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Establishing a link
The stretches of motorway that provide a link between the A1 from Zurich to Berne and the A3 from Zurich to Chur, and will also link with the future A4 Knonaueramt motorway to central Switzerland, are of major importance because they relieve several conurbations from commuter traffic and relieve the city of Zurich from transit traffic.
The largest Swiss road infrastructure project of recent years will be officially opened at the “West-Fest” from April 24 to 26, 2009. The 10.6 km long West Bypass, 79 % of which passes through tunnels, will be open for traffic from May 4. The Uetliberg tunnel alone accounts for 4.4 km of this length, and the Aescher tunnel for 2.2 km. There are also tunnels under the Eggrain and Hafnerberg mountains. Around six months later, on November 13, 2009, the stretch of the A4 with the 5 km long Islisberg tunnel will be opened for traffic.
An intelligent approach
To ensure a smooth flow of traffic and high levels of safety, the tunnel lighting has to take account of the ability of the eye to adjust to different lighting levels. An abrupt change from bright to dark therefore has to be avoided. The luminance at the tunnel entrance depends on the brightness of the ambient natural daylight, and this luminance is automatically reduced continuously the further into the tunnel you drive.
The entrance zones of each of the tunnels are illuminated by RNH300S luminaires from Officine Rigamonti, Contone/Switzerland. The prime considerations for choosing the right control gear were durability and low power losses. The high-pressure sodium lamps of various wattages are operated in accordance with their specifications on TridonicAtco OMBS 150/100 A603W, OGLS 250/150 C043W and OGLS 400/250 C043W magnetic ballasts with power tapping and thermal protectors. Superimposed-pulse ignitors ZRM 6-ES/C and power changeover switches ZRM U6L for adaptive control are perfect additions. The superimposed-pulse ignitors and the ballasts are characterised by their compact design and low self-heating. Perfectly matched ignition combined with exceptional reliability ensure that discharge lamps are reliably started and achieve their maximum life.
Exceptional continuity
Inside the tunnels, more than 25,000 Travalux R Hexal tubular luminaires from Siteco Switzerland provide high levels of safety and glare-free illumination. The continuous strip lighting acts as an excellent visual guide for drivers.
The tunnel lighting comprises long-life fluorescent lamps LL-58W from Aura and dimmable PCA ECO 58 W hp ECGs from TridonicAtco and meets the tough requirements in terms of durability and energy efficiency. The ECGs have a dimming range from 100 % to 1 % and have been developed specifically for use in harsh tunnel environments. Their digital control system ensures trouble-free operation. Thanks to the addition of DSI-V/T repeaters the control lines were extended along the entire length of the tunnel. The result is one of the most cost-effective solutions as PCA ECO 58 W hp units can be operated perfectly in the long tunnels and require almost no maintenance at all. The light sources supplied by TridonicAtco also meet this requirement. The AURA LL-58W fluorescent lamps in light colour 840 have been designed for maximum durability. With a service life of 84,000 hours they last three times as long as conventional fluorescent lamps.
Priority
The emergency lighting system provides the necessary safe lighting levels in the event of a fire. All the tunnel sections are fitted with around 500 Brasyt A4 LED luminaires from BSBT GmbH of Oberentfelden in Switzerland – mounted at 50 m spacings. The tstrip P105 LED modules in white offer adequate brightness. These strip modules each have six light points with beam characteristics that provide excellent orientation even in dense smoke.
This perfectly matched lighting solution with innovative ballasts, lighting control components and LED modules from TridonicAtco gives drivers not only a sense of well-being but also safety. The first to experience this will be the 7,000 runners in the 7th Zurich marathon that will take place 24 hours before the official opening. The starting line will be at the portal of the Chur section of the Uetliberg tunnel and the first 2 x 4 km will be run in the tunnel – a truly unique, unforgettable and non-weatherdependent experience! The wide carriageway, excellent ventilation, lighting and musical accompaniment will combine to provide a good atmosphere and some fast times. With the West-Fest 2009 and the Zurich marathon the Zurich West Bypass – and the lighting system – will have an unusual start.
The criteria on which the equipment was selected were correct operation of the light sources, energy efficiency and durability. TridonicAtco’s experience in tunnel lighting, its system know-how, its economical components and expert technical advice were also major contributing factors.
| Project data: |
| Project owner: |
City of Zurich (CH) |
Lighting:
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Officine Rigamonti, Contone (CH)
Siteco Schweiz AG, Belp (CH)
BSBT GmbH, Oberentfelden (CH) |
Products:
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OGLIS 400 PC043W
OMBS 150/100 A603W
ZRM 6-ES/C
ZRM U6L
PCA ECO 58W hp
TALEXXstrip P105 |
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