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VIP is supplying its VIP028CI cast-in gasket with patented ‘compliant compressible corners' to tunnel segment pre-cast specialist Pacacar. Supply started in December 2017.
A consortium made up of Ferrovial Agroman and Laing O'Rourke (FLO JV) is the main contractor for the central section, which runs from Fulham to Blackfriars and will have 6,100 tunnel segment ring sets.
The 12.7km central section is the longest of three sections of the 25km Thames Tideway tunnel. The project, due for completion in 2024, is designed to prevent the discharge of untreated storm water and sewerage from 34 combined sewer overflows into the tidal River Thames.
VIP has also been commissioned by J Kumar Infraprojects to supply tunnel segment gaskets for the Mumbai Metro Line 3 (Packages 5 and 6) tunnel, which is being built for the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation, a joint venture between the Indian national government and the state government of Maharashtra.
The project involves the construction of a 4.5km twin tunnel, with an outside diameter of 6.6 metres, requiring a total of 17,800 tunnel segment ring sets.
Production of the glued-in gaskets selected for this tunnel has also already begun at VIP's factory in Huntingdon.
VIP developed the Mumbair gasket as a modification of its VIP024 gasket to provide additional sealing assurance sought by project engineers as the tunnel passes under the Mithi River.
VIP previously supplied four phases of the Delhi Metro project and the Ghatkopar High Level Tunnel in Mumbai.
VIP technical business development manager Matthew Levitt said: "Our success with both projects demonstrates our ability to deliver a wide range of innovative products and technologies for supporting major water and transport infrastructure projects anywhere in the world. These are exciting tunnelling projects that are vital to the sustainable development and growth of two great cities, and we're delighted to be involved with them."
VIP's compressible corner technology for cast-in gaskets ensures uniform load along the perimeter of the gasket to reduce the risk of cracking. The technology has already been proven on other tunnelling projects, including Scottish Water’s 5km Shieldhall wastewater tunnel in Glasgow.
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