest infrastructure project. A total of 26 miles of train tunnels are being built beneath the streets of the capital by eight tunnelling machines. When complete in 2018, ten new stations in central and southeast London will increase the capitals rail capacity by 10 per cent and bring an extra 1.5 million people to within 45 minutes of central London. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 21: Work continues on part of the Crossrail network near Canning Town on February 21, 2013 in London, England. The construction of the station, which began in May 2009 and is costing 500 million GBP, features four storeys of retail space above the ticket hall and platform levels and has currently reached the halfway point. The station has been created by constructing a concrete box in the North Dock 250 metres long and 30 metres wide; approximately the same size as One Canada Square lying on its side. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 08: Workers attend to fixings in the partially completed Crossrail rail tunnel that will become Bond Street station on December 8, 2014 in London, England. Crossrail is Europes biggest infrastructure project. A total of 26 miles of train tunnels are being built beneath the streets of the capital by eight tunnelling machines. When complete in 2018, ten new stations in central and southeast London will increase the capitals rail capacity by 10 per cent and bring an extra 1.5 million people to within 45 minutes of central London. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 08: Workers prepare the rail tunnels at the new Crossrail station at Paddington on December 8, 2014 in London, England. Crossrail is Europes biggest infrastructure project. A total of 26 miles of train tunnels are being built beneath the streets of the capital by eight tunnelling machines. When complete in 2018, ten new stations in central and southeast London will increase the capitals rail capacity by 10 per cent and bring an extra 1.5 million people to within 45 minutes of central London. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 08: The Fisher Street shaft is sighted in amongst buildings in Holborn on December 8, 2014 in London, England. Crossrail is Europes biggest infrastructure project. A total of 26 miles of train tunnels are being built beneath the streets of the capital by eight tunnelling machines. When complete in 2018, ten new stations in central and southeast London will increase the capitals rail capacity by 10 per cent and bring an extra 1.5 million people to within 45 minutes of central London. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 04: Workers arrive to watch as a tunelling machine breaks through into the Whitechapel station which forms part of the Crossrail network on April 04, 2014 in London, England. The 150 metre long, thousand tonne boring machine broke through this morning marking the three quarters completion point on the Crossrail project which will consist of 19 miles of tunnel. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
Ah se o metrô de São Paulo crescesse neste ritmo…
Com informações de Observador
