Of these many railways across the globe, which are becoming bigger, faster and longer today, The Steel Wire explores two recently established railway systems that opened limitless opportunities for the countries they connect.

The World’s Longest Tunnel Through the Alps

The world’s longest and deepest train tunnel officially opened in December 2016, after nearly two decades and USD 12.5 billion worth of construction work in Switzerland. The new 35-mile or nearly 57km tunnel was designed to replace the previous tunnel, which had limited train speed and cargo capacity as it would wind up, down and around the Alps.  

The Gotthard Base Tunnel (GBT), which can carry passengers deep under the Swiss Alps from Zurich to Lugano, has been praised across Europe for improving connectivity from Rotterdam to the Adriatic and revolutionizing European freight and passenger transportation. The almost perfectly flat pass allows high-speed passenger trains and heavy freight trains with twice the cargo to race through up to 155 mph. The efficiency and reliability of rail freight traffic and increased transport capacity of the route will allow as many as 260 freight trains to pass through the GBT every day (the maximum number was 180 for the previous mountain route).

The Gotthard Base Tunnel (GBT) in Switzerland, the first flat route through the Alps (Source: Zacharie Grossen)

The GBT was deemed one of the biggest engineering feats in Swiss history. The Alps have always posed an obstacle to trains traveling between the North Sea and the Mediterranean due to zones of stone that had been crushed to bits as the Alps formed. Throughout construction, project engineers were constantly battling the pressure from the Alps and the humidity inside the tunnel.

So how were they able to dig the longest tunnel ever, perfectly level, through the base of the Alps?

In order to keep the pressure of the Alps from crushing the tunnel, specially designed steel reinforcements were used for tunnels and flexible beams that had moving parts held together with clasps. Ventilation was of the utmost importance for the project engineers to fight close to 100 percent humidity and 115 degrees Fahrenheit temperatures. Nine-mile long ventilation tunnels were designed to bring fresh air into the tunnel.

This behind-the scenes video provides an immersive 360-degree look into the tremendous amount of work that’s been put into building the GBT.

The tunnel has overtaken Japan’s 53.9km Seikan rail tunnel as the longest in the world and pushed the 50.5km Channel Tunnel linking the UK and France into third place. This new world record may not last long though as China has recently announced plans to link the northern port cities of Dalian and Yantai under the Bohai Strait with a railroad that is an estimated 76 miles (123km) long.

Chinese-funded Railways Linking East Africa

Another recently completed railway project is the Chinese-backed electric railway across Africa, which officially began operation in October 2016. The electrified and environmentally friendly project will replace the previous, diesel-powered Addis Ababa-Djibouti line.  

The project was initiated when a pre-feasibility study conducted in 2007 showed the importance of renovating the line from an economic and financial perspective. This 466-mile or 750 km long tunnel is expected to cut travel time between the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa and the port in Djibouti from three days by road to 12 hours by rail. The express line will also help optimize trade by giving businesses and passengers a cheaper and safer alternative to the notoriously dangerous trip between the two cities that are often clogged with cargo trucks.  

Africa’s first fully electrified cross-border railway connecting Ethiopia and Djibouti (Source: AFP)

According to Transport CS James Macharia, “The laying of the tracks in itself will have a huge impact on the GDP even before completion of the project. Local businesses are expected to contribute up to 40 percent of all supplies whilst more than 50,000 Kenyans will be employed either directly or indirectly by the project.”

The USD 4 billion project was built by China Railway Group and the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation and partly financed by Chinese banks. Why did China see the railway as an investment opportunity?

China has provided about USD 12 billion in loans to Ethiopia since 2000, and is Ethiopia’s main trading partner for exports and imports. The railway construction will not only reduce the cost of doing business but will further create an export market for China’s booming steel and construction industries. According to Deborah Brautigam, professor of international political economy and director of SAIS-CARI, “They have overcapacity in China. They have steel that they want to use. They’ve got experienced companies that know how to build railways.”

These recently built railway systems show just how far reaching railway innovation and engineering have become. The world today would be unimaginable without these advancements. What other industries and businesses are next to evolve thanks to railway innovation?   

Hong Kong is one of the world’s leading financial centers and houses the world’s 6th busiest port. Macau is home to world’s most well-known casinos, shops, and restaurants. Despite a population of a little more than 500,000, Macau welcomes more than 30 million visitors annually. On the mainland side sit Zhuhai and Shenzhen, two of the fastest growing cities in the world that represent one of the world’s largest and most important manufacturing bases.

