T H E V S L N E W S M A G A Z I N E • I S S U E T W O - 2 0 0 4

NEWSVSoL®,

the new retainerWaldstadion lift

Three girders in Santiago

WALDSTADION 20

SANTIAGOMETRO 20

VSoL® 6

STAYS 23

high

ligh

tsFACTS&TRENDS 4Ductal®: Less weight, more impact 4

FRP boosts strength of swiss bridge 5

SITE INSIGHTS 12New Zealand: Unconventional slab jacking 14

India: Stay clable system launch in Goa 15

Hong Kong: Tight radius on road T3 16

Argentina: Anchoring the Andes 18

COVER STORY 6VSoL®: The new retainerA practical and cost-effective construction technique for retaining wall applications.Fast track temporary road 7Heavy load support for mining 847 walls at Westlink M7 project, Sydney 9Middle East goes polymeric 10Road widening at Castle Peak, HK 10The stone look at Bois Roger, France 11Ferns and flowers for Sunshine Coast 11

SPECIAL REPORT 20The biggest convertible in the worldOne of the world’s most spectacular roof structures was lifted into place over Frankfurt’s Waldstadion sports arena.

TECHNICAL 22Liz Bridge: 18 stays in a single week 23A record installation.

TECH SHOW 24Three girders and a first in SantiagoA high profile project showing Chile’s first use of launching girders to erect pre-cast segments.

NEWS, magazine published by VSL International Ltd. • Bern, Switzerland and VSL • Challenger - Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France. Director of Publication: Jean-Philippe Trin • jp.trin@bouygues-construction.com Editor in chief: Jane Rousseau • jrousseau@vsl-intl.com Co-ordinators: Carlos Such, Doris Tong. Distribution:Sandra Puel • sandra.puel@vsl-intl.com Design: Red Line Photos: A. Derek, J. Rousseau, others. Copyright: VSL •

Green wall project - Autovía Espiñaredo,Spain. 18m high, 4,800m2.

DUCTAL®5

3

EDITORIALI S S U E T W O • 2 0 0 4

Offer continuous improvement

J e a n - P h i l i p p e T r i n

As 2004 has come to an end, VSL is continuing to successfully expand its geographical

presence and introduce innovative, high-performance products.

Our position in India has grown stronger with the signing of contracts for over 116 projects

in recent months. We have also diversified our activities with VSoL® projects and our first

cable-stayed bridge there, which is being built in Goa. In China, we have moved into a new

plant, a more modern and efficient facility that will be able to produce all VSL post-

tensioning components to international standards. In Australia, we are testing new panels

made of Ductal®, whose ability to withstand high-intensity explosions will make them an

excellent solution for protecting sensitive sites. In Germany, our Heavy Lifting teams that

are working on the new Waldstadium have put in place the roof support, whose size, weight

and shape make it a very imposing structure. And in Chile, we completed in eight months

the precasting and installation of segments for a viaduct for a 7,200-m section of Santiago's

new light rail.

All these projects demonstrate our teams' commitment

to developing innovative solutions for our clients and to

delivering efficient solutions in terms of planning and

cost to the complex technical challenges they bring to us.

VSL will keep on working through its network of local

subsidiaries to offer clients the most up-to-date

construction techniques and the benefits of a

continuous improvement policy for VSL products.

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4

FACTS&TRENDS

Ductal® in Australia

Less weight, more impact> Production of Ductal® inAustralia commenced in January2003, after installation of themixing plant. The materials usedare Australian except for the steelfibres and the silica fume.Precast Ductal® products have beensupplied to three projects to date:Shepherds Creek, the first bridge inthe world to be constructed usingDuctal® for normal highway traffic;

Elongation calculations

New approach to tendon modelling> Calculating the elongation oftendons is a common task in VSL.The traditional approach was to useExcel tables, but these are difficult toadjust for complicated calculationsand stressing procedures. VSLrecognised the need for a new, nativeWindows application to calculatetendon elongations and stressingdiagrams. CE2000 has beendeveloped as the standard softwaresolution, giving users a powerful toolfor calculating the tendon elongationin all kinds of structures. It achieveshigh accuracy in describing thetendon geometry, even though theinput is easy and the calculations areindependent of the cross sections

and structures. CE2000 works as ageometric pre-processor for thedefinition of tendon geometrywithout defining a cross section. Italso acts as a calculation programfor all possible stressing sequences.It supports the construction oftendon axes in both plan view andelevation and generates three-dimensional information for tendonsalong the axes. Powerful interactivefunctions allow the definition ofgeneral tendon points with fewparameters. The software thencreates a structural database andmakes this information available foranalysis in CE2000. ■ Contact:mmeyer@vsl-sg.com

the attemperating weir at EraringPower Station, NSW to contain salt-water spray with a design life of atleast 100 years; M7 Freeway,Sydney, some 25mm-thick Ductal®

panels to be used as permanentformwork slabs on a number ofbridges with conventional precastpretensioned beams, to form theend diaphragm where access forremoval of formwork was difficult.

Another project is just startingproduction at the PapatoeteRailway Station : New footbridgesproviding a ramp access forpedestrians to cross the railwaytracks are part of the stationredevelopment. The weightreduction is very important as New Zealand is subject to highearthquake loading, and the lightersuperstructure has enabled costsavings to be made in thesubstructure. In addition a researchprogramme has been undertakeninto the blast resistance of Ductal®

panels. The results of the testsdemonstrated the suitability ofDuctal® for blast resistance andconfirmed the design methods. The unique characteristics ofDuctal® including exceptionally highenergy absorption capacity andresistance to fragmentation, makeit an ideal material for panels andcomponents that may be affectedby explosives, impact or shockloads. VSL Australia is now carryingout concept studies and preliminarydesigns of protection panels forembassies in two high terrorismrisk countries. ■ Contact: bcavill@vslsyd.aust.com

Blast resistance tests

Elongation tendon

Jammu &Kashmir

HimachalPradesh

UttaranchalPunjab

Haryana

Rajasthan

Gujarat MadhyaPradesh

UttarPradesh

Bihar

Jharkhand

Chattisgarth

Maharashtra

AndhraPradesh

Karnataka

TamilNaduKerala

Orissa

Sikkim

ArunachalPradesh

Assam

MaghalayaNagaland

Manipur

TripuraMizoramWest

Bengal

Delhi

Ground anchors / Bridges / Buildings - Delhi

Nuclear tank - Rapp

LNG tank - Dahej/Hazira

LNG tank - Dabhol

Buildings / Bridges /Heavy Lifting - Mumbai

Buildings - Pune region

Cable stay - Goa

Buildings / RE Wall - Bangalore

RE Wall - Palghad

Corporate offices / Buildings - Chennai

Buildings - Hyderabad region

Rock Anchor - Purulia

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5

Stressheadsystem

FRP boostsstrength ofSwiss bridge> VSL has recently upgraded aSwiss bridge using post-tensionedplates made from FRP (fibre reinforcedpolymers/plastics). The 65-year-oldbridge in Biel was originally designedfor a load of 20t but now has to carryloads three times as large. Extensivereinforcement measures weretherefore required. The StressHeadpost-tensioning system proved to bethe optimal solution to enable thestructure to meet today's demands.One system can take a maximumforce of over 300kN, with a maximumprestress force of 220kN. ■Contact: ffischli@vsl-schweiz.ch

