Research fields
Geoenergies
At the BedrettoLab, ETH Zurich investigates technologies for the safe, efficient, and sustainable use of energy in the deep subsurface, in close collaboration with national and international partners. The crystalline rock mass surrounding the laboratory provides conditions that are representative of deep underground environments, making it an ideal setting to study engineered subsurface energy systems.
Earthquake Physics
Understanding how earthquakes begin and evolve remains one of the biggest challenges in Earth sciences. At the BedrettoLab, researchers address this by working directly next to a natural fault in one of the world’s first On‑Fault Observatories. Here, controlled experiments and dense instrumentation allow scientists to observe fault activation and small earthquakes under realistic underground conditions, offering unprecedented insights into the physics of earthquakes.
Technology Developments
Numerous new technologies to access the deep underground and monitor its behaviour are developed and tested in the BedrettoLab. These developments are needed because suitable techniques or instruments do not exist in the required form (e.g. sensors that can withstand the conditions in the boreholes) or their application has to be optimized and tested.
Geobiology
The BedrettoLab Deep Life Observatory (DELOS), offers a rare opportunity to study the deep continental subsurface biosphere by enabling systematic sampling and long‑term monitoring of groundwater from natural fractures along the 5.2‑km tunnel. The site spans overburdens from only a few tens of meters down to 1.6 km, creating an exceptional natural laboratory across diverse subsurface conditions.
Geology
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