The Chunnel Essay Example
The Chunnel Essay Example

The Chunnel Essay Example

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  • Pages: 2 (331 words)
  • Published: November 6, 2016
  • Type: Paper
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The Channel Tunnel, known as The Chunnel, is an underground rail tunnel that runs beneath the English Channel at the Straits of Dover. It connects Cheriton in Kent, England to Sangatte in northern France. The construction of this tunnel took over seven years and involved 15,000 workers. It is currently the second longest rail tunnel in the world. The project was finished in 1994 and had an estimated cost of around $21 billion. There are three tunnels in total - two outer tunnels for passenger trains and a smaller inner tunnel used for guidance purposes only.

The Channel Tunnel project encountered various difficulties, such as obtaining loans from major banks, locating qualified engineers, hiring and housing a workforce of 13,000 laborers, and designing specialized tunnel boring machines. However, these initial obstacles ultimately resulted in the successful realization of the Channel Tunnel

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construction.

The Channel Tunnel excavation commenced from both the British and French coasts, with the completed tunnel meeting in the middle. Tunnel boring machines (TBMs), large machines designed to cut through chalk, were used for the excavation process. These TBMs collected and transported debris using conveyor belts. Ultimately, the tunnel was connected through this process.

The connection between the British and French sides was the most challenging aspect of the Channel Tunnel project. Special lasers and surveying equipment were used to overcome this obstacle. Due to the enormous scale of the project, there were concerns about its success. However, on December 1, 1990, when both sides officially joined during the construction of the service tunnel, it generated a considerable amount of excitement.

After continuous digging, both the British

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and French successfully completed the tunnel. They reached a significant milestone on May 22, 1991 when they met in the northern running tunnel. Just a month later, on June 28, 1991, they also met in the middle of the southern running tunnel. As a result of these achievements, the channel tunnel is currently open.

The entire Channel Tunnel completed its first test run on December 10, 1993, and officially opened on May 6, 1994 after further adjustments.

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