The Channel Tunnel, also known as the Euro Tunnel, is a 50-kilometer-long undersea tunnel connecting England and France. Construction began in 1986 and took eight years to complete, with 13,000 workers involved and a budget of £12 billion (approximately $15.5 billion USD). The project required the development of specialized tunnel boring machines (TBMs) that could withstand the extreme conditions of the English Channel.
The tunnel was built using a combination of TBMs and manual excavation, with the French and English teams working from opposite sides of the channel. The project required the removal of enormous amounts of soil and rock debris, which was used to create a country park in England and an artificial lake in France.
The tunnel was finally completed on May 6, 1994, and has since become a vital transportation link between England and Europe, with over 60,000 passengers using it every day. The tunnel consists of three separate tunnels: two for trains and one small tunnel for emergency use.
The construction of the Channel Tunnel was a remarkable feat of engineering that required innovative solutions to overcome the challenges of building under the sea. It is considered one of the most impressive engineering projects of the 20th century and a testament to human ingenuity and perseverance.
1. The Channel Tunnel is 50-kilometre-long.
2. 13,000 workers worked on the Channel Tunnel project.
3. The tunnel passes under the English Channel, which separates England and France.
4. The English Channel is 33 kilometers wide at its narrowest point.
5. Attempts to bridge the channel were made in the past but were stopped due to loss of lives.
6. The project to build the Channel Tunnel began in 1986.
7. The tunnel was constructed by teams from England and France working from their respective sides.
8. The tunnel boring machine (TBM) used for the project was 800 feet long and weighed 1500 tons.
9. The TBM had a diameter of 50 feet and was equipped with multiple sharp-edge blades made of tungsten carbide.
10. The project used 750,000 concrete slabs, each weighing 40 tons.
11. The tunnel was finally completed in 1994.
12. Ten workers lost their lives during the construction of the Channel Tunnel.
13. The Channel Tunnel was opened on May 6, 1994.
14. The tunnel is used by around 60,000 passengers every day.
15. The tunnel is also used by 4600 trucks, 140 coaches, and 7300 vehicles daily.
16. A new TBM was built for the French side due to cracks in the seabed.
17. The TBM on the French side was able to withstand as much water pressure as World War II submarines.
18. The Channel Tunnel is also known as the Euro Tunnel.
19. The tunnel is 38 kilometers long underwater.
20. The project cost around 12 billion pounds, adjusted for today's date.