The Metro Tunnel Project (MTP) comprises two railway tunnels, each spanning nine kilometers, establishing a connection between Kensington and South Yarra in Melbourne, Victoria. This construction forms an integral section of the expansive rail connection extending from Sunbury in the west, to Cranbourne/Pakenham in the south. As part of this undertaking, five underground railway stations are being constructed. These are Anzac (St Kilda Road), Town Hall (CBD South), State Library (CBD North), Parkville, and Arden Stations.

The specific alignment of the MTP beneath Melbourne's urban core presents a host of technical challenges, such as steep gradients, complex curves, and the close proximity to sensitive surface receivers. The lack of straightforward access for delivering track components and inserting large volumes of concrete further complicates the project. These considerations led to the selection of the Porr Slab Track System (internationally known as STA – Slab Track Austria), which is capable of meeting the particular requirements regarding ground-borne noise and vibrations and maintaining precise track geometry tolerances.

The physical realisation of the construction was managed by CYP Design and Construction (CYP D&C), which commissioned Vossloh and Porr. These two companies were entrusted with the design of the slab track and floating slab track (FST), as well as the production of the slab track panels and the supply of rail fastenings. In this construction network, VCE was responsible for Porr's design tasks.

VCE's responsibilities included the system design of the slab track panels, tailored to meet both standard and high vibration attenuation requirements. For very high attenuation, a Floating Slab Track (FST) was deployed, which was also accounted for in VCE’s planning. In a novel approach, pre-cast elements of the FST were conjoined into longer sections via a post-tensioning process, thus bypassing the time-intensive in-situ approach. Also part of the scope was ensuring precise placement of the slab track panels, pre-cast FST components for transitions and curves, and cable crossings and drainage shafts along the rail alignment.
 

Location. Melbourne, Australia

Client. Porr Bau GmbH

Services VCE. Detailed design of slab track,design of mass-spring system (Floating Slab Track)

Tender design of the track system including floating track slab systems and detailed design of the turnout areas

The extension of the underground railway line U2 and the re- and new construction of U5 are the most important common future project for Vienna’s public transport. The sections U2/17 to U2/22 and U5/2 connect 6 new stations and comprise a track length of approx. 12 km and 24 turnouts.

In the course of the project Wiener Linien started tendering of the structural building measures in 2018. VCE prepared tender design of the track system for the route, station and turnout areas for the new construction areas as well as the adjustment areas at the existing line U2.

The services include static and dynamic dimensioning of all vibration protection systems (floating slab track systems) for standard and special areas, the preparation of a technical description and technical specifications for individual components, the formulation of a logistic site concept for the installation of the track system and the preparation of tender drawings for the track system. Furthermore, service specifications were drawn up including the bill of quantities for track construction and subconcrete.

At the moment VCE performs detailed design of the turnout systems in the connecting structures of the existing to the new sections. Subsequently, the areas in the new sections are designed in detail.
 

Location. Vienna

Client. Wiener Linien

India’s National Importance Project - Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramula Rail Link Project (USBRL), J&K.

In association with Primerail Infralabs Pvt Ltd VCE has bagged the project comprising the consultancy services for proof checking of design and the drawings for ballastless track on the Katra-Dharam section of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramula Rail Link Project – approx. 59.45 km [broad gauge Indian Railways – 160 kmph].

Scope of services:

• Proof checking of design and drawings of the subcontractor BLT for three packages including tunnels, embankments, bridges, approaches and yards /loop lines.
• Technical advisory services to KRCL for design, construction and maintenance of the broad-gauge of BLT.
• The project features three different approved fastening system providers , RHEDA 2000 , Pandrol booted block technology & Delkor.
   

Location. Jammu & Kashmir, India

Client. Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd. (KRCL)

Services of VCE. Consultancy Services for Proof Checking of Designs & Drawings

High Speed Two (HS2) is currently Europe’s largest infrastructure project. The brand-new railway high-speed line will connect London to Birmingham and Manchester on over 450 km of track.

Most of the route will be equipped with PORR STA – the Slab Track Austria system. VCE contributes with its technical know-how and support as Lead Designer on behalf of PORR UK Ltd. for the track system on open route sections, on viaducts and in cut & cover and bored tunnels at very high speed. The scope of VCE includes the entire track design for speeds up to 360 kph, interface aspects for bridges, earthworks and tunnels, acoustic consultancy, life cycle assessment, maintenance aspects and environmental assessment. The current phase includes the preliminary system design, followed by the detailed design in the successive stages.
 