> VSL Spain has won contracts forover 100,000m2 of PT slab duringthe first nine months of the year.VSL Spain was chosen early in theyear to implement a structuralsolution for a 33,500m2 officedevelopment that Hines-Montisa is

> VSL celebrated completion ofits fifth successful year in India on11th November 2004 and achievedanother feather in its cap the sameweek, by obtaining ISO9001:2000certification from LRQA.Certification encompasses themarketing, design and execution of post-tensioning systems andretained earth walls, together withmarketing and execution of heavylifting, ground anchors, stay cablebridges and bridges. The contractvalue of VSL India's bookings for2004 had reached US$18 million byOctober, across 116 jobs. There are200 workforce and staff members,plus 600 labour. Highlights of VSLIndia's contracts include therecently-completed 3rd LNGTerminal at Hazira, a first buildingjob in Colombo, Sri Lanka and itsfirst cable-stayed bridge, at Goa. ■Contact: ganesh@vslindia.com

Slabs

Bontec-1 proves popularin Spain

Quality policy

ISO 9001: 2000 certification for VSL India

promoting in Madrid. Hines-Montisa required clear spans of16.4m by 24m (from spansoriginally 8.1m x 8.1m) to adapt theoffice building to suit future uses.VSL worked closely with Rafael dela Hoz (architect), Pondio(structural designer) and Sacyr(main contractor) to provide theideal structural solution. Thisinvolved the use of a two-way post-tensioned ribbed slab system forthe 23,500m2 office area and a two-way PT flat slab system for the10,000m2 underground parkingarea. The contract with Sacyr waslater extended to provideengineering and materials for thestainless steel façade system. ■Contact: posso@vslsp.com

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COVER STORY

6

RETAINED EARTH WALL SYSTEM

VSOL®: the new

The VSoL® system has proved its meritthroughout the world as a practical andcost effective construction technique for

a wide variety of retaining wall applications.This area of activity is showing significantgrowth within VSL.

Available using steel meshreinforcement as the VSoL® Steelsystem or with coated polyesterstraps as the VSoL® Polymericsystem, this VSL technique uses avariety of panels shapes, sizes andfinishes which connect to the soilreinforcement using simple,reliable connection details. When

combined with compacted backfillthese components form areinforced internally stable soilmass suitable for approach ramps,bridge abutments and generalretaining wall construction. In addition to being a highly costeffective solution, in many marketsVSoL® walls have an attractiveappearance as well as providing ahighly cost-effective solution.Walls that incorporate a number ofdifferent patterns are becomingincreasingly common in somemarkets and VSoL® walls are beingchosen as a reliable way to createa high quality pre-cast finish.Panels are available in manycolours, textures and patterns tosuit the architects' and engineers'aesthetic requirements.

Increasingly popular

Success of VSoL® Retained Earth inthe USA, Europe and Australia hasprompted a greater emphasis onthe promotion of the system inother parts of the VSL Networkduring recent years. More VSLprofit centres are focussing onVSoL® applications and the benefitsof VSoL® solutions are beingapplied to an increasing number ofprojects around the globe. By theend of 2003, VSoL® had grown torepresent 10% of the value of allnew projects signed by VSL.

N E W S N ° 2 • 2 0 0 4

retainer

7

V SL Hong Kong is installing5,250m2 of VSoL® on the

Shatin Heights tunnel section ofthe new Route 8 highway in HongKong. These walls form part ofthe portal works at both ends of

the 1 km long dual three-laneSha Tin Heights tunnel and followthe successful completion of a22m high temporary VSoL® wallon the same project. Completedin September 2003 using steelmesh facing units the 4,500m2

VSoL® temporary wall provided a novel, cost effective alternativefor the site access road support.Working immediately behindtemporary soil nailingoperations, the VSL site teamachieved installation rates up to100m2 of wall face per day on thiscongested site. In spite of poorweather conditions during part

of the wall installation, backfillingof the site won fill proceeded atrates up to 1000m3 per day. VSL's current contract includesthe design, supply andconstruction of 4 No. walls at theNorth Portal which form part ofthe conforming design fromconsultant Maunsell Asia Ltd anda 2,000m2 12m high wall at theSouth Portal which is a designalternative to the originallyproposed bored pile wall.Construction of the South portal wall is currently underwayand due for completion by February 2005. ■

Fast track temporary road

VSoL® market development hasbeen particularly successful in theAsiaPac region, Chile and the UAEwith the VSoL® Polymeric system.In Asia, VSL Hong Kong haveworked on 17 different contracts inthe last 5 years. VSL India haveintroduced the VSoL® solution tothe market and are currently

working on projects with acombined face area of over125,000m2. India's investment inroad infrastructure has led to VSLIndia providing main contractorswith packages that includeinstallation as well as design andsupply services. VSL India initiallyfocussed on the VSoL® Steel

system and is now introducing theVSoL® Polymeric system to helpgrow its share of a highlycompetitive market.

With numerous projects completedin Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnamand the first VSoL® projectscompleted in Malaysia, the

Sha Tin Heights,Hong Kong, 2003.This 22m highmesh faced VSoL®

wall (4,500m2)provides a costeffective siteaccess road.

R E T A I N E D E A R T H W A L L S Y S T E M

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8

VSoL® as heavy load support 4,500m above sea

COVER STORY

In Chile, VSL has been providingVSoL® solutions for 10 years

with over 120,000m2 of wall areanow complete. VSL Chile is wellknown by the internationalcompanies building the newhighways in the country whichenabled VSL to take part in thefirst road concession in Chileand provide an overpassstructure. In 2000 VSL built thefirst full VSoL® abutment andthe first river wall in 2001.

The new program of urban roadconcessions from theGovernment in Santiago, is nowgiving VSL the opportunity touse the VSoL® System as analternative to conventionalreinforced concrete walls onnew highway projects and VSL is

currently working onapproximately 40,000m2 of wallson a number of projects. VSL Chile has also successfullydeveloped VSoL® applications inthe mining industry. A VSoL®

wall for the new crushing plantin Chuquicamata Copper mine,the biggest open cast mine inthe world, has recently beenprovided. In 2003, anotherRetained Earth wall was neededin the Chuquicamata andCollahuasi mines and one in theEscondida mine has just beenfinished. In all three cases thewalls, up to 35m high, supportloads from the largest minetrucks available, plus strongseismic loading. The Collahuasisite is located 4,500 m abovesea level, a world record. ■

Collahuasi open cast copper mine, Chile(2003). VSoL® walls provide economic

retained earth solutions at high altitude.

