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The A9 motorway expansion between Schiphol Airport and Almere required advanced installation expertise. The 3 kilometres Gaasperdammertunnel features five tunnel tubes with five lanes plus tidal flow, establishing it as the Netherlands' longest land tunnel. The semisunken design supports a 15-ha park above ground.
3 km
tunnel length5
tunnel tubes15 ha
park above groundNetherlands' longest land tunnel
The Gaasperdammertunnel's comprehensive infrastructure supports one of Europe's most complex motorway expansions, with tidal flow capabilities ensuring optimal traffic management.
Netherlands' longest land tunnel
The Gaasperdammertunnel's comprehensive infrastructure supports one of Europe's most complex motorway expansions, with tidal flow capabilities ensuring optimal traffic management.
Multi-phase coordination delivers certified systems
IXAS Gaasperdammerweg BV awarded NOVENCO Building & Industry the comprehensive ventilation contract requiring multi-phase installation coordination. The project demanded precise integration of smoke control and longitudinal ventilation systems across all five tunnel tubes whilst maintaining construction schedules.
The scope included risk analysis, pressurisation system installation, testing protocols, and handover certification. The smoke control and longitudinal ventilation systems feature certified NOVENCO NovAx™ smoke tunnel jet fan types AUR 800, AUR 1120, and ARR 800. These fans provide the thrust capacity needed for emergency smoke extraction whilst meeting stringent Dutch tunnel safety requirements.
The escape tunnel operates across three compartments with independent differential pressure regulation. Normal operation uses ZerAx® AZN 1250 axial fans for optimal energy efficiency. This dual-mode approach ensures both everyday performance and emergency response capability.
139 fans installed across tunnel tubes
Unidirectional fans for high-thrust applications with stainless steel construction
Tunnel fans configured as open injector systems for effective ventilation
Fully reversible tunnel fans enabling bidirectional airflow control
Axial fans for escape tunnel pressurisation with optimal energy efficiency
Comprehensive safety systems
The pressure differential system creates protected escape routes by maintaining positive pressure relative to the tunnel tubes. This prevents smoke infiltration during emergency scenarios, so occupants can evacuate safely through dedicated escape corridors. The system activates automatically upon fire detection, establishing the pressure differential within seconds.
The installation integrated SCHAKO multi-leaf dampers enabling precise airflow regulation across compartments, silencers and weather protection ensuring system durability, pressure sensors and control cabinets managing automatic response, and emergency power connections guaranteeing operation during power failures.
The methodology includes complete factory acceptance testing (FAT) and site acceptance testing (SAT) protocols ensuring every component meets specified performance criteria before installation and after commissioning. Factory testing validated individual fan performance, control system functionality, and integration capabilities. Site testing verified installed system performance under actual tunnel conditions.
Commissioning included performance verification and handover to Dutch authorities. The process demonstrated compliance with tunnel safety standards through measured thrust output, pressure differential maintenance, and emergency response timing.
Testing validated smoke control and escape route ventilation under emergency conditions. The protocols simulated fire scenarios with temperature monitoring, smoke pattern analysis, and evacuation timing verification, because successful tunnel safety depends on proven system performance rather than theoretical design.
Installation included comprehensive leak testing to verify compartment integrity and coordination with Dutch fire safety authorities. The testing protocols validated pressure maintenance across all three escape tunnel compartments under simulated emergency conditions.
Certified performance for critical infrastructure
The comprehensive ventilation installation serves the Netherlands' longest land tunnel, providing reliable smoke control and everyday ventilation across all five tunnel tubes. The system's proven performance through rigorous factory and site testing ensures occupant safety meets the stringent requirements of Dutch tunnel safety authorities.
