Studying:
- Attending a university
- Acquiring knowledge and expertise in a specific subject area at a university
- Attending a secondary school
- Examining, observing and conducting research in detail
There are various definitions of what studying actually means, but most people probably associate it with acquiring knowledge at a university or college. In the mind’s eye, a lecture hall quickly appears where people are listening and a library where they are studying. Although these two places are an integral part of studying at a university, there is much more besides – and we’re not talking about parties and big celebrations here.
But the aim is rather to gain an impression of how the learnt content will ultimately be used in the desired professional environment. And if students are lucky enough that there are projects of the century such as the Semmering Base Tunnel nearby, they can combine their studies with a look behind the scenes of one of Austria’s most famous construction sites.
How 14 construction sections meet almost centimetre perfect
This is very much to the advantage of young geodesists at the Institute of Engineering Geodesy and Measurement Systems at Graz University of Technology (TU Graz), which is only about an hour’s bus journey away from not one but two once-in-a-century projects – the Semmering Base Tunnel and the Koralm Tunnel – and is involved in the surveying work. For example, the researchers use fibre optic cables to monitor deformations of the tunnel lining so that they can be informed at an early stage if the rock around the tunnel shell starts to move too much.
But there is also plenty for future surveying professionals to see, regardless of the work done by the institute’s staff. Bachelor students of geodesy were able to see this for themselves in January 2025 when they set off on an excursion to the Semmering Base Tunnel with Institute head Werner Lienhart. Several million euros were spent on surveying services alone for its construction. For example, years of preparation and measurements during construction had to ensure that the various construction sections in the mountain coincided precisely – after all, the tunnel, which is about 27 kilometres long in total, was drilled and built from 4 different locations in 14 advances. The task was completed to within a few centimetres on all construction sections from Mürzzuschlag to Gloggnitz, so that no costly adaptation work was necessary.
Visualisation of facts
This was made possible by the precise transfer of the digital tunnel model from the planning phase. To this end, the surveyors created a high-precision base network of surveying pillars which were measured with pinpoint accuracy using GPS. At the intermediate a laser plumb line was used for the shafts, which made it possible to transfer the position of the survey points to a depth of 400 metres below the surface. From there, an underground network of measuring points was established and constantly checked for deviations during the construction work.
These are all facts that could have been presented in a lecture hall, but actually having this information conveyed at the scene of the event made the processes clearer and easier to understand. Werner Lienhart was joined on the excursion by Christoph Meyer from the company Geodata and ÖBB employees Johannes Fleckl-Ernst and Michael Trittin, who were on hand to explain details to the students and answer questions.
Once to the cross passage
There was plenty of information on offer, as the young geodesists didn’t just take a look at a few tunnel access routes from the outside. After a presentation at Mürzzuschlag station, the tour continued past the Waltraud gallery, which was created in 1994 as an exploratory tunnel for the tunnel project, and then through the tunnel portal into one of the two tubes in which passenger trains will be travelling at 230 km/h from 2030 on. The route continued on a several metres thick concrete surface to the first cross passage connecting the two tunnel tubes. In between, there were lots of interesting explanations, for example about the measuring targets on the tunnel walls or the pipework at the edge of the tunnel.
This was followed in the afternoon by a visit to the Lower Austrian side of the tunnel, where an ÖBB information box on the construction project within sight of the Gloggnitz portal provided students with further background information on the challenges and achievements in the construction of the Semmering Base Tunnel. Finally, the group went up the viewing tower at the Grautschenhof construction site, from where two tunnels – one for each tube – were driven in both directions via two access shafts.
Research work flows into real projects
Student Alexander Arzberger said after the excursion: “It was great to get an insight into such a big construction project that has been in the media for so many years and is also the subject of much discussion in politics. We learnt more about the background processes, about the complexity of such a project, why routes are routed the way they are, how the planning works and why it can cost more or cause delays. On the other hand, it was also very interesting to realise that the research work at the universities is not just of a purely theoretical nature, but flows directly into real construction projects and makes a very important contribution to their technical feasibility. As an example, I’d like to mention the fibre optic cables, which monitor the ongoing construction progress and ensure that no collapses or deformations can occur at the tunnel construction site. TU Graz played a leading role in the development of this system and shows that university research is also very valuable for the private sector.”
For people not really interested in spending time underground, there are also other excursions organised by the Institute of Engineering Geodesy and Measurement Systems. Building and bridge surveys are on the programme repeatedly. In the past, for example, geodesy students were able to carry out measurements within the bridge deck of the Aurach Bridge in Upper Austria.
If you are interested in the exciting world of geodesy and would like to take part in such educational excursions, TU Graz has the right degree programme for you. Find out more now:
Bachelor's Degree Programme Geodesy
Master's Degree Programme in Geodesy