Location. London-Birmingham, UK

Client. PORR UK Ltd.

Services of VCE. Detailed design of ballast-less track construction, dynamic assessment, N&V design, BIM, interaction bridges-structure, LCA, environmental engineering

Installation of a Permanent Monitoring System

In the project DolWin5 TenneT realizes an offshore network connection system with an output of 900 Megawatt in maximum voltage direct current transmission method. The three-phase current produced by the wind parks at sea is converted into direct current on the corresponding offshore platform DolWin epsilon and transported in southern direction to Hamswehrum near the Ems River in East Frisia via a 100 km long sea cable.

Currently the DolWin epsilon platform is built in Singapore to be subsequently transported to the North Sea.

The platform DolWin epsilon is equipped with a permanent measurement system for structural health monitoring for its service life by VCE.

Services of VCE:

• Conceptual and detailed design of the monitoring system
• Installation of the measurement system in Singapore
• Software for the operation of the measurement system, for data analysis and visualization
• Transport monitoring of the platform
• Permanent monitoring of the platform
• Modelling of the platform and sensitivity analysis
• Data analysis and reports on platform behaviour

Location. Singapore & North Sea

Client. TenneT

Koridor RRTS Dillí – Ghaziabad – Meerut je 82,15 km dlhá dvojkoľajová železničná trať, ktorá vychádza z konečnej stanice v centre Dillí a vedie až do Meerutu. Trať zahŕňa 68 km nadzemného viaduktu a zvyšná dĺžka je v podzemí. Projektová rýchlosť je 160 km/h (návrhová rýchlosť 180 km/h).

Projekt bude realizovaný s prefabrikovaným systémom Slab Track Austria pre úsek viaduktu, tunely, stanice a depá. NCRTC poverilo PORR Bau GmbH ako dodávateľa koľajového systému a VCE poverilo návrhom koľajiska. Konštrukčný balík pre dodávateľa koľajového systému pozostáva z prípravy typickej konštrukcie PORR Slab Track so všetkými dokumentmi potrebnými na vypracovanie detailného projektu.

Po uvedení do prevádzky to bude najrýchlejší, najpohodlnejší a najbezpečnejší spôsob prímestskej dopravy v regióne hlavného mesta.
 

Miesto. Dillí, India

Klient. Porr Bau GmbH

Služby VCE. Dizajn trate

DECARBONISATION FIRST

Methods for CO2 balancing in the life cycle of infrastructures

Winning project of the VIF 2020 tender (traffic infrastructure research in the field of climate protection)
 

Status Quo

50% of the world-wide CO2 emissions can be directly or indirectly allocated to the building industry - enabling an enormous saving potential for their carbon footprint. In the sector of civil and underground engineering the decisions have been predominantly taken on the basis of the expected structural life-cycle costs (=primary costs) to date, e.g.: in the course of tenders and competitions. There is no tool generally applicable to the sector for the calculation of consequential environmental costs yet.

DECARBONISATION FIRST follows the idea that future decision-making for building measures will be based on a considerably higher weighting of costs due to the carbon footprint while it aims to increase the acceptance of the associated primary costs at the same time.

Methods and Procedure

The objective of the research project is to create a database with CO2-equivalents representative for Austria (“Cradle to Grave”) for the relevant building materials of infrastructures (bridges, pavement, dams, retaining walls, trough constructions). For this purpose, a methodology for the connection of a life-cycle cost calculation with CO2 balancing (ÖNORM EN ISO 14040 Ökobilanz) considering the spreading of the input parameters is developed.

For the performance of variant analyses of infrastructures, a practical calculation tool is created which determines costs and CO2 equivalents over the whole life cycle (manufacturing, construction, operation, demolition, disposal/re-use). The methodology and the respective benchmarks and parameters are subsequently summarized in a guideline.

Perspective

DECARBONISATION FIRST provides a major instrument for shaping the resources applied in the course of a building project along the value-added chains with increased environmental responsibility to reach the national climate protection targets.

The project addresses the impending compensation payments of the republic of Austria for the purchase of CO2-certificates amounting to billions of euros and pursues the objective to reduce the share allocated to the civil and underground engineering sector within the shortest possible time to the highest possible extent. In the last few years climate protection has dramatically gained significance in society. DECARBONISATION FIRST immediately meets this social responsibility and ensures that the civil and underground engineering sector can make its contribution to the achievement of the climate protection targets in a measurable form.

Project Status

By the end of April 2022 the mid-term meeting took place with all the project partners and the clients. There the essential milestones already reached, i.e.: “methodical development” and the “elaboration of a detailed GWP catalogue for the addressed assets and their elements”, were presented.

