Intertek, a key solutions provider to industries worldwide, said it has won a contract to provide corrosion services for the Eurasia Tunnel Project in Istanbul.

The contract was awarded by the Yapi Merkezi and SK Engineering and Construction joint venture, the main engineering, procurement and construction contractor of Avrasya Tüneli Isletme Insaat ve Yatirim AS (ATAS).

The Eurasia tunnel project will see the construction of an undersea highway connecting Asia and Europe for the first time. Upon its completion, the highway will connect the districts of Zeytinburnu and Kadiköy and cover a total of 14.6 km.

This will alleviate the most intense traffic pressure points in Istanbul, allowing for faster links between the city’s Asian and European sides, it added.

The agreement will see Intertek supply four types of corrosion sensors to monitor the reinforced steel within the concrete tunnel. The company will also provide instrumentation and installation support for the operation of these probes, which will ensure the continued integrity of the materials within the structure.

Tom Gooderham, the instrumentation manager at Intertek Production and Integrity Assurance, said: "Being involved in an infrastructure project of this scale is testament to our expertise in condition monitoring and we look forward to working with ATAS to support the future maintenance of this tunnel which will significantly improve transport links in Turkey."

“Our work will aid the early detection of corrosion and provide health status information on the infrastructure. This will be used to determine when to switch on the cathodic protection systems to prevent corrosion occurring and help maintain the tunnel for years to come,” he added.

The construction commenced in early 2013 and the Eurasia Tunnel Project is expected to be complete in 2017. The undersea section will be 5.4km long and two stories high, with surrounding roadworks supporting connections to the new tunnel.-TradeArabia News Service