Underground Space
Infrastructure systems, industrial plants, research facilities, hydroelectric power stations, recreational facilities, protective structures, storage facilities, waste disposal facilities and quarries have some joint characteristics. They need large areas, which are becoming ever scarcer. The consequences are significant land acquisition costs.
If situated near residential areas, resistance to the planned facilities is likely, leading to new obligations and delays. Conditions placed on the environmental compatibility of facilities, such as reducing emissions, lead to expensive measures. Some of the facilities listed need an increased level of protection for the material or processes inside. Finally, some require uniform environmental conditions with respect to climate and low vibrations.
Building a facility in an underground cavern can be the optimal solution to meet these characteristics and requirements – underground facilities need less land, have less impact on the surrounding countryside, prevent certain objections and obligations, offer uniform environmental conditions, lead to fewer emissions and offer very high levels of protection.
Our expertise in Underground Space
The use of the facility determines the location and the layout of the cavern. Usually, large dimensions are necessary, which are always challenging to build.
Underground caverns require careful analysis of the rock mass behaviour and the support installed, especially in poor ground conditions.
For underground structures, access, supply and disposal, ventilation, cooling and safety systems must be designed differently than for structures above ground. Equally, the maintenance and upkeep of underground caverns have different characteristics. A further challenge of building facilities underground is to correctly recognise the requirements resulting from the purpose and the technical equipment in the system, so that a technically sound but cost effective solution can be found. This is an iterative process.
Amberg Engineering has over 50 years of experience and in-depth knowledge of all types of underground cavern construction.
This experience has been gathered over decades, especially in the construction of complex military underground installations – where we are one of the leading engineering design companies in the world.
This, combined with our continuous search for innovative solutions, allows us to integrate the latest developments when delivering our services and to create cost-effective, requirements-based solutions.
Underground caverns must be adjusted to meet specific requirements. For this reason, it is important to us to understand the needs of the client, user and operator, to reach the best solution. Therefore, we develop the facility in close co-operation with our clients and their planners and specialists.
Services in Detail
Amberg Engineering realises innovative, customised solutions for caverns. From planning and realisation to operation, our specialists will support you throughout the entire lifecycle of a structure.
Phase 1 – Planning
- Geological survey
- Feasibility study
- Preliminary and schematic design
- Invitation to tender, tender documents
- Geotechnical and structural analysis
- Stability analysis and evaluation
- Dynamic analysis
- Fire protection concepts and evaluation
- Safety concept
- Evacuation planning
Phase 2 – Realisation
- Detailed design
- Construction supervision
- Project direction
- Control surveying
- Vibration and shock monitoring
- Resource planning
- Quality management
Phase 3 – Operation
- Facility inspection
- State assessment
- Conservation of value planning
- Maintenance planning
- Renewal and refurbishment
- Modification
Services in all phases
- Project review
- Project management as the client representative
- Controlling
- Risk management
- Consulting
- Training
- Safety evaluation
references
- Wafer Fab, microchip factory (Switzerland)
- Military facilities (Switzerland)
- Underground quarry, Schollberg (Switzerland)
- Underground quarry, Zirl (Austria)
- Multifunction stations, Gotthard Base Tunnel (Switzerland)
- Underground visitor and event cavern, Gonzen Bergwerk (Switzerland)
- Underground research facility, Hagerbach Test Gallery Ltd. (Switzerland)
For around 60 years, the renowned Swiss Amberg Group has been a leader in engineering and surveying services for railway, metro, underground and specialised civil engineering.
The family-owned company is an innovative knowledge, engineering and technology provider in the field of logistics and infrastructure for smart cities, hubs and networks. We provide outstanding solutions for our customers through innovatively combining above-ground and underground space utilisation.
Amberg Engineering
Engineering services for the construction of underground infrastructure
Planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance of railway, road, utility and metro tunnels, as well as caverns
Amberg Technologies
Systems and solutions for railway and tunnel surveying
Acquisition, evaluation and refinement of measurement data in infrastructure construction
Amberg Infra 7D
Digital services in the infrastructure environment
Geo-monitoring, mobile mapping, digital construction, geomatics and inspection services
Amberg Loglay
Smart city and construction logistics solutions
Sophisticated logistics solutions for efficient and future-orientated construction projects
Amberg Infocon
High-quality design and BIM services
Design, BIM, consulting, PMC and IT solutions for architecture, engineering and construction
VersuchsStollen Hagerbach
The underground future lab
Extensive underground research infrastructure for testing and development, testing laboratory for building materials, training centre and event facilities
QAECY
Intelligent information
Analysing documents and data with artificial intelligence to create a unified view of reality
Your underground experts
- Rail tunnels, including high-speed rail
- Metro lines
- Tunnel and shaft infrastructure
- Caverns with large cross-sections
- Energy storage and utilities
Engineering at its best
- Numerous services for your entire project cycle, from feasibility, planning and construction to renewal of your infrastructure
- Trained specialists and experts in planning and design, geotechnics, and project management
Infrastructure experts
- Rail, metro and tunnels
- Underground spaces
- Mining and shafts
Systems and solutions
- Slab track, tamping, mapping, surveying and inspections
- Tunnel machine guidance
- Tunnel profile measurements and stakeout
- Undulation
- Layer thickness control
- Surface inspection
- Geological predicting during tunnel excavation
- Surveying, data analysis and maintenance
Digital infrastructure experts
- Data acquisition and processing
- Monitoring
- Measurement of geotechnical tasks
- Maintenance and operation
- Process optimisation and digital continuity
Solutions and services
- Geo-monitoring
- Mobile mapping
- Geomatics
- Inspection services
- Digital construction
Smart cities and construction logistics experts
- Manage stakeholders across the value chain
- Improve construction mobility in dense cities
- Unlock up to 50% of the true potential of assets
- Integrate circular economy principles into construction
- Use smart data throughout the supply chain
Solutions for construction sites
- End-to-end digital logistics processes
- Rapid prototyping and smart sensors (IoT)
- Logistics concept and manual (3D/4D)
- Integration of logistics data
- Logistics insights management (LIM)
- Construction logistics management (CLM)
- Management of external hubs and consolidation
Design and construction experts
- Design and BIM integration
- Coordination between different disciplines
- Information workflow setup
- Facility management and BIM integration
- Visualisation
Services
- BIM implementation and creation of models
- Clash detection, coordination and clash resolution
- Construction documentation and shop drawings
- 4D simulation and 5D estimation
- Underground utilities
- Laser scan to as-built models
- IT solutions – BIM integration with FM application
VersuchsStollen Hagerbach - The underground future lab
Recently named a research infrastructure of national importance, we have been providing the space and expertise to turn visions into innovations for over 50 years.
Your analysis and testing requirements
- Real scale test and prototype environment
- Analysis of construction material
- Training facility
- Unique location for your event
Our facilities and services
- Various test sites, test procedures and management
- Concrete and rock laboratory
- Training environment and syllabus
- Seminar rooms, event cavern and restaurant
AI agent as a service for the construction industry
- AI agent dedicated to the AEC industry
- Easy access to complex project information
- Helps in taking confident, informed decisions
- Opens data silos, unlocks all content and uncovers context
- Effortless interaction with your most valuable asset – your collective knowledge
Solution and services
- AI agent as a service
- Strategic consulting and training
- Development of tailored solutions