THE RAILWAY CHALLENGE OF THE 21ST CENTURY

The development of the 109-km long Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) in the UK is described. The link will provide a high-speed rail link from the Channel Tunnel to London, following existing transport corridors to limit environmental effects. The project will cost a total of 5.2bn, including land acquisition. The contract for the CTRL was awarded to London and Continental Railways (LCR), with Rail Link Engineering appointed as designer and project manager. The CTRL contracts use the New Engineering Contract form. The structural foundations and earthworks required for the project are discussed. Ground investigations are described. Groundwater quality and water levels were incorporated into a baseline monitoring programme. Pioneering use has been made of the dry deep soil mixing technique. The types of geological material encountered in the CTRL route are described.