Expolink 2020, Dubai

Project type:

  • Subway tunnel 

Application: 

  • Precast segments

Partners: 

  • Owner: Dubai Municipality
  • Designer: Parsons Systra
  • Contractor(s): JV Acciona – Gulermak
  • Precast plant: Dubai Precast

The Dubai Expolink Route 2020, is a 15 km (9.3 mi) extension of the Dubai Metro red line that runs from Nakheel Harbour and Tower Station to the Dubai Expo site. About 11.8 km (7.3 mi) of the line runs above ground, about 3.2 km (2 mi) runs underground. The tunnels have a precast lining reinforced with Dramix® 4D steel fiber concrete reinforcement. 

The challenge

The internal diameter of the tunnel is 8,5 m (27.1 ft), the external diameter is 9.3 m (30.6 ft). The lining of tunnel consists of 1450 rings, made up of 7 segments each. To reduce the assembly time and to minimize corrosion, the traditional reinforcement in the ring segments was replace with steel fiber.

 

The solution

Dramix® 4D steel fibers protect precast segmental linings against any damage including spalling and bursting, making it the perfect fiber for this project. The concrete segments use C45/50 concrete reinforced with 40 kg/m3 of Dramix® 4D steel fibers. The entire project contains up to 1.200 ton of Dramix® steel fibers.