PROJECT:

UNDERWATER CONCRETE, ANCHORED TO SEABED, RAILWAY TUNNEL BETWEEN HELSINKI AND TALLINN

A. THE IDEA

To build for transport of goods and people between Helsinki and Tallinn a two way underwater,

anchored to seabed railway tunnel from reinforced concrete.

B. MISSION IE TUNNEL FOR WHAT

The tunnel is necessary for increasing of free movement of goods and passengers (including labor) between

Finland, Estonia and other countries' of the European Union.

The tunnel is a continuation of the Rail Baltic and it will create a presumption for Helsinki-Tallinn twin city.

The north-south movement of passengers and goods creates the prerequisites for economic growth in

Finland and Estonia.

Take note that the realization of this project is several times cheaper than conventional under seabed

tunnel.

C. OBJECTIVES:

1.To establish between Helsinki and Tallinn a tunnel with particular parameters.

2. To ensure the tunnel of the investment pay-back period of about 20 years. Take note that the tunnel has

a major indirect financial and economic effect.

3. To convince supporters and investors of the other variants of the construction of the tunnel to join with

particular project because it is faster, cheaper and has higher prospects.

4. To invest in the project from the EU funds on the basis of the Rail Baltic, because Rail Baltic make real

sense only if it has tunnel connection with Finland.

5. To develop high technology tunnel-building know-how that can be used outside of Estonia and Finland in

the future.

6. To increase of water crossing possibilities around the world in near future through the realization of the

project, which will highlight the advantages of tunnels in front of bridges due to reduced impact on the

environment.

7. To establish assumptions that the project could become a base for implementation of a future-oriented

vacuum tube transport (Hyperloop) or any other inventive transport projects in the future.

8. To create opportunities for using of the information gathered during project design, start-up and testing

period for building of the potential Saaremaa island Fixed Link tunnel (3.5 km + 4.5 km) over Kessulaid

island.

9. To improve safety and rescue measures by using new escape technologies from submerged tunnels.

D. PRELIMINARY SITE PLAN

The tunnels site plan is based and connected to the Rail Baltic route plan, but in any case the tunnel

underwater part length will not exceed 67 km.

The original plan of the layout of the tunnel preferred one end on Tallinn Paljassaare peninsula or on Viimsi

peninsula. Preferred position of tunnels other end will be on Porkkala peninsula where it is possible to

connect flexible to Espoo and Helsinki railway infrastructure and length of the tunnel will be 52 km and on

surface railway parts will be 65 km. With end nearby Helsinki City (e.g. Sompasaari, Katajanokka,

Hernesaari) tunnel length will be about 67 km, but on surface railway parts will be about 20 km.

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E. GENERAL TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION

Calculated measures for tunnel modules:

Inside diameter 7 m 9 m 10 m 11 m 12 m

Max inner cross section square a x a 4.9 x 4.9m 6.4 x 6.4m 7 x 7 m 7.8 x 7.8m 8.5 x 8.5m

Outside diameter 8 m 10 m 11 m 12 m 13 m

Wall thickness 0.5 m 0.5 m 0.5 m 0.5 m 0.5 m

Lenght 20 m 20 m 20 m 20 m 20 m

Displacement 1005 t 1570 t 1900 t 2260 t 2653 t

Wall concrete volume 235.5 m³ 298.3 m³ 330 m³ 360 m³ 393 m³

Wall concrete weight (e 2,6 t/m³) 611 t 776 t 858 t 936 t 1022 t

Weight of additional equipment 100 t 100 t 300 t 400 t 400 t

Applied to the wires force from buoyancy 316 t 725 t 742 t 924 t 1231 t

Cost for 1 m of tunnel (concrete 500 €/t)≈ 17 750 € 21 900 € 28 950 € 33 400 € 35 550 €

Cost for 52 km tunnel (+20%) 1 108 M€ 1 367 M€ 1 807 M€ 2 084 M€ 2 218 M€

Cost for 67 km tunnel (+20%) 1 427 M€ 1 761 M€ 2 328 M€ 2 685 M€ 2 858 M€

A square area (a X a) within the cross-section of the tunnel

Benefits from particular (cylindrical form sections) solution:

1. Not difficult and serialized fabrication of armed concrete module parts (sections).

2. The optimum of withstanding to water pressure.

3. Simple transportation of the module parts i.e. if module has 10 sections gauges 20x4 m and weight about

100 t it will be suitable for any kind of transportation.

4. Simple module assembling on the montage platform.

5. Possibility for dry (without need to fill module with water and then pumping water out) and continuous

submerging - like submerging of gas pipelines.