Philippines and Singapore, VSL isnow well established as a wallsupplier and installer in Asia. In Australia VSL has beenparticularly successful with VSoL®

in Queensland and New SouthWales where the recent M7Westlink project in Sydney used21,000m2 of VSoL® walls on 45 structures.

Increasingly versatile

Since its development in Californiain 1981, the VSoL® system hasbeen continually improved. In it'soriginal form, VSoL® wasdeveloped using galvanised steelmesh reinforcement to withstandthe forces within and applied to thereinforced soil mass. Through

interlock and bearing the VSoL®

mesh ladders develop the greatestsoil to reinforcement interaction ofany reinforced soil wall system.This leads to excellent performanceof the finished structure.In recent years the VSoL® systemhas developed to include the use ofgeosynthetic reinforcement in theVSoL® Polymeric system.

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VSL's and Australia's largest: 47 walls!

A s part of the Westlink M7Project, in Western

Sydney, in December 2004 VSLAustralia completed forty-fivepermanent and two temporaryVSoL® wall structures for theAbigroup Leighton JointVenture. VSL's scope includedthe design and supply ofmaterials for the walls, with atotal area of 21,000m2 oftextured grey concrete facingpanels, cast using poly-carbonate form-liners toprovide a shot-blast effect. TheVSoL® walls were completedover a twelve month periodacross a 40km stretch of thenew motorway. In addition tothe main alignment walls,

Turnkey projects with Keystone blocks

In addition to panel faced VSoL® walls, through itstie up with Keystone Retaining Walls Systems,

USA, VSL is also offering segmental block facedwall solutions for retained earth walls in HongKong, India, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam.

By combining the benefits of a dry cast concreteblock facing, with steel mesh or geogridreinforcement, Keystone extends the range of cost effective retaining walls.VSL has the in-house capability to manufacture the Keystoneblocks on site if required and is currently workingon-site on Keystone projects in India, Indonesiaand Thailand. ■

Westlink M7,Australia (2004).

Horizontal curvesrequired numerous

tapering panels toaccommodate the

wall setback.

Pasu Pati Project,Bandung, Indonesia,2,600m2

Blocks, an alternativealso provided by VSL.

18 approach ramps werebuilt using the VSoL®

method. The largest wallon the project was3,300m2 with a maximumheight of 17m. With thewalls generally built at 5°to the vertical, all wallswith horizontal curvesrequired numerous

tapering panels toaccommodate the wallsetback, requiring eachpanel to be individuallydetailed and delivered tosuit the constructionsequence. The M7 projectis the largest urbaninfrastructure project inAustralia at present. ■

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COVER STORY

N E W S N ° 2 • 2 0 0 4

Middle East goes polymeric

V SL Middle East have recentlybeen awarded the contract

for the design and supply ofapproximately 15,000m2 of thepopular VSoL® Polymeric wallsystem to a number of bridgeand viaduct structures in Sharjah

and Ras Al Khaimah. VSL isworking with a variety of maincontractors who have beenawarded various packages alongthe new by-pass road startingfrom the Dubai Sharjah borderthen linking to Ras Al Khaimah,including Darwish Engineering,NCTC, Athena and SharjahGeneral Contracting. Design andshop drawings for Middle EastVSoL® Polymeric projects areproduced by VSL Dubai. ■

Dubai Marina project in Dubai,2003.

VSoL® at its peak for road widening

F ollowing the successfulinstallation of 5,000m2 of VSoL®

on the phase 1 of the Castle PeakRoad Widening project, VSL HongKong was awarded two furthercontracts for the design, supplyand installation of VSoL® walls onthe 2nd and 3rd phases of the sameproject. Phase 1, was a full scopeinstallation package from ChinaState, with fill supply, backfilling,compaction and even compactiontesting included in VSL's scope ofwork and undertaken byFoundation Technique, Intrafor'sin-house materials and siteinvestigation company. Inaddition, VSL supplied a further6,500m2 of facing panels to cladreinforced concrete walls withthe same panel finish as the

adjacent VSoL® walls, whichwhere either unsuitable forconstruction using the VSoL®

technique or not possible for re-design for timing reasons. On Phase 2, working for Maeda,VSL supplied and installed 5,300 m2 of VSoL® and supplied a further 11,000m2 of claddingpanels for adjacent reinforced

concrete walls. Phase 3, againwith China State and due forcompletion in 2005 has thelargest VSoL® requirement at17,000 m2 on 9 structuresincluding 4 bridge abutments anda number of arches. The Phase 3walls where the most technicallydemanding of the entire projectand included two 13m high trueVSoL® abutment structuressupporting the bank seat loading- the first structure of this typecarrying a highway bridge inHong Kong. Individual walls up to22m high where provided andVSoL® alternatives to viaductstructures and bored pile wallsinstalled. All the VSoL® walls onthe Castle Peak Road project werecontractor proposed alternatives,developed by VSL, the maincontractor and Babtie Asia. ■

EPIC Mesaieed Projectin Qatar, 2004.

Castle Peak Road, Hong Kong,2001-2005.

Castle Peak Road, Hong Kong, 2001-2005.

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The stone look

T he Bois Roger area for the A28 BOTExpressway in France is an ecologically

sensitive area and access in front of the wall wasnot possible. Hence only a light and smart systemsuch as VSoL® Grille could be used. VSoL® Grilleuses galvanized steel mesh panels to provide green or stone faced retaining walls.

The 270m-long wall is inclined at 70° from thehorizontal, with the design optimized to providefull embankment stabilization, maximum economyand meet the environmental requirements for thisproject to support a motorway carriageway. ■

Ferns and flowers for Sunshine Coast

T his project (3,420m2,140,000m3 of imported fill)

near Mooloolaba, Queensland,provides easy access to theSunshine Coast north of Brisbane.Client Queensland Department of Main Roads had specificarchitectural requirements for

the walls which included threedifferent panel finishes placed in a random pattern: black concretewith a reed pattern; terra cottaconcrete off form finish; beigeconcrete with a banksia flowerpattern. All panel types werecoated with an approved tintedanti-graffiti finish. To provide thedetailed panel patterns, VSLdeveloped concrete mould basescoated with epoxy paint fordurability and ease of stripping. ■

This development increased theversatility of the system as the useof polymeric friction ties extendsthe range of projects and backfillswhere VSoL® can provide a viableand cost-effective solution.