Furthermore, first insights into Work Package 5 “Simulation calculations” were given by providing a comparative prediction of the whole noise barrier portfolio of ASFINAG including

• estimated reinvestment realization quantities,
• expected costs
• as well as the associated Co2 balance

for the upcoming 15 years.

Client . BMK / ASFINAG

Project coordinator & project partner . VCE

Project partner . Umweltbundesamt (Environment Agency Austria), TU-Wien (Vienna University of Technology)

The motorway currently under construction between Ljubljana and Sarajevo runs through geologically difficult terrain in the Vandruk-Ponirak section. JP Autoceste contracted VCE to organise a team of experts to visit and assess the critical high-level cuts (up to 70 metres) in the steep flysch slopes in sectors 1, 6 and 7.

The team of experts, consisting of Prof. Roman Marte (TU-Graz), Mag. Michael Brandmayr (GDP) and Dr. Fritz Kopf (VCE), carried out an on-site inspection. In the following report, the existing documents and explorations are discussed, the respective geology is assessed, the design of the office draft as well as different variants are discussed, and finally, alternatives are presented and recommendations for the further procedure are given.

Location. BiH
Client. JP Autoceste FBiH doo Mostar
Services. Expertise

TenneT is the leading transmission system operator in Germany. In this function TenneT currently operates offshore converter platforms in the North Sea, which transfer the energy obtained with offshore wind parks and convert it into high-voltage direct current in order to enable low-loss transmission and network connection. Each of these platforms has a capacity of up to 900 MW.

VCE was commissioned to install and operate twelve of these platforms with permanent structural health monitoring systems with a focus on load effects and motion behaviour. The services also comprise data analysis, calculations and life-cycle observations.

Location. North Sea

Client. TenneT TSO GmbH

Service VCE. Permanent structural health monitoring with measurements

The subject of the current examination is the determination of the current prestressing forces within the twelve steel bars as a part of the trussed roof frame construction of the Saarlouis fire station.

The examination was triggered by the failure of one of the stays (at the respective trussed roof frame an unusual deformation had been detected) at the end of October 2021. This led to the question regarding the distribution of the tension forces within the remaining group of eleven components.

On the basis of a non-destructive, dynamic measurement in November 2021 the actual prestressing level in the stays was determined. Thus, a relevant basis for the assessment and evaluation of the current situation and the further procedure was created.

Under the arch concerned an emergency support was erected immediately after damage detection and detailed expert investigations, which are still in progress, were introduced. The fire brigade remained ready for operation without any interruption.

Location. Saarlouis, Germany

Client. District town Saarlouis, Office for urban planning, building construction, preservation of historical monuments and environment

Services. Investigation concept, dynamic measurement, data analysis, comparative analytical calculation, effective prestressing forces & utilisation rates, assessment & interpretation

HS2 currently is the biggest infrastructure project in the UK, for which a high-speed route is built from London to Birmingham and Manchester.

On more than 450 km a track system is established as ballast-less track with the ÖBB-PORR system. The project comprises phases 1 and 2a of HS2. VCE supplies the technical know-how and is the total designer for track construction on all free route areas as well as in tunnels with open construction method. The design services for driving speeds up to 360 km/h comprise track system design in BIM incl. sonic studies, life-cycle assessment, dynamic modelling and environmental investigations for driving speeds up to 360 km/h. We are currently working at Activity 2 (System Design) for the sections on earthwork and bridges.

Location.London-Birmingham, UK
Client. PORR UK Ltd.
Services VCE. Detailed design of ballast-less track construction, dynamic assessment, N&V design, BIM, interaction bridges-structure, LCA, environmental engineering

Video BIM Day 2021. BIM Flagship Project HS2

The bridge deck has been completed on 22nd of September 2021 with the casting of the stitch in the middle of the bridge. The remaining works include tensioning of the remaining pre-stressing cables, activation of bearings, tuning of stay-cable forces, installation of parapets and barriers, application of asphalt and installation of expansion joints, lighting, drainage, road signs etc.

Gewan Island Stay-cable bridge provides a connection to the newly constructed Gewan Island, located between The Pearl, Qatar and Lusail.

The bridge design by Dar Al-Handasah defines a complex bridge geometrie with an S-shape in plan view, two pylons on pile foundations and a concrete deck supported by 72 parallel strand stay-cables.

