Trelleborg “breaks into” US tunnel market

Trelleborg, Sweden – Trelleborg’s engineered products operation announced on 26 March that it has broken into the US tunnel market: supplying seals for the construction project in Virginia.

The Elizabeth River tunnels project, between Portsmouth and Norfolk, is a $2.1-billion (€1.9 billion) public/private partnership (P3) project.

The immersed tunnel consists of 11 rectangular concrete tunnel elements, each of which has been fitted with Trelleborg’s Gina and Omega gaskets to prevent water ingress.

Trelleborg says its seals were chosen due to their high stability, flexibility and low aging behaviour.

“Our immersed tunnel seals [have] had considerable success in Europe and China and [we] are very pleased to be specified in this US project.” said Andre de Graaf, Trelleborg’s engineered products’ sales manager.

Trelleborg’s Gina gasket is made from natural rubber and is supplied as a closed rectangular frame to seal each sectional element.

The Omega seal connects each segment together and is made from multiple layers of styrene butadiene rubber and polyamide to improve durability.

The combination of the two seals enables the transfer of hydrostatic loads and movements between the tunnel ends, caused by soil settlement, creep of concrete, temperature effects and earthquakes.