Following this market growth VSLhas recently initiated a VSoL®

development programme, tofurther refine the system andmethods with the target ofimproving the cost effectiveness of

VSoL® solutions for its clients.Development activities will focuson reinforcement and facingoptions, reinforcement to panelconnections, construction details,and installation techniques. ■

Nicklin Way-Sunshine MotorwayLink, Australia (2004).

Bois Roger A28 BOT Expressway, France (2004).

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SITE INSIGHTS

12

> The Palm Island project inDubai has been conceived tocreate the eighth "wonder of theworld". VSL Middle East has beenappointed by main contractor Be-Six to supply and install the post-tensioning to the prestigiousGateway Bridge linking the islandto the mainland. To increase theaesthetic appeal of the structure,statues of the seven wonders ofthe ancient world have beenintegrated into the design.Dynamic lighting will bring thebridge to life after dark. The bridgeis actually a pair of six-span

structures, each 360m-long andcarrying five lanes of traffic. Thestructures are of a hollow cell boxgirder design, using VSL Ec 6-22 &Ec 6-12 anchorages with K-typecouplers to provide continuity.Project developer Nakheelappointed the New York architectH2L2 for the concept and detaileddesign. Structural designconsultant is Leonhardt, Andra &Partners of Germany. UStransportation consultancyspecialist Parsons is supervisingthe site works. ■Contact: vslburke@eim.ae

Dubai

VSL features in seven wonders bridge

Russia

High bridge, low degrees> The recently-completed Nevacable-stayed bridge provides thefirst permanent means of crossingthe Neva River in St Petersburgwith a central span clearance ofmore than 35m. VSL has beenworking as a subcontractor to

Mostootryad 19 - one of the largestcivil works contractor in Russia,-on the bridge, which forms part of the city's ring road project. The contract has covered installationof stay cables using the SSI 2000system, including project supervision

and the supply and installation ofstay cable strands in 112 stay cables.The extremely low temperatures of a Russian winter made it difficultto cast concrete, constraining the schedule. ■ Contact:jcampbell_russia@hotmail.com

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Egypt

Triple action

> VSL is presently working in Egypton three major structures. TheBelair Hotel & Resort includes sixbuildings. Designed with post-tensioned slabs 220mm thick, and with 16.5m-spanning post-tensioning beams just 140mm thick.The Raya building in 6th October City(near Cairo) has also been completedrecently and included installation of80t of PT steel. This was built byWally Construction Group anddesigned by EHAF with thecooperation of AACE. Use of post-

Czech Republic

S-6 system at university> A four-storey building at theRajská Budova, University ofEconomics, Prague has been post-tensioned in both directions using theVSL S-6 system. The structure has afloor area of 11,500m2 and the projectused 13,300m of strand encapsulatedin HDPE sheet injected with grease.Construction was completed inNovember. The main contractor is aconsortium of Imos Brno, PSJHolding and Strabag. ■ Contact: psevcik@vsl.cz

tensioning beams has enabled slabthicknesses of just 140mm to beachieved, with continuous spans of12m, 9m and 12m. The third recently-completed building was for Vodafonein Smart Village (near Cairo), wherea total of 150t of post-tensioningsteel was installed in less than fourmonths. Contractor for the schemewas Hassan Allam Sons and it wasdesigned by Engineering ConsultantGroup (ECG) with the cooperation ofAACE. ■ Contact: amr_abouhashish@pencon-egypt.com

> Working conditions are tougherthan usual at the Angara Riverbridge site where VSL has beeninvolved for several years withMostootryad 125 as main contractor.The 1,600m-long double-deck bridgeis being built beside the Baïkal lakein Irkutsk, Central Siberia wheretemperatures can go as low as -30°Cor even -35°C. The spans are beingconstructed using the free cantilevermethod. The two 1,000m approacheshave been constructed with cast in-situ post-tensioned beams. VSL issupplying PT material andequipment for the river spans andapproaches. VSL is also supplyingengineering, design, technicalassistance and form travellers onthe river spans. ■ Contact:jcampbell_russia@hotmail.com

Russia

Spanning in Siberia

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SITE INSIGHTS

> The Strand project in NewZealand demonstrates the latest in slab jacking technology. Here a 4 level car park uses “climbfloor” to form and lift 3 floors with a totalarea of 3,300m2 to final positionwithout the use of conventionalformwork systems. Each floor iscast on the previous one andjacked up into position. Theclimbfloor system also coupleswith an edgeform / climbingscreen system that delivers acomplete slab casting system andwith prestressing provides thepotential for significant savings inboth materials and labour costs. Inthis project 36 screw jackslift/lower/rotate the slabs within arelative accuracy of 0.1mm. Thescrew jacks move the slab up ordown in a synchronised and

Malaysia

Experiencedspecialist

New Zealand

Unconventional slab jacking

> Hydraulic strand pushermachines are helping achieve highproductivity on a motorwaycrossing contract. VSL's sub-alliance partnership with theAbigroup Leighton ContractorsJoint Venture is on target forcompletion in September 2005.Work is well spread over a

number of work fronts, including amajor crossing of the existing M4motorway. VSL is using two of thenew hydraulic strand pushermachines with automated pre-setlengths. These are greatlyimproving productivity for strandinstallation. ■ Contact:dtrayner@vslsyd.aust.com

Australia

Time saving strands

controlled manner by adjustingspeed settings from 1 to 3.5 mmper sec. A rotary encoder plusother monitoring devices providethe data to the microprocessorsthat track slab position. Lateralstability is provided by externalroller guides. Once installed thejacks can self-climb to the nextfloor negating any additionalcranage apart for removal. De-bonding agents are used toseparate the new slab from the

previous and foam void formersare used here to create anoptimised band beam layout.Utilising 2 sets of void formersenable the next slab to be edgeformed, reinforcing laid, post-tensioning installed whilst theprevious slab is still curing. Whenin the final position a variety ofslab to column connections areused including bolted corbels tosecure the slab. ■ Contact:dtrayner@vslsyd.aust.com

> On the government-fundedChenor Bridge project nearTemerloh town, across the PahangRiver, pre-cast I-beams were usedto build the approach spans. Thecast in-situ balanced cantilevermethod was chosen for the mainspans. As one of the moreexperienced bridge specialistcontractors in the country, VSLMalaysia has been chosen todesign, fabricate, deliver, assembleand commission four pairs of formtravellers, including the design ofpre-setting levels and mid-spanclosure for all main spans, andsupply and installation of approx.700m of post-tensioning cable. ■Contact: ckchong@vsl.com.my

