How the world's longest underwater tunnel was built - Alex Gendler

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Helen Chang

Flanked by two powerful European nations, the English Channel

英吉利海峽與兩個 強大的歐洲國家相接，

has long been one of the world’s most important maritime passages.

長期以來一直是 世界上最重要的水道。

Yet for most of its history,

但，在它大部分的歷史中，

the channel’s rocky shores and stormy weather

它的多岩海岸以及多暴風雨的天氣

made crossing a dangerous prospect.

讓通過海峽成為很危險的事。

Engineers of the early 1800's proposed numerous plans

1800 年代初的工程師 提出過許多計畫，

for spanning the 33 kilometer gap.

想要架橋橫跨 這三十三公里的裂口。

Their designs included artificial islands linked by bridges,

他們的設計包括 用橋樑連結的人工島嶼、

submerged tubes suspended from floating platforms,

用浸在水中的管子 來懸掛漂浮平台，

and an underwater passage more than twice the length of any existing tunnel.

以及比任何既有隧道還要 長兩倍以上的水底通道。

By the end of the century,

在那個世紀末，

this last proposal had captured European imagination.

最後的那個提議成了 歐洲人的想像方向。

The invention of the tunnel boring machine

隧道鑽掘機被發明出來，

and the discovery of a stable layer of chalk marl below the seabed

以及發現海床底下 有一層穩定的白堊泥灰岩，

made this fantastic tunnel more feasible.

讓這種奇想般的隧道 更有可能實現。

But the project’s most urgent obstacles were ones no engineer could solve.

但這個計畫最迫切的障礙，

卻不是工程師能夠解決的。

At the time,

當時英國人把他們 地理上的孤立位置視為

Britons viewed their geographic isolation as a strategic advantage,

策略上的優勢，

and fears about French invasion shut down plans for the tunnel.

因為懼怕法國會侵略， 隧道的計畫被終止。

The rise of aerial warfare rendered these worries obsolete,

空戰的出現，淘汰了這些擔心，

but new economic concerns arose to replace them.

卻由新出現的經濟擔憂取代。

Finally, 100 years after the initial excavation,

終於，在初次開鑿的一百年後，

the two countries reached an agreement—

兩國達成協議——

the tunnel would proceed with private funding.

用私人資金來建造隧道。

In 1985, a group of French and British companies

1985 年，數間法國和英國公司

invested the modern equivalent of 14 billion pounds,

投資了等同於現今 一百四十億英磅的資金，

making the tunnel the most expensive infrastructure project to date.

讓該隧道成為至今 最昂貴的基礎建設計畫。

The design called for three separate tunnels—

設計上需要三條分開的隧道——

one for trains to France, one for trains to England,

一條供火車前往法國、 一條供火車前往英國，

and one service tunnel between them.

它們之間還有一條服務隧道。

Alongside crossover chambers, emergency passages, and air ducts,

再加上穿越室、 緊急通道，及通氣管道，

this amounted to over 200 kilometers of tunnels.

通通加總起來， 是超過兩百公里的隧道。

In 1988, workers began excavating from both sides,

1988 年，工人開始從兩端開鑿，

planning to meet in the middle.

計畫是要在中間相會。

Early surveys of the French coast revealed the site was full of fault lines.

早期對法國海岸的調查指出 這個地點滿是斷層線，

These small cracks let water seep into the rock,

這些小小的裂縫 會讓水滲入岩石中，

so engineers had to develop waterproof boring machines.

所以，工程師必須要 開發出防水的鑽掘機。

The British anticipated drier conditions, and forged ahead with regular borers.

英國預期這端的條件會比較乾燥，

因此採用一般的鑽頭。

But only months into the work, water flooded in through undetected fissures.

