1. Laerdal Tunnel
Location: Sogn og Fjordane, Norway
Background: Approximately 5,000 different explosions carried out during the construction phase Laerdal Tunnel, which stretches under the Norwegian mountains and fjords along the 15 miles, and this is a tunnel that was built with the longest time in the world.
Why Unique: Driving through a tunnel for 20 minutes can be very monotonous, so the team of psychologists and engineers focused on how to maintain the concentration of the driver. "A person's psychological reaction in the tunnel is very important ... it makes a difference between those receiving facilities or simply to avoid it," said Youssef Hashash, professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Illinois, who has worked on 10 projects tunnels are different. "Given the length of this tunnel, you need an environment that is designed with care and good lighting system." Some of the solutions used in the Laerdal tunnel, including the blue light curve light and subtle twists that keeps the driver concentration. Most important is the fact that the tunnel is divided into several different sections, can take the driver and create the impression that the passengers traveling through some of the smaller tunnels.
2. Channel Tunnel
Location: Coquelles, France
Background: Commonly known as the Chunnel, this giant truktur linking England and France. Completed in 1994, 31-mile tunnel is a cost exceeding $ 20 billion.
Why Unique: Linking France and England through the English Channel is an idea that has sparked hundreds of years ago. "There were previous attempts to build a tunnel here, but they were stopped for various reasons, both technical and political," said Hashash. after discovered modern technology, and consider the benefits if the two countries can be connected, then began the mega project. Due to its length, designers build another smaller tunnel for escape path in case of fire or accident in the tunnel.
3. Zion-Mount Caramel Tunnel Location: Zion Canyon, Utah
Background: Motorists will find this structure in the Mount Zion National Park in Utah and Bryce Canyon National Park.
Why Unique: A series of ornate windows adorn the driver's side of the tunnel as a means of enjoying the scenery. "When you leave Zion headed to Bryce, you climb this road and go through the tunnel this beautiful. You can see rock formations and beautiful scenery," said Hashash. Since the tunnel was built through the sandstone, which is relatively soft rock, engineers need to strengthen the structure several times over 80 years, adding concrete ribs and 24-hour monitoring system.
4. Tunnel smuggling Location: Tijuana, Mexico
Background: Criminals have been using underground tunnels to do all kinds of crimes, including bank robbery and drug smuggling. Over the past decade, smuggling tunnels have been discovered in the continental U.S., comes from Canada and Mexico.
Why Unique: In December, the United States and Mexican officials found a 1000 foot long tunnel, which leads to the U.S., though not completed, the tunnel is equipped with lighting, a ventilation system, electricity, and even elevators. A statement from the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) indicates that the tunnel was built over the past two years.
5. Marmaray Tunnel Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Background: Construction of an intercontinental tunnel was started in 2004, but archaeological discoveries of Byzantine and other obstacles have delayed its completion.
Why Unique: immersed tube tunnel will be the first to merge two different continents, running under the Strait of Bosporus to connect the European side of Istanbul with the Asian side. Marmaray tunnel is the deepest immersed tube tunnel in the world, with a maximum depth of 180 meters.
6. Thames Tunnel Location: London, England
Background: At first glance does not look impressive Thames Tunnel; length of 1300 feet and a depth of 75-feet and looked pale in comparison to other tunnels. But the Thames Tunnel is a milestone in tunnel engineering.
Why Unique: "This is the first underwater tunnel, and it is the first time the concept of shield tunneling is used," Hashash told. "This is a major milestone." Shield tunneling is a tool developed by Sir Marc Isambard Brunel who serves as a temporary support structure, which allows construction crews to safely, and flat, installs a permanent support system underwater. Build the Thames Tunnel was such a novelty at the beginning of the 19th century that the visitors will pay to get in on the construction site, and even Brunel concerts and banquets in the unfinished structure. When the tunnel was completed in 1843, Queen Victoria gave knighthood to Brunel for his services in the world of construction.
7. Seikan Tunnel Location: Honshu, Japan
Background: The 33.5-mile long tunnel connects the island of Honshu with the island of Hokkaido. Construction completed in 1988.
Why Unique: Located at 787 meters below sea level, the Seikan Tunnel is the world's deepest tunnel. In addition, with a length of 33.5 miles to make the longest tunnels currently in use. Excavation of the area geology and volcanic rocks are boring prevented the engineers using sophisticated machines, forcing them to destroy and quickly dug under the Tsugaru Strait.
8. Yerba Buena Island Tunnel Location: Bay Area, California
Background: Yerba Buena Island is a small piece of vacant land in San Francisco Bay between Oakland and San Francisco. A five-lane bridge on one side, with two suspension bridge on the other side.
Why Unique: With a diameter of 76 feet, Yerba Buena Island is the largest single tunnel in the world, opened in November 1936. Hashash speculated that adding the tunnel was the most cost-effective and a possible solution to pass through the island, rather than just build a big bridge.
9. Infiltration Tunnels Location: 38th Parallel DMZ
Background: Three different tunnel was found slithering beneath the Korean demilitarized zone, one of the most disputed border in the world, throughout the 1970's. All appear to be from North Korea, and later, in 1990, the fourth tunnel discovered.
Why Unique: Third Invasion Tunnel, also known as the Third Tunnel of Aggression, starting 26 miles from Seoul, South Korea. North Korea's underground route provides the means to launch a massive military attack, and the tunnels are big enough to shuttle entire military division.GlobalSecurity.org estimates that as many as 20 tunnels bullies in the DMZ; menmbah precarious relationship between North and South Korea.
10. Natural Tunnel Location: Natural Tunnel State Park, Virginia
Background: Construction of this tunnel began millions of years ago, when the carbonic acid eating its limestone and dolomite bedrock. An article published in the journal of geology in 1832 is the first documentation of the existence of this tunnel.