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India

Stay cable system launch in Goa

> VSL has successfullycompleted the first SSI 2000cable-stayed bridge in India. Thisbridge across the Mapusa River inthe Goa region has a total lengthof 235m. A single H-type pylon inreinforced concrete supports the105m main span and 80m sidespan from 24 stays in two planes.Stays are directly anchored to thetwo outer main beams above decklevel. The stays are overlapped atthe pylon. Each main leg of the H-type pylon splits into two below

deck level in a plane parallel tothe bridge axis. The cross sectionof the pylon is increased above theupper cross beam to provide spacefor the stay cable anchorages. Thestay cable anchorage sizes varyfrom 6-19 up to 6-43. The HDPEstay pipes are of yellow colour asGoan culture does not permit theuse of black. VSL's scope of workon this project has includedengineering, supply, installationand stressing of the stay cables. ■Contact: ganesh@vslindia.com

Malaysia

Sentral role for VSL

Thailand

Star turn forcrosshead

> Building the new Third StageExpressway in Bangkok, Thailandcould not be allowed to interfere withheavy traffic along the existing BangNa Expressway. This posed anenormous challenge and VSLThailand has developed a simple andcost-effective solution. The use ofconventional propping for casting of the crosshead in the correctorientation would have causedserious interruptions. VSL Thailandtherefore proposed an alternativemethod for constructing the upperportions: crosshead constructionwas to take place parallel to theexisting expressway, with all workcarried out within the confines of thetraffic island separating the twocarriageways. When ready, thecrosshead can then be rotated intoits final alignment by insertion of a two-part stainless steel plate and a series of Teflon plates between theupper and lower portions. Rotationtakes place after the load istransferred and is carried out usingstrand jacks pulling against a jackingbeam about a centring spigot. Afterrotation, the crosshead is fixed to thelower portion of the pier by stressingit down with a U-tendon system. ■Contact: jmckenzie@vslth.com

> VSL Malaysia followed itssuccessful work on the first phaseof Malaysia's Plaza SentralDevelopment with a key role on thesecond phase. This Phase 2 - theconstruction of two office blocks -is now under way with MRCBEngineering as main contractor. As in Phase 1, VSL Malaysia hadbeen relied on to carry out post-tensioning works for the beam andslab system. The gross floor area is 29,445.45m2. Duration of theproject is two years, withcompletion due in February 2006.■ Contact: ckchong@vsl.com.my

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SITE INSIGHTS

Hong Kong

Record drillings at Eagle’s Nest Tunnel> Intrafor HK has set a newdrilling length record for HongKong. Main contractorLeighton/Kumagai Joint Venture hadissued its subcontractor Intraforwith the challenge to achieve a 2km horizontal investigation holewith directional control. The workinvolves the drilling with full coringof two horizontal directionallyguided holes, 1,150m and 950m inlength, as well as permeability testsand real-time monitoring of the netwater outflow. The allowable drilling

Hong Kong

Tight radius> Challenges abound on a majorviaduct contract VSL is carrying out inHong Kong for a joint venture ofMaeda, Barbican and Hsing Chong(MBHJV). VSL HK won the contract inSeptember 2003 to erect thesuperstructure for the construction ofRoad T3 and associated work inShatin. Construction started on site inFebruary 2004. The project consists ofseveral viaducts made up of 91 spans(1,806 segments) of varying segmentweights and widths. All are built bythe balanced cantilever method,working from multiple erectionfronts. There is one launching gantryand a range of cranes. This is a verychallenging project for VSL HK, bothtechnically and in terms of siteconstraints. Spans vary in length,width and weight. Some have anextremely tight radius, requiringspecific kinematics and thecompleted deck has extremegradients and superelevation. Thereare restrictions on working hours andworking areas, with most of thestructure being built over existingroads which must remain in operationthroughout the project. The contracthas also involved the supply andinstallation of 1,600t of post-tensioning. Work started on site inFebruary 2004 and the launchinggantry is scheduled for relocationthree times during the course ofconstruction. ■ Contact:michael.paice@hk.vsl-intrafor.com

tolerance is a maximum inclinationof 1% and a target at the drilling endwithin a semi-circle of 8m radius.The record-breaking hole wassuccessfully achieved in October2004. The investigations are part ofthe Eagle's Nest Tunnel project, thelongest tunnel along Hong Kong'sRoute 8 from Shatin to Cheung ShaWan. The two long horizontal holeswere needed to obtain geologicaland hydro-geological informationalong the alignment. ■ Contact: m-p.chan@hk.vsl-intrafor.com

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17

> Ilsun Bridge consists of 14 spansof composite post-tensionedconcrete box girders with corrugatedsteel webs. It is the first of its type inKorea. Hyundai Construction is maincontractor for the bridge which isbeing built in Gumi city for PusanConstruction Management Office.This type of composite corrugatedsteel web post-tensioned concreteILM bridge structure was firstdeveloped in France in the 1980s.Corrugated steel replaces thetraditional concrete webs, whichaccount for approximately 30% of the

> Use of a VSL band beam slabsystem has saved money andsimplified the construction of a majorproject in Hanoi. VSL band beam slabtechnology gives large column-freeareas, a simple layout, savings inmaterials, fast construction timesand reductions in floor-to-floorheights. The building is situated in thecity's Thanh Tri District and has atotal gross post-tensioned floor areaof 22,000m2. The layout firstshowed atypical span of 6.6m by 6.6m usingconventional reinforced concretebeams and slabs. VSL proposed apost-tensioned band beam slab,which cancelled a column grid andhence doubled the span length. Thisapproach also helped solve manydifficulties associated with acomplicated column grid and the

Korea

Accordeon effect on Ilsun Bridge

Vietnam

VSL frees up space in Hanoi

weight of a conventional PSC bridge.This method decreases the overallweight, extends the span length, andsaves construction labour.Corrugated steel webs are 10% to20% lighter than a traditional post-tensioned concrete box girder andhave a high shear buckling strength.The webs have an accordion effect.Post-tensioning is efficientlyintroduced, and only to the bottomslabs, because of the accordion effectof corrugated steel webs which doesnot resist the axial force. ■ Contact:hkkim@vslkorea.co.kr

conventional reinforced concretebeams. Use of the system simplifiedinstallation and enabled the maincontractor to achieve a fastconstruction time. The building floorplate was divided into three pours;each area could be undertaken by asmall team which further reduced theoverall cost. Several developers,owners, consultants and maincontractors visited the site, and wereconvinced of the benefits of the VSLband beam slab technology .■Contact: tdl@vsl-vn.com

U-shell for university. VSL hascome up with a weight-savingproposal for a contract to lift fourtransfer beams and a steel linkbridge at the National Universityof Singapore. A U-shell designwas proposed in order to reducethe weight of the pre-cast beamsto a maximum of 230t each. The32m-long beams had to be liftedto 28m above ground.

Alternative for space. VSL'salternative design for a complexin Hanoi, Vietnam, has broughtgreat benefits with increasedspan sizes. For the Vincom CityTowers, VSL proposed post-tensioning instead of thetraditional reinforced concreteenabling the building to have10m spans with a flat slab.