A portion of the HZMB that will connect Macau, Zhuhai, and Hong Kong

Despite the region’s economic power and influence, many parts of it are still left to the whims of the weather. Travel between Macau, Hong Kong, and the mainland is limited as there are no roads connecting them. The most common route is by ferry, although those with means can choose to go by helicopter.

The HZMB spans 50 km connecting multiple sections with bridges and a tunnel (Image courtesy of Google Earth)

Being limited to ferries means that traffic is stopped in the event of typhoons, floods, or other bad weather. While ferries typically run every 15 minutes, service is severely limited from midnight to 7 am. This means that any late night plans to stay in these Cinderella cities should be cut short.

The construction of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge (HZMB) is set to alleviate some of these problems while bringing the region closer together economically.

Bridge + Tunnel

First proposed in 1988, construction finally began in 2009 and is expected to be completed in December 2017. The HZMB spans a total of 50 km with the main bridge portion stretching out to almost 23 km. When completed, that piece alone will be one of the longest bridges in the world.

The tunnel section of the HZMB is 4 stories high and can accommodate six lanes of traffic. (Photo courtesy of hzmb.hk)

Because large container ships still need access to the seas, HZMB combines an undersea tunnel as part of the infrastructure. The tunnel is in addition to three large cable supported bridges that will allow ships to pass underneath.

This artificial island is the submergence point for traffic as they begin their descent to the tunnel portion. (Image courtesy of Google Earth)

Building the tunnels has not been easy and they have been the source of many of the delays in opening the bridge. The tunnel runs for 6 km more than 40 m beneath the seabed. Because the tunnel sits in the middle of the main bridge section, two artificial islands were built for cars to transition from above water to underwater to underground. Following the lines of a bridge, the road suddenly disappears in the middle of the sea like a scene out of a sci-fi movie.

Breaking Barriers, Connecting the Region

The HZMB is built to last 120 years and engineers had to adhere to the strict construction standards of Hong Kong, Macau, and China.

It also had to be built to withstand typhoons, tidal waves (check out these photos if you doubt the severity of typhoons in the region) and increased traffic to and from the islands.

The front page of the Sunday Herald shows a common headline the day after a typhoon hit Hong Kong in 1962. (Image courtesy of the South China Morning Post)

With the added connectivity that the bridge brings, there are anticipated economic benefits on all sides. Those in Zhuhai traveling to the Hong Kong airport will have their commute reduced from 4 hours to 40 minutes. Visitors going from Hong Kong to Macau will have their commute shortened from almost one hour to 35 minutes. And those traveling from Hong Kong to the Western areas of the Pearl River Delta will have just a 3-hour drive.

Despite the complicated engineering, regulations from three different governing districts, and high costs, the HZMB will soon be a reality. The bridge will provide an important link between Hong Kong, Macau, and Zhuhai, bringing together one of the most powerful financial districts in the world with the heart of industrial China.

“Second Avenue Subway Project Causes 50% Rise in Prices” – New York Times, September 2, 1929

The idea for a Second Avenue line was first brought up in 1920 when NYC’s public transit was at maximum capacity moving around 1.3 billion riders per year having doubled since the pre-war years. When an official plan was introduced in September 1929, home prices increased 50% almost overnight. However, because of the Great Depression, WWII, and then the Korean War; the city did not break ground until 1972. But then in 1975 the project was abruptly stopped when the city ran out of money. Revived again in the mid-nineties, construction on the current line started in 2007.

Proposed Second Avenue line in June 1950. (Courtesy of New York Transit Museum)

“But it is highly improbable that the Second Avenue subway… will ever materialize.” – New York Times, January 17, 1957

Aside from the financial and political reasons that delayed the train for a century, the fact is that it is much more difficult to construct a new subway line in today’s New York than it was in the 1920s. When New York’s first subway line opened in 1904 there were less people, less buildings, and less regulations. At that time, crews would use the “cut and cover” method where they would close the road, dig up the street, and then cover it back up when finished – a feat that would be nearly impossible in today’s bustling Manhattan.

“Ground was broken yesterday for the Second Avenue subway.” – New York Times, October 28, 1972

In today’s New York, the city must use explosions (video) to help make way for the huge boring machines, reinforced with high-strength steel, that are able to cut underneath the foundation while cars and people are left undisturbed on the surface. Running 24 hours per day, these tunnel boring machines can dig around 50-60 feet per day leaving a huge underground path for the trains.

