European XFEL

Tunnel of superlatives

[Fotos (3): European XFEL, www.xfel.eu/de ]

Fig. 1 Main building of the
European XFEL. Five tunnels with a clear diameter of
4.60 meters lead to the underground experiment hall. Abb. 1 Hauptgebäude des
European XFEL. Fünf Tunnel mit einer lichten Weite von 4,60 m münden in die unterirdische Experimentierhalle.

[Fotos (3): European XFEL, www.xfel.eu/de ]

[Foto: European XFEL, www.xfel.eu/de ]

Fig. 2 10 meters of tunnel will be excavated per day using the shield tunneling method. Anchor channels and grounding connections are already mounted in the precast concrete plant of Max Bögl. Abb. 2 Täglich 10 m Tunnel werden im Schildvortrieb aufgefahren. In die Tübbings werden bereits im Max Bögl - Fertigteilwerk Ankerschienen und Erdungsanschlüsse eingebaut.

[Foto: European XFEL, www.xfel.eu/de ]

Fig. 3 Overall 5,777 meters of tunnel will be constructed for the X-ray laser. The comprehensive installations as well as media lines are fixed to the Jordahl^® anchor channels.
Abb. 3 Insgesamt 5.777 m Tunnel werden für den Röntgenlaser gebaut. Die umfangreichen Einbauten sowie Medienleitungen werden an Jordahl^® Ankerschienen montiert.

[Foto: European XFEL, www.xfel.eu/de ]

[Foto: Deutsche Kahneisen Gesellschaft mbH (DKG) ]

Fig. 4 Jordahl^®anchor channels JXA W are able to absorb loads in all directions. Abb. 4 Jordahl^®Ankerschienen JXA W sind in der Lage, Lasten in alle Richtungen aufzunehmen.

[Foto: Deutsche Kahneisen Gesellschaft mbH (DKG) ]

 In the western area of Hamburg/Germany a research facility is being constructed providing outstanding characteristics, which are unique in the world. A tunnel of almost six kilometers is built for this purpose. High demands are placed on the concrete segments and the connection system.

The European XFEL (X stands for X-ray, FEL for free-electron laser) will generate ultra short X-ray laser flashes – 27,000 times per second and with a brilliance that is a billion times higher than that of the best conventional X-ray radiation sources. These extremely intensive X-ray laser flashes will, for example, allow to identify atomic details of viruses, to film chemical reactions or study the processes occurring deep inside planets. Deutsche Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY) as representative of European XFEL GmbH is principal of the underground construction. Besides Germany twelve...