Because the construction has to be performed while traffic on the main traffic connection with the luxury residential area The Pearl Qatar has to be maintained, the bridge is constructed using the free cantilever erection method. Both pylons, the abutments and parts of the deck will be cast in-situ, while the biggest part of the deck will be constructed from pre-cast concrete segments.

Bridge length: 70m+110m+70m=250 m
Height pylons: approx. 50 m

Location. Doha, Qatar
Client. PORR-MIDMAC
Service. Construction Engineering

Webcam.  gewanislandentrancebridge.com

The university at Vienna’s Schillerplatz has been elaborately rehabilitated and extended for the last three and a half years. By autumn the final works shall be concluded and the Academy of Fine Arts shall shine in new splendour. The normal study programme shall be resumed at the beginning of the winter semester 2021/2022.

The listed building with 17,300 square metres of existing useful area and 500 square metres of new useful area as well as 1,000 square metres of open areas was erected between 1872 and 1877 according to plans by the architect Theophil Hansen.

In the course of the construction works extensive restoration of floor, wall and ceiling areas, furniture as well as ceiling frescoes was carried out. Historic doors and windows but also parquet and terrazzo floors were renovated. One of the new elements of the Academy is the establishment of a subterranean depot including a study room in front in one of the courtyards of the building.

Due to the renewal of the technical building equipment as well as a reinforcement of the exterior windows and roofs it was possible to create a modern university site from the historic building.

Client. BIG-Unternehmensbereich Universitäten

Services in consortium with FCP. Site supervision, health & safety engineering

Generation and Preparation of strategic noise maps according to EU and Local Environmental Noise Directive for the reporting in 2022.

How high is the actual noise impact in Vienna?

VCE was repeatedly awarded to generate the actual strategic noise maps in the City of Vienna. In intervals of 5 years the European Parliament and the European Council released the obligation to implement the European Noise Directive 2002/49/EG resulting in strategic noise maps considering traffic noise from road and railways, aircraft noise and noise from industrial plants (IPPC plants). To prepare the generation and publication of the strategic noise maps in 2022 FCP is currently collecting traffic data in representative sections on site and starts with three-dimensional mapping of the City of Vienna. Subsequently different scenarios of noise sources and impacts will be generated and prepared for publication.

On the plattform laerminfo.at the strategic noise maps of the year 2017 can be reviewed for each and every location in Vienna.

To refine the noise model the actual traffic is counted at several locations. The results will be adopted to the main traffic network and considered in the noise model.

Additionally a detailed investigation of facades and a three-dimensional presentaton of noise levels at building surfaces shall be implemented in the model.

Client. Vienna Environmental Protection Department, MA 22

Services. noise mapping, acoustic calculations of railway, road and site noise

www.laerminfo.at

The wind park Gaweinstal consists of a total of 3 wind turbines of the type Vestas V112 with a hub height of 140 m and a performance of 3.3MW per wind turbine. Now the existing wind turbines shall be replaced with plants with a higher performance. The new plants of the type Nordex N163 have a hub height of 164m and a performance of 5.7MW per wind turbine.

Due to the considerably increased performance the EIA authority demanded a sonic study in which on the one hand the sonic impacts of this change had to be demonstrated with regard to the direct neighbours, on the other hand the concerned region is already at a disadvantage due to sonic exposure by the surrounding wind parks (WP Schrick I & II, WP Paasdorf-Lanzendorf WP Kettlasbrunn I & II, WP Höbersbrunn, WP Gugelberg). Apart from the sonic study regarding audible sound (20 to 20000 Hz) the coactive infrasound input had to be also analysed for the first time. Infrasound is defined as acoustic waves with frequencies lower than 20 Hz and thus below the threshold of audibility of human-beings.

The wind park Parndorf shall be approved in the course of an environmental impact assessment (EIA) change procedure for higher-performance plants. The location of the plants shall be also slightly changed.

In this process the predicted immissions by the planned wind park project Parndorf were assessed and inspected at all the immission points analysed considering the change of the plants and the wind situation.

Client WP Gaweinstal. ÖKO Wind Erneuerbare Energieerzeugungs-GmbH

Client WP Parndorf. oekostrom Produktions GmbH

Services VCE. Sonic prediction calculations, immission prediction infrasound, assessment, survey

The opening of the two railway stations "Rotes Rathaus" and "Unter den Linden" of the U5 Berlin took place in December 2020. The new railway station "Museumsinsel" is expected to be opened in August 2021.

The project “Gap Closure U5“ from Alexanderplatz to Brandenburger Tor extends the previous U5 underground railway line and merges it with the already completed U55. Apart from 2.2 km of newly built tunnel route also the three new railway stations “Unter den Linden“, “Museumsinsel“ and “Rotes Rathaus“ are established in the centre of Berlin.