Ramp in Riyadh. VSL hasachieved some repair works forthe ramp No 4 at CairoInterchange. This ramp is one ofthe main access roads of Riyadh.VSL scope of works includedjacking the ramp, replacingsome bearings, sliding thebridge back into position andfixing the joints. VSL has alsojacked three bridges betweenRiyadh and Dammam andreplaced the bearings.

High-speed launch. CTT-Stronghold has been awardedthree separate contracts sinceApril to carry out post-tensioningworks and supply POT bearingsfor the new high-speed railwayfrom Madrid to Valencia in Spain.VSL is supplying strand totalling 1 million t as well as 220 POTbearings. The project involves theinstallation of 1,810 anchorages,using an impressively wide rangeof units including 6-12, 6-15, 6-19,6-24 and 6-31.

N O T E P A D

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18

SITE INSIGHTS

> RN 7 is the international routethat links Buenos Aires inArgentina with Santiago in Chile. Itruns through the Andes mountainchain at about 3,000m above sealevel, and is the main bordercrossing. Two snow sheds are beingbuilt above the route, near the

border and just a few kilometresaway from South America's highestpeak, Aconcagua Hill (6,959m). The snow sheds will save the needto close the route during winter,when great quantities of snowaccumulate. The horizontal forcesthat the snow generates in the roof

are retained by 138 permanent rockanchors supplied by VSL Argentina.Chediack is main contractor andFundaciones Especiales is carryingout the drilling.■Contact: vslargen@correo.com.ar

Argentina

Anchoring the Andes

Thailand

Superhangar for air giants> Sino-Thai Engineering &Construction has begunconstruction of Thai Airways' latestmaintenance hangar at the newSuvarnabumi Airport in Bangkok.The hangar will allow three gianttwin-deck, four-aisle Airbus A380airliners to be parked side by side.VSL Thailand and VSL Switzerlandjoined forces to provide the heavy

lifting solution needed to allow thismammoth structure to come torealisation. The completed roof trusscovers a plan area of 270m by 90mand in total will weigh approximately7,800t. Lifting was broken down intothree parts. Height of lift was 30m.Supporting perimeter columns arelocated directly under the line of theperimeter trusses, preventing theiruse as supports for the liftingequipment. Temporary lifting towerswere used in specific locationsduring lifting. ■ Contact:jmckenzie@vslth.com

Spain

Silo design saves concrete and steel

Korea

Extradosedmethod

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19

> Noksan Bridge is the firstKorean application of theextradosed method of bridgeconstruction. Pusan RegionalMaritime Affairs & Fisheries Officeis the owner of this new bridgewhich links Pusan New Harbourwith the expressway. DaewooConstruction Company is the maincontractor and VSL Korea wasresponsible for the entireconstruction of the substructure and superstructure. Work wascompleted in just 21 months. The project is due for completion atthe beginning of 2005. ■ Contact:hkkim@vslkorea.co.kr

> Post-tensioning allows aconsiderable reduction in theamount of concrete and steelreinforcement needed for silowalls. It also enables much bettercontrol of cracking during thestructure's life time. OwnerCementos Rezola - a subsidiary ofItalcementi Group - decided to builda new silo with a capacity of 45,000tat the Añorga cement plant in SanSebastián. Contractor EstructurasDomo chose a post-tensionedsolution: a silo with a concrete roof.The 38m-diameter and 27m-highsilo is post-tensioned with

64 horizontal rings of 12/0, 6” (152mm) strand cablesalternating over 120º. Cables aredistributed in the wall so that theircentre-to-centre distance increaseswith height. The silo wall issupported on 119 elastomericbearings placed horizontally andalso vertically. CTT-Stronghold wasawarded the slipforming contractas well as the post-tensioningworks and the supply ofelastomeric bearings. The projectwill be completed at the beginningof 2005. ■ Contact:rroussillon@vslsp.com

Colombia

Bridgequartet

> Sistemas Especiales deConstrucción is working on fourprestigious structures in Colombia,including the record breakingBarranca-Yondó bridge. This bridgeover the river Magdalena is beingbuilt by Conconcreto. It has acentral span of 200 m - a record inColombia for this kind of bridge.Plastic duct has made its arrival inColumbia on the 92nd Street Viaductin Bogotá, which is also being built

by Conconcreto. The Caldas AvenueViaduct - also in Bogotá - is beingbuilt by PESA. It is made up of 30m-long post-tensioned beams, 40 of which need to be executed inless than three months. Completing the quartet is theJuncal Bridge, also over the RiverMagdalena with Consorcio AltoMagdalena as contractor for theproject. ■Contact: agonzalez@vslsp.com

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20

Heavy lifting in Germany

The biggest convertible in the world

SPECIAL REPORT

One of the world's mostspectacular roof structures waslifted into place over Frankfurt'snewly renovated “Waldstadion”sports arena during June andJuly. There was tremendous timepressure to avoid disruption tothe football season. The Waldstadion should be the

biggest convertible in the world, asthe roof's 9,000m2 central sectioncan be retracted and folded awaywithin 20 minutes. The roofconsists of a double-layered cablenet structure, which will later becovered by a membrane. There are44 radial cables, anchored to acompression ring running 709maround the top of the stands some35m above the centre of the field.All 44 cables are also anchored toa massive central node, fromwhich will hang a video cube with10m-long sides.

The first activity was to remove thegrass from the pitch and to replaceit with gravel. All the componentsfor the roof structure could then belaid out and assembled on thisworking surface and over the stands.

Ring of fireTime pressure was tremendous asthe roof had to be anchored into itsfinal position during the shortsummer break in the footballseason. The lifting operation wasexecuted in two stages. In a firststep, the upper radial cables werepulled with 44 strand lifting unitsover a distance of about 30m. Work

The roof lift in figures• Weight of roof :

approximately 3,000t• Weight of cables:

approximately 600t• Length of all cables:

approximately 16km• Installed jacking

capacity: over 21,000t.

The total pulling capacity of the 88 units exceeded 21,000 t.

21

Owner: WaldstadionFrankfurt Gesellschaft für Projektentwicklung,GermanyClient: Max Bögl Stahl- undAnlagenbau, NeumarktArchitect: von Gerkan, Margund Partner, BerlinEngineering consultant:Schlaich Bergermann undPartner, Stuttgart

Strand jacking operations:VSL (Switzerland).