6. Useful special anchoring method.

7. Optimized use of tunnel space, with separated by reinforced concrete wall railway directions, with

located on the upper part of the tunnel separated tunnel for handling and safety matters and also

ventilation equipment, and with located under rail floor space for utility equipment.

a

a

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The principles of construction

Applied to the tunnel lift force from buoyancy force equal to a displacement (by Archimedes law).

The module is a cylinder by shape, so its volume is equal to the length multiplied by the cross-sectional

area. V = A x h.

The module calculation is based on the displacement of one m³ of water weight, what is 1 ton.

If the tunnel module has an inner diameter 9 m with walls 0.5 m then outer diameter is 10 m (radius is 5m)

cross-sectional area of the tunnel A = r² x 3.14 . So 5² x 3.14 =78.5 m².

Multiplying this area A to the module length h ( as V = A x h), we get tunnel module Voutside total volume of

1570 m³ and weight of displaced by the module water is 1570 t. So lifting force created by the buoyancy to

the whole module is 1570 t, from which is necessary to subtract the concrete modules own weight.

To do this is necessary to count volume of the concrete walls of the module (V outside - V inside).

The area of the inside (9 m cylinder) is 4.52 x 3.14 = 63.59 m² and volume (63.59 m²X 20 m)

V inside is 1271.7 m³.

Now we can calculate the total volume of concrete walls if subtracting -1271.7 m³ from 1570 m³, we get

298.3 m³ and after multiply it by the average specific gravity of concrete 2.6 t/m³ we will get 776 t.

After adding a further 100 t of accessories (rails and other), and we get a payload for 20 m module 1570 t -

876 t = 725 t. This 694 tons of lift is enough to carry all kinds of locomotives (up to 200 t) and wagons, but

to compensate this force the module must be anchored to the bottom, otherwise the module rises out of

the water immediately. This force is shared to two anchors on each side of the tunnel modules, each of

which are attached to the two ropes. Ropes linking anchors the module, but not vertically, but at a certain

angle, to withstand to underwater currents. Each anchor must therefore endure about 500 t and each rope

so at least 150 t.

Anchors must be strong and because the number of those in particular project will be about 6000, it is

necessary to plan carefully their construction and method of fixation to the seabed. It will be useful to drill

a few meters deep (depending on rock or sand sea-bed,) holes into the sea-bed, and then screw anchors

into holes. For anchor mounting the tunnel mounting vessel or platform must have conventional oil drilling

tower on a special console.

The modules are connected to each other in quite rigid way and so will form a long tube, nevertheless the

direction of tube can be changed a little up or down and left right.

The submerging method for a large-diameter tunnel modules from the surface of the water is the key to

such a novel solution. With using modern technology and robots tunnel construction from prefabricated

concrete parts will be continuous, cheap and fast.

For preventing water ingress into the tunnel and to allow adding the next module without underwater

mounting works, it is necessary to keep the end of the last tunnel module on the water surface. For that a

sealing ring will be placed to the end of the already submerged tunnels last module (reaching to the

mounting platform) and then the new (to be added) module will be connected to the last module of the

tunnel with adjustable screw pullers (threaded connecting joints). After additional works for waterproofing

(covering the tunnel with thin plastic skin) by setting the connecting joints (between the modules) the

modules will be adjusted to the angle required for submerging i.e. about 1°. Pressurized elastic sealing ring

makes it possible to set modules on angle i.e. to decrees distance between the upper side ends of the

modules by a half (i.e., from 0.5m to 0.25m). For submerging a tunnel to the deep of 40 meters, about 10

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modules should be placed at an angle to achieve a 10° ascent of the tube on the water surface.

Proportionally to the adding of tunnel modules, the angles between the tunnel modules must be removed

at the calculated depth of the tunnel one at a time. This angle correction can be done from inside the

tunnel. The modules, after fixing with each other and adjusting anchoring vires, will remain rigid with

respect to each other and will form one long tunnel pipe. To protect the tunnel modules connection area

from mechanical damage, modules joints of the tunnel will be covered with removable steel plates inside

the tunnel.

F. FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS

a. Project development cost and time - as of June 2018, approximately 50 000 euros

b. Design, permissions, experimental modules, mounting vessel and testing - 220 million euros

c. The tunnel construction itself - to 2.26 billion euros

The calculation is based on the reinforced concrete tunnel module price calculation. Generally used in

building precast concrete price is about 500 €/t. (This mentioned price could be even reduced with

investment about 100 M€ for building reinforced concrete plant with special equipment for production

parts for modules.) With price 500 €/t makes for 9 m internal diameter, 20 m length module, which has a

concrete weight of 876 t price of 438000 €. Dividing this to 20 we get price for 1 m equal to 21900 €.

Considering additional expense for high-tech mounting need (approximately 20% to the price of production

of modules), we will get approximate price for 1 km of 26.28 M€ (i.e. 26 280 €/m) and

for 52 km 1.367 billion € total cost of the tunnel.