Why Unique: Tunnel with 200-foot width is large to accommodate the trains, so that in 1906 built Southern Railway track passengers through the structure of this nature. Today, passenger trains no longer used, but transportation continues to transport coal through the tunnel on a regular basis. Because of this natural wonder of the structure, William Jennings Bryan, presidential candidate tahuna1896 and Woodrow Wilson's foreign minister, said it was the eighth wonder of the world.
11. Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnel Location: Clear Creek County, Colorado
Background: The driver will find this tunnel with a length of 1.67 miles, about one hour west of Denver in the middle of the Rockies. Opened in 1973, abbreviate nearly an hour compared to the alternative route through Loveland Pass.
Why Unique: There are many things that make Eisenhower Tunnel stand out, like with a height of 11,158 feet, which makes it one of the highest tunnel in the world, and the fact that it is the longest mountain tunnel in the U.S.. Adding to the structure's mystic is that it cuts under the Continental Divide, the point at which bodies of water that flows into the Pacific was divided from the body of water that flows into the Atlantic.
12. Cheyenne Mountain Complex Location: El Paso County, Colorado
Background: Deep in the belly Cheyenne Mountain is a city-like military complex that was once the center of the North American Aerospace Defense (NORAD). Designed during the height of the Cold War, this facility is intended to withstand a nuclear blast and are equipped with independent features, such as providing water supply from springs in the mountains.
Why Unique: Employees in this complex back and forth every day about 2000 feet down the tunnel, travel through some blast doors weighing 25-tons along the way. The engineers build this tunnel through solid granite.This facility was opened in 1966. "Granite is a very hard stone," said Hashash. "For the protective structure is very good."
13. MailRail
Location: London, England
Background: Some post offices in the basement have been experimenting with the delivery of mail. USPS is used in a complex system during the early 19th century, but London took a completely different approach and build an underground railway scales are used only for the package.
Why Unique: Approximately 23 miles of train tracks running along MailRail letter, and is located 70 meters below the hustle and bustle of the streets of London. During the heyday of this system, electric trains unmanned drag as many as 4 million letters per day. The train can make it with the 6.5-mile tunnel in less than half an hour, stopping at nine stations along the way to sort mail. Use of the system is gradually scaled back until 2003, when the rail tunnels and abandoned because of cost constraints.
14. Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line
Location: Kawasaki City, Japan
Background: Bridge with a length of nearly 3-mile was added to the 6-mile-tunnels in earthquake prone areas. The structure was opened to traffic in 1997, serves as a means of commuting between Kawasaki and Kisarazu City City about 45 minutes each way.
Why Unique: While the combination of bridges and tunnels exist throughout the world, large rest area built on an artificial island at the entrance of this tunnel makes Aqua-Line stood between them. The island, called Umi-Hotaru, which translates to "sea fireflies," acting primarily as a resting place which consists of shops and restaurants and an observation deck that looks at bay.
15. PATH Tunnel System Location: Toronto, Canada
Background: Canada in the winter can be brutal, but it provides a complex of tunnels under the ground is very large and warm quickly to arrive at a downtown Toronto. More than 100,000 passengers daily pass through the underground mall similar system, which is home to more than 1200 retail stores.
Why Unique: Some cities, including Houston, Minneapolis and Montreal, has a similar system underground, but Toronto made the biggest tunnel, about 16 miles. Accounting for psychological factors is an important consideration for this complex, Hashash said, especially when oriented to the pedestrian with the right of their existence. Toronto to develop a comprehensive signage system for the tunnel complex during the 1990's, and every letter on adjusting the color and represents a different direction. Commuters walk through the red part can be sure they are heading south, while the orange would indicate that they were walking to the west.
16. Cu Chi Tunnels Location: Cu Chi, Vietnam
Background: This vast labyrinth of tunnels which plays an important role in the strategy of the Vietcong during the French Indochina War and the Vietnam War. Estimates on the actual size of the tunnel ranges over 150 miles.
Why Unique: Vietcong tunnel systems constructed throughout Vietnam, but the tunnels at Cu Chi has become a popular tourist destination in recent years. Visitors can work their way through a narrow space, check your trap shut and even visit the underground command center where the Tet attacks were planned. Some tunnels are just a few meters, while others have been expanded to accommodate the larger tourist.
17. Gotthard Base Tunnel Location: Erstfeld, Switzerland
Background: If the tunnel is already completed, this will be the longest transportation tunnel with a length of more than 35 kilometers. Drilling through the Swiss Alps is no easy task, so the deadline for completion has been back several years, and the cost has increased by billions of euros.
Why Unique: Although the mountains, the train ride through the Gotthard Base Tunnel will remain at a height of nearly the same for the entire trip."The need to maintain the elevation is an important consideration if you want to run high-speed rail through the tunnel," said Hashash. And while project costs have increased, the tunnel can play an important role in increasing trade between Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Austria and many other European countries.
Location: Taroko National Park, Taiwan
Background: This man-made structures are also known as the Tunnel of Nine Turns, a reference to the dragon rolls popular in Chinese folklore and mythology.
Why Unique: The Tunnel of Nine Turns through the cliffs and walk along the riverbank in Taroko National Park, an area known for its rich geology, including the form of jade endemic to Taiwan. Completed in 1996, the structure provides a glimpse of the unique formations of natural marble, stone, rock fall, although not pose a real threat, and helmets may be required for travelers.
source: http://www.strov.co.cc/2010/01/18-terowongan-paling-unik-di-dunia.html
source: http://www.strov.co.cc/2010/01/18-terowongan-paling-unik-di-dunia.html
