DMT ensures millimetre-precise tunnel surveying during the construction of Belgium’s longest microtunnel
Essen/Antwerp, 9 July 2025 – DMT, an independent, globally active engineering and consultancy firm, is undertaking the surveying of what is currently Belgium’s longest microtunnel as part of the ECLUSE Scheldt project in Antwerp. Using the GYROMAT, the world’s most precise surveying gyroscope, the alignment of the approximately 1,300-metre-long tunnel beneath the Scheldt is being monitored with millimetre precision.
Belgium’s longest microtunnel, measuring 1,288 metres, is being built beneath the Scheldt in Antwerp. The so-called ECLUSE Scheldt Tunnel forms part of one of the region’s most significant energy and infrastructure projects. The aim is to establish a sustainable steam network that utilises industrially generated waste heat and transports it to the opposite bank of the river via an underground pipeline. This will enable industrial companies located on the banks of the Scheldt, including Evonik, to be supplied with process heat in an efficient and climate-friendly manner.
The project is a key component of the regional decarbonisation strategy and helps to reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 150,000 tonnes annually. It is regarded as key to the decarbonisation of the Port of Antwerp and exemplifies the successful combination of the circular economy, industrial energy efficiency and a climate-neutral supply in Belgium’s largest port.
On behalf of K-Boringen, DMT is responsible for high-precision tunnel surveying, using the world’s most accurate surveying gyroscope, the Gyromat. The survey was carried out in June 2025 and serves to precisely monitor the alignment of the tunnel in the inaccessible, underground drilling section. DMT had previously established a GNSS-based control network to precisely coordinate the three access shafts – namely the start and end shafts of the tunnel – which served as reference points for the subsequent surveying work.
“The average breakthrough error increases, particularly during long tunnel boring operations. The main cause lies in the decreasing accuracy over long traverse sections; here, gyro-assisted measurements are crucial for breakthrough accuracy. “Our aim is to identify and minimise potential deviations at an early stage – particularly in infrastructure projects with tight tolerances,” says Benedikt Wolters, Senior Surveying Engineer at DMT.
Completion of the project is scheduled for summer 2026. From then on, it will supply industrial companies such as Evonik with steam generated using climate-friendly methods.
The DMT GROUP is contributing its extensive experience from major international projects such as the Eurotunnel, the Brenner Base Tunnel and numerous metro construction projects worldwide.