Main items of expenses for 52 km of tunnel:

a. General feasibility study by Mach 2018, 50000 €

b. Design and permissions - 220 M€

c. Tunnel parts and montage – 1.37 billion €

d. Anchoring steel rope (60 mm 240 km) 30 M€

e. Anchors and rope mountings (2000 € x 6000 tk ) 12 M€

f. Profile O-rings (3000 € X 3000 tk) 9 M€

g. Module skin (cover) and adhesives ≈ 10 M€

h. Floating platform 200 M€

i. Module reinhorced concrete parts plant 100 M€

J. Escape modules (50 000 X 120) 6 M€

k. Waterproof safety gates (200 000 X 120) 24 M€

L. Railway utility equipment, rails, etc 500 M€

In total: 2 481 000 000 € (≈ 2.5 billion €)

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Additional costs (from pioneer project) 500 M€ for studies, design, testing, assembling equipment and

mounting vessel could be calculated as investments, because these will not depreciate during one project

and will start to earn money back in using particular know-how for building following tunnels around the

world.

If need for increasing the measures of the tunnel will arise (e.g. from 9 m inner diameter to 12 m or more)

the cost for length will not rise exponentially but linearly. Also increasing the tunnel wall thickness from 0.5

to 0.7 m will increase the cost of the tunnel about 20%.

Additional expenses for fixed link:

For tunnel link on surface railway parts (Ülemiste-Viimsi 20 km, Porkkala peninsula-Espoo-Helsinki 45 km;

by estimated cost of 7000 € in sum 455 M€),

For stations, depots, terminals, railway equipment, special rolling stock by WP3 cost estimation

in sum 1 985 M€

For rail technology and utility equipment by WP3 cost estimation in sum 2 130 M€

Total: 4 570 M€

Add on costs (owners cost 15%, planning, administration, unforeseen expenses) 21% 1 410.2 M€

All expenses for fixed link 8 461.2 M€ (≈8.5 billion euro)

I. ACTION PLAN, DEADLINES AND INTERNALISERS

1. Perform preliminary feasibility study with involved experts of technical universities (Tallinn and Helsinki).

2. Perform sufficient professional presentation and made public the tunnel idea, for which using media

alternatives.

3. Establish a specific working group of Estonia for such project which will carry out, the necessity,

rationality, implications and funding, and will do feasibility study, based on a size of the initial investment of

2,5 billion €. To request project assessment from possible rail operators. On the base of gathered

information and studies concerning particular solution of tunnel to prepare a preliminary project. This

preliminary project will be presented (with necessary restrictions) to potential investors. Determine the

positions and responsibilities of the working group.

4. Subscribing to the necessary technical expertise with the project feasibility, implications and orienting in

costs and time.

5. Will contact the respective Finland structures and establishing a joint working group, which together

provide the necessary applications and design bases, and obtain necessary permits. Also, make the

necessary alignment studies using the results of already made public research commissioned by public

structures.

6. Will be established an Estonian-Finnish joint procurement for designer finding.

7. Start the design process, in a first step, the design requirements for the tunnel modules manufacturing

factory and for mounting vessel and/or the mounting platform.

8. To start experimental production and tests of the design.

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9. Start for building of the tunnel modules manufacturing factory and mounting vessel or the mounting

platform.

10. Start the tunnel construction.

11. Tunnel construction completion estimated in 2025 with the completion of the Rail Baltic

Tõnu Ader

OÜ Ankurtunnel, author of the idea

02 of December 2017

Notes and statements

By assessment of the given cost estimation of the WP3 new tech proposed for fixed link, it seems to be in

disproportion, as 102 km tunnel construction itself is underestimated by costs (only 8.426 billion €) and on

surface railway parts with terminals are overestimated (4.33 billion €), compared to same length of the Rail

Baltic Estonian part publicly estimated cost (only 1.3 billion €).

Enclosed tables:

1. Table 1 General views of the tunnel;

2. Table 2 Views of the fabricated segments of the module;

3. Table 3 Joined segments of the module;

4. Table 4 View of the module with internal concrete and view of the cross-section of the module

junktion;

5. Table 5 Cross section of the 10m tunnel with escape capsule and with gauges for rolling stock;

6. Table 6 Joining two modules with inflatable profiled O-ring and

adjusted to submerging angle three modules.

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Table 1 General view of the tunnel and

view of the whole tunnel in sea.

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Table 2 Views of the fabricated segments of the module

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Table 3 Joined two segments of the module and

joined 10 segments of the module

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Table 4 View of the module with internal concrete parts and

view of the cross-section of the module junktion

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Table 5 Cross section of the 10m tunnel with escape capsule and with gauges for rolling stock

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Table 6 Joining two modules with inflatable profiled O-ring and

adjusted to submerging angle three modules