St. Kitts Rockfall Tunnel Protection - Armtec's solution

1. Owner:
Public Works Department of St.
Kitts and Nevis
Engineer:
Kevin Williams, Project Engineer,
PWD of St. Kitts and Nevis
Contractor:
National Association of Heavy
Equipment Operators Ltd
Technical Description:
 Product: Bridge - Plate Arch
 Span: 11300 mm
 Rise: 6763 mm
 Length: 150.08 m
Installation: February - March 2015
ST. KITTS ROCKFALL TUNNEL PROTECTION
Saint Kitts and Nevis
The island’s main highway joining Basseterre to the beaches
of the north and the ferry dock to neighbouring Nevis had
experienced rock falls along its route.
Armtec proposed a tunnel made from Bridge Plate
to protect the vehicular traffic from the dangerous rocks
falling from above. In early 2014 construction began on the
around 12 meters wide by 7 meter high tunnel and by
mid year the plates were assembled and the tunnel was
ready for final backfill. Once completed, the tunnel
would be buried under 2 meters of fill guarding the
road from falling rocks.
The project was the first to incorporate double
dimension elbows. The elbows provide a smooth curve
guiding traffic through the bends from the upslope
entrance to the exit some 140 metres away.
Once completed the main road crisscrossing St Kitts
will be once again open, providing much safe transport
for the burgeoning tourist trade while enhancing day
to day transport for island travelers.