但，才開工幾個月，

水就從沒被察覺到的裂縫湧入。

To drill in this wet chalk, the British had to use grout

為了要鑽鑿這種白堊岩， 英國人必須要用薄泥漿

to seal the cracks created in the borer’s wake,

來封住鑽頭鑽鑿之後造成的裂縫，

and even work ahead of the main borer

甚至要超前主鑽頭的進度，

to reinforce the chalk about to be drilled.

強化將要被鑽鑿的白堊岩。

With these obstacles behind them, both teams began drilling at full speed.

解決了這些障礙之後，

兩邊的團隊都開始全速鑽鑿。

Boring machines weighing up to 1,300 tons drilled at nearly 3.5 meters per hour.

鑽掘機的重量高達一千三百公噸，

鑽鑿速度接近每小時三公尺半。

As they dug, they installed lining rings to stabilize the tunnel behind them,

當他們鑽掘時，會裝上襯砌環

來穩定他們身後的隧道，

making way for support wagons following each machine.

為跟在每台鑽掘機 後面的支援貨車開路。

Even at top speed, work had to proceed carefully.

就算是全速開鑿， 也必須要小心進行。

The chalk layer followed a winding path between unstable rock and clay,

白堊岩層順著不穩定的岩石 和泥土間的迂迴小道，

punctured by over 100 boring holes made by previous surveyors.

先前的調查者在上面 打了超過一百個鑽堀孔。

Furthermore, both teams had to constantly check their coordinates

此外，兩邊的團隊必須要 經常確認他們的座標，

to ensure they were on track to meet within 2 centimeters of each other.

確保他們仍然在計畫的軌道上， 彼此相接時誤差不超過兩公分。

To maintain this delicate trajectory,

要維持這麼精細的軌道，

the borers employed satellite positioning systems,

鑽堀機使用衛星定位系統，

as well as paleontologists who used excavated fossils

還有古生物學者用開鑿出來的化石

to confirm they were at the right depth.

來確認他們所在的深度是正確的。

During construction, the project employed over 13,000 people

在建造過程中，這個計畫 僱用了超過一萬三千人，

and cost the lives of ten workers.

有十名工人喪命。

But after two and a half years of tunneling,

但在開鑿隧道兩年半之後，

the two sides finally made contact.

兩端終於相接。

British worker Graham Fagg emerged on the French side,

英國工人葛里漢法格 從法國端走出來，

becoming the first human to cross the channel by land since the Ice Age.

成為冰河時期之後第一個 從陸路穿越海峽的人類。

There was still work to be done—

工作還沒完成——

from installing crossover chambers and pumping stations,

從設置軌道交叉的空間和抽水站，

to laying over a hundred miles of tracks, cables, and sensors.

到舖設超過一百英里的 軌道、纜線，和感測器。

But on May 6, 1994, an opening ceremony marked the tunnel’s completion.

但在 1994 年 5 月 6 日，

開幕典禮代表隧道正式完工。

Full public service began 16 months later,

十六個月後，開始提供 完整的公共服務，

with trains for passengers and rail shuttles for cars and trucks.

有載送乘客以及運輸 汽車和卡車的服務。

Today, the Channel Tunnel services over 20 million passengers a year,

現今，英法海底隧道每年 服務超過兩千萬名旅客，

transporting riders across the channel in just 35 minutes.

只要三十五分鐘 就可以把乘客載過海峽。

Unfortunately, not everyone has the privilege of making this trip legally.

不幸的是，並非人人 都能合法通過這條隧道。

Thousands of refugees have tried to enter Britain through the tunnel

曾經有數千名難民 嘗試透過隧道進入英國，

in sometimes fatal attempts.

有時還因此喪命。

These tragedies have transformed the tunnel’s southern entrance

這些悲劇讓隧道的南端入口變成

into an ongoing site of conflict.

持續發生衝突的地方。

Hopefully, the structure’s history can serve as a reminder

希望這項建設的歷史能夠提醒世人，

that humanity is at their best when breaking down barriers.

人性最光輝的時候， 就是破除障礙的時候。