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paused halfway through thisoperation, to allow installation ofthe flying masts between theupper and the lower levels of thetension ring. Although called aring, this has an almostrectangular shape, a little largerthan the pitch itself. It has beendubbed the “ring of fire” becauseall the flood lights are suspendedthere. By the end of eight days, all44 cables had been anchored atthe compression ring. The designhas been optimised and the ring isvery slender, weighing only 1,440t.Temporary struts stabilised thecompression ring throughout theoperation. Even so, the cableforces and movements had to bemonitored within very tighttolerances. Information wascontinuously fed to the consultantfor comparison with the calculatedvalues.

Like a raw eggThe equipment was then reset forthe pulling and tensioning of thelower radial cables. Two strandlifting units were installed for eachradial cable for this second step ofanother 25m. The total pullingcapacity of the 88 units exceeded21,000t. The temporary struts atthe compression ring wereremoved when only about 1mremained to be pulled. In this final

stage, all the 44 cables had to bepulled simultaneously withinmillimetres to prevent localoverstressing of the compressionring. "Even though it's a structureof 3,000t, it had to be treated like araw egg," said the project manager.

At 4.13pm on 16 July 2005 the lastpin was set and the entire roof cablenet was in its final position, ready toserve as a worthy venue during the2006 football World Cup. ■

44 cables anchored to a massive central node.

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22

TECHNICALRepair & Strengthening

Working high tochallenge cracksThe Preheater Tower in Colorado, USA is perhapsthe largest ever application of post-tensioning for aretrofit project. It was successfully carried out to afast-track schedule, despite challengingcircumstances that included working high on theexposed structure through a cold winter in severewind conditions.

The Portland Precalciner CementPlant in Colorado produces 1.9 million tonnes of cement a year. It has a reinforced concrete framestructure with equipment thatextends up almost 120m. Thisequipment thermally processesraw material before feeding it to a dry-process cement kiln. Crackswere discovered in the concretecolumns at three different levelsjust two weeks after the kiln'sinitial start-up. These crackscoincided with the terminations offlexural reinforcement in theconcrete beams. Investigationsconcluded that the beam flexuralreinforcement anchorage into thecolumns would need strengtheningfor both negative and positivemoments. All the beam/column

joints required retrofit, either tostrengthen the joints, or to reducedemand on them.

Through the concrete VSL developed a post-tensioningsolution to get the plant back intooperation quickly while avoidinginterference with equipment orperipheral steel framing. Thisinvolved strengthening the towerby installing post-tensioningtendons in core holes drilledthrough the concrete columns andperimeter concrete beams at eachlevel; and installation of PT bars .The post-tensioning tendonsconsisted of 0.5" (12.7mm)diameter, 1860 MPa low relaxationstrands. Anchorages adopted wereType E 5-19, E 5-31 and E 5-37. The project used over 80,000m ofstrand - there were 114 tendons,each receiving 19, 31 or 37 strands.Specially-designed galvanizedbearing plates transfer thestresses safely into the concrete.

It was essential to allow for theframe shortening that would resultfrom tensioning. The repair teamtherefore released the originalconnections between beams andcolumns and retrofitted newconnections to accommodate slip.

The original connections had beenthe primary means of transferringwind loads and so the team alsohad to retrofit an alternative loadpath. Columns were strengthenedfor shear by PT anchor bars, withover 1,000 anchor bars installed onthe faces of the tower columns.

Top recognition VSL's repair strategy meantperforming many taskssimultaneously, with work carriedout around the clock, six days aweek by three shifts of some sixtypeople each.General contractor for the schemewas Structural PreservationSystems and the post-tensioningsupplier was VSL in Dallas, Texas.The unique post-tensioning retrofitresulted in a structure that isstronger and more durable than theoriginal tower. VSL's repair andstrengthening efforts on this projecthave gained top industry recognitionwith the 2004 Post-TensioningInstitute Award of Excellence, as well as a 2004 InternationalConcrete Repair Institute Project ofthe Year award. ■

N E W S N ° 2 • 2 0 0 4

Construction was to a particularlytight schedule. Main contractorSoares da Costa achievedcompletion of the pylon and the196m deck within just two months.VSL Portugal's challenge was toinstall and tension, strand by strand,the 18 stay cables within a week.

Each of the six stay cables of themain span is composed of twoparallel cables spaced by 0.85m.These are anchored in the axis ofthe deck section by two passiveanchorages located beneath theconcrete deck. The total length ofthe stay cables in the main spanvaries from 20m to 58m. The sixstay cables for the approach spansare composed of one cableanchored in the longitudinal axis ofthe pylon and in the axis of the deckcross section.

No assembly on siteTo achieve this, the VSL SSI 2000stay cable system has been installedon the bridge with 25 strands foreach cable of the main span and 55 strands for each of the cables ofthe approach spans. The deck of the bridge was fully concreted onscaffolding. The VSL stay cableanchorages were installed duringthe construction of the deck and thepylon. The VSL SSI 2000 anchorageswere fully prefabricated in theworkshop so that there was no

assembly operation on site. The pylon and the deck were fullyconstructed and equipped with thestay cable anchorages by the timethe VSL stay cables installationteam started work.

Pre-cut stay pipesThe HDPE stay pipes wereprefabricated on site and pre-cut tolength for the 630 strands. The pipeswere installed using the maincontractor's tower crane located atthe pylon in order to achieve the one

during the same period when thestay pipes were being installed, witha time-lag of two days.

Lightweight equipmentLightweight equipment enabled highproductivity. VSL used equipmentspecially designed for the stay cableinstallation, in particular with theuse of two small VSL winches. Eachcable was installed by a team ofthree. Two teams were at work dayand night and each team couldinstall two stay cables in 10 hours.The 630 strands of the 18 staycables were installed and tensionedwithin five days, using two AMSmonostrand jacks of 20kg weight.This allowed the bridge to beopened to traffic in time for the firstmatch of the EuropeanChampionship.

The biggest challenge was for themain contractor. Close co-operationbetween the partners was howeverthe key to success. The flexibilityprovided by the VSL SSI 2000 staycable system allowed the scheduleto be optimised. ■

23

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Stay cables

Liz Bridge: 18 stays in asingle weekThe 18 stay cables of Portugal's Liz Bridge wereinstalled in the record time of just one week.

week installation time. These staypipes can also be installed usingsmall VSL winches. Each stay pipewas installed and supported by onestrand tensioned to the pylon and tothe deck anchorages. All 18 staypipes were then installed withinthree days by a single team of threepeople. Two independent VSL teamsinstalled the strands and carried outthe tensioning operations, one on themain span cables and the other onthe back span cables. They worked

The Liz Bridge is part of the access route to thenew Leira football stadium which was built inPortugal for the 2004 UEFA EuropeanChampionship. The bridge owner is Leirisportand the designer is Grid - Professor Antonio Reis.

N E W S N ° 2 • 2 0 0 4

2424

TECH SHOW

The contract to build Santiago Metro's fourth line is

a priority project for the Chilean State and has a

high profile. The project is also notable as it marks

Chile's first use of launching girders to erect

pre-cast segments. VSL has met the challenge by

assisting the client efficiently with technical aspects

of this major scheme.

