M&E installations Busan-Geoje Fixed Link 

Such services were provided in connection with the M&E installations (outlined below) in the approximately 4 km long twin tube/two-lane immersed tunnel sections of the Busan-Geoje Fixed Link, South Korea, which also encompasses bridges, rock tunnels and roads.

Based on the client’s conceptual design, COWI prepared a basic design including criteria for the M&E Installations: a traffic control system for the road tunnel, the central escape gallery, the ventilation buildings and ramp structures. The basic design phase also covered evaluation of the safety concept and preparation of the safety assumptions.

Preparation of the M&E services was carried out in the project office in Seoul in close cooperation with the other disciplines involved. Liason with the client, the local authorities and independent checkers was carried out.

Great emphasis was put on ensuring that the safety measures met the requirements of the concept and that cost-saving alternatives were found for structural design, geotechnical constraints and different vertical alignments. The key issues were functionality, performance, environmental impact and operational cost.

During the basic design phase, the following M&E systems were considered:

Mechanical installations

• Tunnel ventilation, longitudinal ventilation for pollution control during normal and congested traffic and for fire ventilation during emergencies and longitudinal ventilation combined with transverse smoke extraction along the tunnel.
• Pressurisation and ventilation of the service and escape gallery containing transformers and switchboards, cable routes, fire-fighting piping systems, drainage piping and deep point tunnel pump stations at dedicated locations.
• Fire-fighting systems (hydrants, hoses, water storage tanks and pump installations) and fire protection systems (foam protection, inert gas and fire extinguishers).
• Tunnel drainage systems and deep point pump sumps and installations.
• Ramp drainage systems, including sand trap, oil separation and op-timised pump sump and pump installations.
• Heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems, water supply and drainage in portal buildings, including technical room and personnel facilities.
• Emergency doors from tunnel tubes to escape gallery.

Electrical installations

• Power distribution systems fed from the national transmission network.
• Power supply systems, including transformers, UPS systems and emergency generator plants.
• Tunnel lighting systems.
• Emergency and other lighting systems.
• Grounding and lightning protection systems.
• Local control and monitoring systems, including instrumentation for mechanical equipment.
• Intelligent Transport System extended to cover the whole link, including bridges and toll areas.
• Radio communication systems.
• Alarm systems.
• Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System.