THE FIRST REPLACEMENT OF A BRIDGE IN UNDERGROUND RAIL HISTORY TO BE DONE USING THE SKIDDING METHOD WAS SUCCESSFULLY CONTRACTED IN KIPPARLAHTI

Kreate’s bridge construction and repair unit contracted the historic bridge project on the underground line in Helsinki. We built a new bridge in Kipparlahti. During the traffic shutdown, we dismantled the old bridge and moved the new bridge by jacking. This is the first bridge replacement in Finnish underground rail history to have been carried out using the skidding method.

The unique multi-phase project was completed with precise planning and a very tight schedule. Throughout the spring and summer, advance planning and preparatory work was done. During the actual transfer shutdown, our professionals dismantled the track from the deck of the old bridge and removed the ballast. After this, we dismantled the entire bridge. The new 69-metre-long, 2,400-ton concrete bridge was moved into place along the skidding beams we had built. After dismantling the skidding beams, we rebuilt the track.

In a tight schedule, everyone knew their own task and time window for completing the work. The actual moving of the bridge took only one hour, while it took 12 working hours to remove the tracks and ballast and 32 working hours to dismantle the bridge. The construction of the skidding beams took approximately one day, and at the end of the traffic shutdown, we built the track for some 11 hours. In addition to the technical and scheduling challenges, the project was carried out at a challenging and cramped construction site with exceptional traffic arrangements.

At Kreate, we support sustainable development and produce significant cost savings by improving the material management of projects. Our circular economy unit uses the demolished concrete created in this bridge work in the Mäntsälä Shooting Sports Centre construction project.

The customer for the contract was Helsinki City Transport.