Bridges

Three girders and a first in Santiago

25

ClientThe contract Metro Linea 4 wasawarded to VSL Systemas in July2003 by the main contractor VEI, a consortium of three Chileancompanies: Vial y Vives, Echeverría & Izquierdo and Icafal. This 7,200m-long pre-cast segmentalviaduct runs south to north in theoutskirts of Santiago as part of theextension to the existing Metro.

1

ScopeVSL was responsible for:

• design and fabrication of the pre-cast plants: six long benches

and six cells • design, supply and operation

of the three launching girders;• post-tensioning and grouting

activities; • supervision of the pre-cast

yard and the erection works;• the supply of elastomeric

bearings.

2

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N E W S N ° 2 • 2 0 0 4

2626

TECH SHOWT H R E E G I R D E R S A N D A F I R S T I N S A N T I A G O

BridgeThe viaduct is composed of 35m-longspans, 214 in total. The spans areisostatic, supported by four neoprenebearings, with nine to elevenprefabricated segments (3.5m long),post-tensioned by 10 to 18 tendons,each with 12 cables of 15mmdiameter. Each segment weighs about40t and is 10m wide by 1.8m high.Three spans have been erected onscaffolding as the clearance belowthe existing high-voltage line did notallow for the use of launching girders.

3

27

N E W S N ° 2 • 2 0 0 4

Segment fabricationThe pre-cast yard was designed by VSL and was composed of six long benches for span fabricationand six cells for fabrication of the segments on piers.Three pier segments were fabricated each day and twostandard segments were completed on each bench every day.In a normal cycle, 15 segments were fabricated every day.Special moulds were installed to make five special curvedspans. VSL provided all the post-tensioning equipment.

4

Erection worksThree launching girders eachworked night and day to erectbetween 60 and 78 spans. One of the girders was designed by VSL Singapore and fabricated locally. One span was to be erected everytwo days; some were erected in just26 hours. The specifications did notallow the use of inserts crossingthrough the segments: 0,6” (15,2mm)cable and light inserts for thetemporary PT were used instead oftraditional threaded bars. The post-tensioning activity - which was on thecritical path of the erection works -was achieved within 8 to 10 hours.

5

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28

TECH SHOWT H R E E G I R D E R S A N D A F I R S T I N S A N T I A G O

ScheduleThe first spans were erected by theend of February 2004. The threelaunching machines werecommissioned at almost the sametime, enabling 15 segments to beconstructed every day from March.The erection work was completed byearly October. Grouting, guard rails,joints and bearings were theninstalled within a month. Partialhandover to the client could start asearly as July 2004.

6

ContextThe area in Santiago's outskirts isurbanised and so public safety hasbeen a constant priority. In addition,the impact on the environment hasbeen minimised to avoid disruptionto the everyday lives of local residents.

7

N E W S N ° 2 • 2 0 0 4

29

AchievementsThe Metro Linea 4 project alsoincludes tunnels and stations. It hasa very high profile in Santiago and inChile as a whole and is classed as a politically high-priority project.Using launching girders to erect pre-cast segments was a first in Chile.VEI and Metro promoted thetechnique, including presenting it toChile's President, Ricardo Lagos.VSL has been able to assist the clientefficiently in solving the technicalchallenge and achieving the targets,while managing 13 nationalities onsite. VSL's performance in terms of keeping to schedule has beennoticed. The project has alsodemonstrated VSL's ability to extendthe range of activities in countries withno previous experience of this kind.

8

N E W S N ° 2 • 2 0 0 4

30

TECH SHOWT H R E E G I R D E R S A N D A F I R S T I N S A N T I A G O

Interview

Look for optimisation!Systra, a world leader in urban and rail transportengineering, did the preliminary studies for line 4 ofthe metro in Santiago, Chile. It then followed up withthe detailed studies for an 8-km viaduct and providedadditional support to the client, Santiago's metroauthority. Daniel Dutoit, head of Civil and StructuralEngineering at Systra, describes the work.

What do think of the interactionwith VSL in the line 4 project?It has been very good! We havemade some big improvements inconstruction methods. Amongother things, that included the

temporary load requirementsduring the construction in acountry with a lot of seismicactivity. VSL was very careful insetting these limits. It was quite achallenge.

Is it especially risky working here?We weren't given a lot of time, andthe political deadlines related tothe construction were important.It's always risky, but the timeallotted for projects gets shorterand shorter.

Are these U-shaped segments a Systra speciality?Yes, we have in fact developedspecial structures for viaductslocated in urban areas. This U shapeallows the rails to be placed at alower level. The structural elementcan then serve to reduce noise, thedanger of derailment and thevisual impact, with an integratedbarrier. We are very satisfied withthe finish of the concrete. Thequality is very clean. VSL's longline technique also allows eachsegment to be concreted againstthe preceding one. The assemblyof the segments on the siteallowed for the lowering of theassembled span around a seismicshear key at pier top.

What future do you see for structures like these?Right now we are designing orbuilding over 100 km of viaductswith U segments around the world.They are less costly than tunnels,which is an advantage fordeveloping countries. More andmore urban transport projects arebeing undertaken. Systra isdeveloping its offer of advancedsolutions, where optimisation ispossible thanks to its partners'expertise. In Santiago, assemblingthe segments by complete spanswas a solution that enabled VSL toimplement specific methods in anoperation they are very familiarwith - for example, using threelaunchers at the same time. ■

Daniel Dutoit,head of Civil and StructuralEngineering at Systra.

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31

C R E AT I N G S O L U T I O N S T O G E T H E Rwww.vsl-intl.com

VIETNAMVSL Vietnam Ltd.HANOIPhone: +84 - 4 - 8245 488Fax: +84 - 4 - 8245 717

Ho Chi Minh CityPhone: +84 - 8 - 8106 817Fax: +84 - 8 - 9102 596

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HEADQUARTERS

VSL International Ltd.Scheibenstrasse 70 – BernCH-3014 – SwitzerlandPhone: +41 32 613 30 30Fax: +41 32 613 30 55 VSL LOCATIONS

Your post-tensioningpartner

• Post –Tensioning

• Stay cables

• Heavy lifting

• Climb form and formworks

• Retained earth

• Superstructure erection

• Special construction methods

• Grouting

• Ground anchors

• Repair & strengthening

• Soil improvement

John-Paul II Bridge - Poland

Seonyu Footbridge - Korea

www.vsl-intl.com

Kisosansen Bridge - Japan

Chongquing Masangxi Bridge - China

Roof for Airbus A380 - France

Manhattan Heights- Hong Kong

Austrack Project - Australia

La Unidad Bridge - Mexico