Second Avenue subway tunnel, May 21, 2015. (Photo courtesy of MTA)

While it is obvious that steel would be used in these projects, the sheer amount is astounding. From the tunnel boring machine to the steel wheels that ride on the steel tracks to the stainless steel subway cars — steel is everywhere. In fact, it was the advances made in steel technology in the 1880s that made New York’s first subway a reality. After the great blizzard of 1888 shut down city streets and brought down the electric power grid, the city started to make efforts to put things underground. In addition, the same advances in steel provided for taller and taller buildings that brought more and more people; so, the city needed a new form of transportation that could move everyone from their homes to their jobs. The NYC subway system started in 1904 with just 28 stations – it now has 468 stations running a total distance of 1,055 km (656 mi).

From the steel beams to the steel tracks to the escalators carrying passengers – steel is everywhere. (Photo courtesy of MTA)

Subways have redefined urban life in the modern era. This feat of engineering, like so many other urban wonders, is only possible because of the steel used to dig, build, and operate the subways. Watch the short film below (11:31) to see how the Second Avenue line began – and how it ended 97 years later.

*Cover photo courtesy of MTA

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To better understand those dramatic developments, POSCO invited noted futurist Thomas Frey to address this year’s POSCO EVI Forum, held Oct. 31-Nov. 2 in Incheon, South Korea. Every two years, POSCO invites hundreds of its customers and partners to learn about POSCO’s unique approach to steel solutions and to talk about the future of the steel industry. So Frey’s presentation gave all the attendees plenty of food for thought.

Frey is the founder of the DaVinci Institute, a think tank and research firm dedicated to exploring the deep transformations that technology is bringing to our world. Frey pointed out that all industries have an arc, with a beginning, middle and an end, and at the moment most of the biggest and most-profitable industries are in the latter half of that curve. In other words, big changes are underway.

A Challenging New World

Frey pointed out that there are two major aspects to innovation: disruptive and catalytic. Disruptive innovation refers to industries that are hurt or eliminated by technology (like how cars took the place of horses and carriages). But catalytic innovation creates whole new fields and economies (like how the rise of electricity completely changed manufacturing and what industry produced).

So far, the modern digital revolution has had two big catalytic innovations – the internet and smart phones. But Frey sees eight more fields that could be just as transformative:

• Driverless vehicles
• The trillion sensor movement
• 3D printing
• The Internet of Things (IoT)
• Contour crafting
• Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Virtual Reality (VR)
• Flying drones

Each mobile app has the potential to eliminate a few jobs, but with thousands of apps, those jobs begin to add up. Together, these innovations could see 2 billion jobs disappear, as machines take over for up to 47 percent of current jobs. And, Frey noted, some 8,000 startups received $12 billion last year, all looking to take a bite out of traditional industries. “There are no safe industries out there,” Frey said.

But Frey didn’t make this prediction in a “doom and gloom” sort of way – “It’s a wakeup call,” he said. While challenging, these changes could also lead to all new jobs and possibilities.

Cruisin’ Into a New World of Cars

To illustrate what these catalytic innovations might mean, Frey went in-depth about the implications of the rise of driverless vehicles. Most obviously, self-driving cars and trucks will eliminate a wide range of driving-related jobs, like taxi drivers and couriers.

But the changes caused by driverless vehicles to our world will go much deeper than that. Self-driving cars will change society from a buying model to an access economy, where people will just order a vehicle when they need one instead of owning their own. That eliminates the need for most parking lots, gas stations and other automotive fields.

The improved safety potential of driverless vehicles could greatly reduce repair-related work. And, because nearly 10 percent of retail sales are car-related, this could result in major changes for our economy as a whole. Some parts will change from B2C to B2B, while other aspects of the industry will just disappear.

Steel and the New Era of Megaprojects

All businesses have an arc, and steel will, too, noted Frey. “How long before we reach peak steel? Don’t know yet, but we think there’s a long run here still.”

So, with the rise of new substances and manufacturing, as well as the digitizing of much of the economy, what does that mean for steel?

“The future of steel will be defined by megaprojects,” Frey asserted. Indeed, megaprojects represent 8 percent of the global GDP, so the changing infrastructure needs caused by rising digitization will transform economies and the steel industry. “By 2030, we’ll see more changes to our core infrastructure than in the combined total of human history.”

