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Flagon Tunnel: Soprema UK’s complete solution café for tunnels The urban density of London life above ground is mirrored by the level of infrastructure below ground
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etween the tunnels required by the rail and Tube systems, and the sewer networks, there is miles upon miles of mission critical infrastructure beneath our feet and we rely on the integrity, performance and service life of those assets to keep the city ticking and ensure disruptive maintenance is kept to a minimum. Effective waterproofing systems are an essential part of ensuring tunnels remain robust and serviceable over time and, as a specialist in waterproofing technologies, Soprema has an extensive range of waterproofing solutions for all specification requirements. The company’s Flagon Tunnel system is a fully repairable PVC geomembrane waterproofing solution, designed specifically for the UK market to deliver the specification guidance suggested by the British Tunnelling Society. It has an enviable pedigree on some of the most ambitious and high-profile tunnel projects the UK has ever seen, including the Thames Tideway Tunnel, a globally renowned ‘super sewer’ currently under construction below central London. The Thames Tideway Billed as London’s ‘super sewer’ The Thames Tideway Tunnel is not simply an upgrade to the capital’s overstretched sewer system, it will be transformative for the environment and the water quality of the River Thames. London’s sewage system was an engineering triumph and a boon to public health when it was installed 150 years ago. But a century and a half later, the age of the infrastructure and the size of the city’s population mean that it can no longer cope with the level of waste produced. The Thames Tideway Tunnel is designed to prevent the risk of raw sewage spills into the Thames, preventing the tens of millions of tonnes of pollution that currently contaminate the river each year.
The project is a massive undertaking. The 25-kilometre tunnel is being constructed across 24 construction sites, spanning from Acton in west London to Beckton in the east. Many of these sites are located on the edge of the river, right in the heart of the city. Featuring eight shafts, the tunnel is routed below Londoners’ feet at depths of 30 to 60 metres, transporting waste east with the help of gravity. Collaboration, specification and technical support The Thames Tideway Tunnel is being delivered by main contractor FLO (a joint venture between Ferrovial and Laing O’Rourke), and Soprema’s approved
contractor, Renesco UK, is responsible for the waterproofing installation. Soprema has been collaborating with Renesco UK since 2015 in a relationship that has seen the two companies work together on a number of infrastructure projects, including the Northern Line Extension, the Bank Station Capacity Upgrade Project, and the Kilo Apron Development Substructure Project at Heathrow Airport. From the outset, the delivery partners have been focused on building the super sewer in the most sustainable and costeffective way possible, ensuring quality and security above all. Because Soprema UK has worked on so many tunnel projects over the past few years, the company has Rail Professional
