Scheldt tunnel completes Antwerp Ring Road
Total weight of 2,800 Boeing 747s
The construction of the Scheldt tunnel is probably the most spectacular part of the Oosterweel link. The tunnel is about 2 kilometres long, has three lanes in each direction, and cyclists can also take the tunnel thanks to a separate bicycle shaft as much as six metres wide. This makes the Scheldt tunnel one of the longest bicycle tunnels in Europe.
On the left bank, the tunnel goes underground between the Blokkersdijk nature reserve and the Sint-Annabos. On the Right Bank, the tunnel tops the Noordkasteel near the Eilandje. Construction of this engineering marvel began in January 2023. Thus, eight floating tunnel elements will be manufactured in Zeebrugge, weighing 60,000 tonnes each, equivalent to the weight of 350 Boeing 747s.
Digital evolution in infrastructure solutions
TM ROCO, a consortium of Belgian construction firms, is currently undertaking the construction of Oosterweel on the Right Bank of the River Scheldt in Antwerp. This particular project serves as a crucial link connecting the Scheldt tunnel to the R1 ring road in both the Northern and Eastern directions. Since the inception of the tender process, our Digital Engineers have been steadfast in their support for ROCO.
Their focus spans BIM process management, BIM coordination, parametric modelling of civil structures, groundwork, and the road network. Our digital work methods ensure the delivery of high-quality models, facilitating plan production, quantity determination, and construction process simulation for the benefit of our clients.
