Excavation of the SPS tunnel (view of a section prior to lining by a concrete shell)

The SPS ring (6911 m in circumference) is housed at a depth of 40 m (average) under the surface. The tunnel with an overall cross-sectional diameter of 4.8 m was drilled by big tunnelling machines (see 7406022X, 7406027X) into the molasse rock present in the Geneva basin. After the passage of the tunnelling machine the tunnel walls were lined with a concrete layer of about 30cm thickness.