Planning and Construction of Tunnels Below the Suez Canal in Very Soft Soil Conditions Under Complex Circumstances

摘要

The expansion of the Suez Canal, which runs between the Mediterranean and Red Sea, is at the top of Egypt's economic agenda. The ?8 billion development plan includes a new channel alongside the existing one which will double the number of ships able to pass each day and several tunnels to connect the Sinai peninsula to the main part of Egypt.The Egyptian government ordered three new tunnels under the Suez Canal in the area of Port Said as part of the Canal Region Development Plan. The three tunnels will contribute to the North Sinai expansion, helping to create a vast industrial zone and completing the coastal road extension from Rafah to Nuewiba.Two of these three tunnels will be allocated for roads and the third for railway traffic. A further part of the Suez Canal development mega project are an additional six tunnels in the area of Ismailia and Suez. The focus of this paper is on the two road tunnels in Port Said and will give an overview of the project and the challenges encountered regarding the technical complexity and tight time schedule both in its design and execution.