Underground and Heavy Construction
Pioneering work for a sustainable future
Construction of the Hagerbach Test Gallery began over 50 years ago to create a laboratory for the research and 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
Conditions for versitile research
The federal government has designated the Hagerbach Test Tunnel as a research infrastructure of national importance. ️
What does this mean for us, for research and for the future?
Immerse yourself in the fascinating underground world at the heart of the Alvier in Flums.
Why choose Hagerbach to research?
Overall, the Hagerbach Test Gallery offers a unique research infrastructure for a wide range of topics in the field of underground mining and machinery and enables researchers to develop innovative solutions for the challenges of the future. We offer the ideal research infrastructure:
- Real conditions: The Hagerbach Test Gallery offers the opportunity to conduct research under real conditions. Researchers can test their experiments and technologies in a real underground environment, which improves the transferability of the results to real construction projects.
- Diverse geological environments: The gallery is located in a region of soft slate and hard siliceous limestone, which allows researchers to study different geological conditions and develop technologies for construction in challenging conditions.
- Modern facilities: The Hagerbach Test Gallery has a wide range of modern facilities and equipment. In addition to machines and internet access throughout the tunnel, there is a restaurant on the mountain that caters for the physical well-being of the visitors.
- Safety standards: The tunnel meets strict safety standards, allowing researchers to conduct their experiments in a safe environment and minimise potential risks.
- Interdisciplinary collaboration: The Hagerbach Test Gallery facilitates and enables interdisciplinary collaboration between industry partners and researchers such as engineers, geologists, environmental scientists and other specialists, which promotes the development of holistic solutions to complex problems in underground mining.
- Long-term projects: Researchers have the opportunity to conduct long-term projects with their own prototype equipment in the Hagerbach Test Gallery to study long-term trends and evaluate the long-term performance of underground mining technologies and methods.
- Public access: The Hagerbach Test Gallery also offers the opportunity for educational institutions, research groups and companies to visit the gallery and participate in specific research projects, which promotes knowledge sharing and collaboration.
Research topics that can be investigated at the Hagerbach Test Gallery:
- Optimisation of tunnelling methods: Investigation of new technologies and processes for the efficient and safe construction of tunnels and underground structures, e.g. innovative anchors, new grouting solutions, optimised sealing options, special shotcrete and its optimal application.
- Use of robotics and automation: research into robots and automated systems for use in underground construction to improve productivity and safety.
- Development of energy-efficient machines: Investigation of technologies to reduce the energy consumption of machines and equipment in underground mining.
- Materials for tunnelling: Evaluation of new construction materials and materials with improved properties such as durability, strength and environmental compatibility.
- Construction under difficult geological conditions: Research into techniques and strategies for the construction of tunnels and underground structures in complex geological environments
- Intelligent monitoring systems: Development of sensor technologies and monitoring systems for real-time monitoring of tunnels and underground infrastructure in order to recognise and rectify potential problems at an early stage.
- Sustainable disposal of excavated materials: Investigation of methods for recycling and disposing of excavated materials from underground mining in order to minimise environmental impact and conserve resources.
- Communication and data exchange in underground construction: Research into technologies and protocols for communication and data exchange in underground environments in order to improve the efficiency and safety of construction and operational processes.
- Construction of underground transport systems: Development of technologies and concepts for the construction and operation of underground transport systems such as underground railways, tunnel roads and underground railway stations.
- Integration of renewable energies in underground construction: Investigation of possibilities for the integration of renewable energies such as geothermal energy, solar energy or hydropower in underground construction to reduce energy consumption and environmental impact.
Research references:
- 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
More at the underground future lab:
For around 60 years, the renowned Swiss Amberg Group has been a leader in engineering and surveying services for railway, metro, underground and specialised civil engineering.
The family-owned company is an innovative knowledge, engineering and technology provider in the field of logistics and infrastructure for smart cities, hubs and networks. We provide outstanding solutions for our customers through innovatively combining above-ground and underground space utilisation.
Amberg Engineering
Engineering services for the construction of underground infrastructure
Planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance of railway, road, utility and metro tunnels, as well as caverns
Amberg Technologies
Systems and solutions for railway and tunnel surveying
Acquisition, evaluation and refinement of measurement data in infrastructure construction
Amberg Infra 7D
Digital services in the infrastructure environment
Geo-monitoring, mobile mapping, digital construction, geomatics and inspection services
Amberg Loglay
Smart city and construction logistics solutions
Sophisticated logistics solutions for efficient and future-orientated construction projects
Amberg Infocon
High-quality design and BIM services
Design, BIM, consulting, PMC and IT solutions for architecture, engineering and construction
VersuchsStollen Hagerbach
The underground future lab
Extensive underground research infrastructure for testing and development, testing laboratory for building materials, training centre and event facilities
QAECY
Intelligent information
Analysing documents and data with artificial intelligence to create a unified view of reality
Your underground experts
- Rail tunnels, including high-speed rail
- Metro lines
- Tunnel and shaft infrastructure
- Caverns with large cross-sections
- Energy storage and utilities
Engineering at its best
- Numerous services for your entire project cycle, from feasibility, planning and construction to renewal of your infrastructure
- Trained specialists and experts in planning and design, geotechnics, and project management
Infrastructure experts
- Rail, metro and tunnels
- Underground spaces
- Mining and shafts
Systems and solutions
- Slab track, tamping, mapping, surveying and inspections
- Tunnel machine guidance
- Tunnel profile measurements and stakeout
- Undulation
- Layer thickness control
- Surface inspection
- Geological predicting during tunnel excavation
- Surveying, data analysis and maintenance
Digital infrastructure experts
- Data acquisition and processing
- Monitoring
- Measurement of geotechnical tasks
- Maintenance and operation
- Process optimisation and digital continuity
Solutions and services
- Geo-monitoring
- Mobile mapping
- Geomatics
- Inspection services
- Digital construction
Smart cities and construction logistics experts
- Manage stakeholders across the value chain
- Improve construction mobility in dense cities
- Unlock up to 50% of the true potential of assets
- Integrate circular economy principles into construction
- Use smart data throughout the supply chain
Solutions for construction sites
- End-to-end digital logistics processes
- Rapid prototyping and smart sensors (IoT)
- Logistics concept and manual (3D/4D)
- Integration of logistics data
- Logistics insights management (LIM)
- Construction logistics management (CLM)
- Management of external hubs and consolidation
Design and construction experts
- Design and BIM integration
- Coordination between different disciplines
- Information workflow setup
- Facility management and BIM integration
- Visualisation
Services
- BIM implementation and creation of models
- Clash detection, coordination and clash resolution
- Construction documentation and shop drawings
- 4D simulation and 5D estimation
- Underground utilities
- Laser scan to as-built models
- IT solutions – BIM integration with FM application
VersuchsStollen Hagerbach - The underground future lab
Recently named a research infrastructure of national importance, we have been providing the space and expertise to turn visions into innovations for over 50 years.
Your analysis and testing requirements
- Real scale test and prototype environment
- Analysis of construction material
- Training facility
- Unique location for your event
Our facilities and services
- Various test sites, test procedures and management
- Concrete and rock laboratory
- Training environment and syllabus
- Seminar rooms, event cavern and restaurant
AI agent as a service for the construction industry
- AI agent dedicated to the AEC industry
- Easy access to complex project information
- Helps in taking confident, informed decisions
- Opens data silos, unlocks all content and uncovers context
- Effortless interaction with your most valuable asset – your collective knowledge
Solution and services
- AI agent as a service
- Strategic consulting and training
- Development of tailored solutions