Heavy Construction & Operation
Pioneering work for a sustainable future
Construction at the Hagerbach Test Gallery began over 50 years ago to create an underground research and testing laboratory for the development of underground construction techniques and the optimisation of the machines and materials used.
And today, or in the next 50 years?
Can underground construction play a pioneering role in the sustainable development of our world?
How can a circular system with low energy consumption and minimal emissions be designed and operated from planning to construction and decommissioning?
Can the use of robotic technology in mining and tunnelling or in the operation of underground facilities lead to more sustainable quality and greater safety?
Explore these and many other questions with us in the Hagerbach Test Gallery, the Underground Future Lab!
We are pleased to carry out your project
Digital Twin in Construction
The increasing complexity of heavy construction and operation projects requires new approaches to planning, monitoring and decision-making. One key concept addressing these challenges is the digital twin.
A digital twin is a dynamic, data-driven virtual representation of a physical asset, system or process. In construction, it links design data, sensor information and operational parameters to continuously reflect the real condition of structures and construction processes throughout their entire lifecycle.
In underground and heavy construction, digital twins enable:
- real-time monitoring of structures, ground behaviour and construction progress
- early detection of risks, deviations and safety-critical conditions
- optimisation of construction processes, maintenance and long-term operation
- improved collaboration between planning, construction and operation
- establishing a decision-making platform for various R&D activities at The Underground Future Lab
An example of a dedicated environment for testing and demonstrating digital construction technologies is provided by the Tunnel Digitalisation Centre at The Underground Future Lab. The Tunnel Digitalisation Centre bridges the gap between digital planning and real-world construction, providing a unique platform for advancing digitalisation in underground and heavy construction.
Projects at The Underground Future Lab
- Campus Ostschweiz - Snow sports hall
- I2Mine (EU research) for spraying robot application optimisation
- GRP anchors from Weidmann
- FibroLaser von Siemens
- ROBO-SPECT (EU research), ROBotic System with Intelligent Vision and Control for Tunnel Structural INSPECTion and Evaluation
- Refurbishment/renovation of RhB "standard tunnel construction"
- SCAUT Tunnel Digitalization Centre
RhB prototype of the standard tunnel construction
Due to its age, most of the 115 tunnels on the Rhaetian Railway (RhB) network will have to be renovated over the next few years. RhB developed a new, standardised repair procedure for this purpose on the prototype at The Undeground Future Lab: the "standard tunnel construction".
Plug-in Crosscut Element (PCE)
As a structural connection between the tunnel tubes, crosscuts play a central role in the safety concept of long tunnels: In the event of an incident, they enable rapid self-rescue and evacuation of persons from the event tube to a safe area. Access is provided via so-called crosscut doors, which are installed on both sides. The SCAUT consortium has developed an innovative solution and built the prototype in Hagerbach.
other key research areas:
