Metro Line U5 in Berlin – design challenges due to complex geotechnical conditions / U‐Bahnlinie U5 in Berlin – besondere Herausforderungen für die Planung aufgrund der komplexen geotechnischen Gegebenheiten

Abstract

An approx. 2.2 km long section of the U5 in the city centre of Berlin is currently under construction to close the gap between the existing underground structures at the Berliner Rotes Rathaus and Brandenburger Tor stations. Construction started early 2012 and the connection between Alexanderplatz and Brandenburger Tor is planned to open in 2019. The alignment starts from the newly built Rotes Rathaus Metro station, passing under the River Spree, the planned new Berliner Schloss and the Spree channel, and then follows the street Unter den Linden before arriving at the Brandenburger Tor. Three new stations have to be constructed at Rotes Rathaus, Museumsinsel and Unter den Linden, with the centrepiece being the Museumsinsel station where ground freezing techniques are being used.