Tunnelit

Tunnelit, the Finnish term for tunnels, are enclosed passages that allow movement or conveyance of people, vehicles, water, gas, or utilities through obstacles such as hills, mountains, or water bodies, or to separate traffic from surface urban areas. They are built to provide direct routes, reduce surface disruption, and improve safety and efficiency in transportation and infrastructure networks.

Tunneli construction generally falls into several methods. Bored tunnels are formed using tunnel-boring machines or drilling and blasting, cutting through rock or soil while maintaining a circular or horseshoe-shaped lining. Cut-and-cover tunnels are excavated from the surface and then covered and supported, commonly used in urban settings. Immersed tunnels are built from prefabricated segments placed into a submerged trench and connected underwater.

Applications include road and rail transportation, metro systems, and utilities such as water supply, sewage, and district heating. Tunnels also serve mining operations, hydropower, and defence or research facilities where surface access is impractical.

Construction and operation involve addressing ground conditions, groundwater management, ventilation, lighting, and fire safety. Structural lining must withstand loads and seismic events, and emergency egress and fire-fighting provisions are integrated with monitoring and maintenance regimes to ensure long-term safety.

Notable modern tunnels include the Channel Tunnel between the United Kingdom and France (opened 1994), the Seikan Tunnel in Japan (opened 1988), and the Gotthard Base Tunnel in Switzerland (opened 2016), illustrating underwater, mountain, and long-distance tunneling capabilities.