These megaprojects include huge new bridge and tunnel projects, often linking countries across great bodies of water, as well as new high-speed transportation options, like hyperloops and ET3s. With hyperloops promising speeds of 1,100km/hour and ET3s theoretically able to go 6,000km/hour, the ability to go halfway around the world in a couple of hours could once more revolutionize how our societies work. But building the tracks and systems needed for these technologies would require massive amounts of spending – and massive quantities of steel.

“We are entering into an era of unprecedented opportunity,” summarized Frey, talking about both the steel industry and society as a whole. Thanks to Thomas Frey, the EVI Forum attendees gained many valuable insights to think about and discuss during this year’s event.

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Since the publication of Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea in 1869 up until the dawn of today’s sci-fi thrillers such as Stargate Atlantis, the concept of underwater exploration and civilization has captured the imagination of the public. Now, facing problems like overpopulation, rising sea levels and increasing natural disasters, humanity is seeking alternative living environments, and with ever-progressing technology, life under the sea no longer seems all that unrealistic.

In fact, some small underwater habitats already exist, and we have the technology to create and maintain larger ones that could easily support human sustenance. Might it be possible that one day there will be an entire network of undersea cities, brimming with futuristic technology and advanced ways of living? And if it is, how would these sub-aquatic societies be connected? 

Undersea Tunnels, a Brief History

Undersea tunnels, the most likely method of transportation in a world submerged by water, are not a new concept. In fact, the earliest example of such engineering endeavors dates back to around 2100 BCE, when the Babylonians used a tunnel to divert the Euphrates River. It wasn’t until the 19^th century that the world saw a succession of more challenging tunnel projects, made possible by vast improvements in surveying and ventilation techniques.

The first notion of the Channel Tunnel, which connects England and France, was proposed to Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802 by a French engineer named Mathieu-Favier, but it wasn’t until the 1960s that it became a reality. Instead, London’s Thames Tunnel became the first modern undersea tunnel in 1843, taking almost 20 years to complete. The tunnel was originally designed for, but never used by, horse-drawn carriages.

Noting the comparable advantages undersea tunnels have over bridges, such as their ability to divert traffic and not be affected by external factors such as wind or rain, city planners began incorporating them into city layouts in the late 1800s. But, at the time, the methods used to construct these tunnels consisted mainly of excavating in painstakingly small increments, and were incredibly time consuming.

The game changed in 1903 with a construction project beneath the Detroit River in America when engineers used a method that involved anchoring premade sections of steel tube into a pre-dug trench on the river floor. Then, in 1971, a new era of underwater tunneling began with the construction of the Seikan Railroad Tunnel, which currently stretches 53.85 kilometers beneath the Tsugaru Strait in Japan. Instead of using the antiquated tunneling techniques of the past, tunnel builders began to utilize giant tunnel boring machines to make the process go faster. Since then, tunneling projects that could once only be conceptualized have become a reality.

The Eurasia Tunnel Project, for example, is a 14.6 kilometer-long road tunnel that will link Europe and Asia via the Bosporus Strait, and is currently in the last stages of construction. It is a project that has long been discussed and aims to reduce traffic in Istanbul, the second-worst European city in terms of traffic congestion.

Tunneling to the Future

Of course transportation tunnels like these would be vital in aquatic lands, but a sustainable undersea city would also need gas, oil, electricity and, most importantly, oxygen. Yet, some of these types of undersea tunnels exist, and are constantly being positioned across the waters of the world.

In the most recent tunnel developments, POSCO, in coordination with GS Caltex and Jeonnam Development Coorporation, has made plans to construct a 3.98 kilometer-long undersea tunnel connecting Gwangyang Port and Yeosu Industrial Complex by the first half of 2019.

POSCO Green Gas Technology will use the undersea pipe network to supply syngas produced at the Gwangyang SNG Plant to GS Caltex, which will then use the syngas for petroleum refining and enhancing processes. Furthermore, the undersea tunnel will minimize risks associated with transport and establish an efficient undersea logistics infrastructure by reducing production and logistical costs.

POSCO’s gas pipeline tunnel is indicative of what is to come. Perhaps the undersea tunnels of the future will allow for the transportation of fresh drinking water, alternative energy resources or even food sources from faraway lands. But with real-life projects concerning tunnels between Morocco and Spain, Japan and South Korea and the mainland of Canada and Prince Edward Island on the table, it is clear that such possibilities are not only realistic, but also limitless.

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