In the underground railway station “Rotes Rathaus“ seven centrally arranged columns carry a main part of the floor load. The column heads look like mushrooms with their funnel shape and shall be reminiscent of the old vault of the medieval town hall.

The tunnel section was driven by shield tunnelling method with two single-track tunnel tubes and connects to the existing line at the railway station Brandenburger Tor.

Client. BVG Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe

Services in consortium with artus Architekten and Schüsslerplan. project control, site management, site supervision of the preliminary building works, extension, cable routeing

After a multi-stage renovation the project "Adaptation and Extension of Rudolfinerhaus" was completed in autumn 2020. Five new wards were put into operation in the private hospital in Vienna-Döbling with a total of 80 patient-friendly single rooms with sunny loggias and terraces. The clinic also opened the new Wilczek Pavilion and the Rudolfinerhaus Campus for health and nursing education.

In the first construction stage (February 2018 - March 2019) the Billroth Pavilion was heightened and rehabilitated and in this connection 37 new patient rooms were erected.

The second construction stage with a construction period of 15 months (July2019 - September 2020) comprised the redesign of the forecourt and the entrance area of the Rudolfinerhaus private hospital. A generous and barrier-free access to the building for picking up and dropping off patients was created and the subterranean garage was linked to the building by erecting porches. The entrance and foyer area was modernized and reconstructed to an attractive area thanks to a new light-flooded design. Parallel to the construction measures on the forecourt the partial demolition of the Wilczek Pavilion and the new erection of the pavilion with southern side patient rooms as well as the extension of the attic for the teaching programme on the Campus started at the beginning of July 2019.

Client. Rudolfiner-Verein Rotes Kreuz

Services. Site supervision, health and safety engineering, electrical and HVACR design

Volkstheater has been considerably renovated since summer 2019. Essential objectives are an improvement of the operation and an increased comfort for the audience.

The improvement of the operation can be reached by two measures: on the one hand, by rehabilitation and modernization of the stage area with new stage and lighting technology as well as by the establishment of a side stage and on the other hand by creation of new useable space by extension of the present stage area as well as the extension of the existing ticket area to a coffee shop.

Increased comfort for the audience is implemented on the one hand by a complete refurbishment of the auditorium including the installation of a new air-conditioning system and on the other hand by the renewal of the lounges, cloakrooms and sanitary rooms. The façade is rehabilitated as exterior sign of renewal.

In summer 2019 the restoration of the outer shell (façade, roof and windows) started without interrupting continuous operation. At the beginning of January 2020, the theatre was closed for the currently ongoing main construction phase. The completion is already planned for 30 October 2020.

Client. Volkstheater GmbH

Services. project control, static and structural design, tender/cost estimation, building physics, fire protection design, check engineering

Munich’s urban railway daily transports up to 840,000 passengers and covers a distance of more than 20 million km per year. Thus, it is one of the biggest urban railway systems in Germany. The core route opened on the occasion of the Olympic Games in 1972 has reached its capacity limits. In order to eliminate this bottleneck, a second core route is built on approx. 10 km between the railway stations Laim in the west and Leuchtenbergring in the east. The building project is subdivided into overground and underground contract sections.

In the section “VE10 - Oberirdisch West“ (overground west) a multitude of civil engineering structures (tunnels, retaining walls, bridges, railway station buildings) are erected as well as track and underground cabling works are carried out under full operation over approx. 2.2 km from the western head of the railway station Laim up to the new western tunnel portal.

Currently retaining walls are being erected at several positions, the foundations of the flying junctions (bridge structures) are being established as well as the first blocks of the tunnel below more than 25 existing tracks as well as the first sections of the new railway station buildings are being concreted.

Client. ARGE VE 10

Owner. DB Netze (DB Netz AG, DB Station & Service AG, DB Energie GmbH)

Services. Detailed design and as-built design of track layout and civil engineering structures

At the already existing site of a home in Wiener Neustadt the Institute Haus der Barmherzigkeit establishes a new modern, completely barrier-free nursing home with nine residential groups. The new nursing home will have 162 beds, a canteen kitchen and a café as well as a kindergarten with four groups and garden areas.

Furthermore, places for assisted living and subsidized flats shall be created on this area of approx. 18,300 m².

The new nursing home is constructed during uninterrupted operation of the existing home and is carried out in several construction phases. The current works of construction phase 1 comprise the extension works, works at the building shell as well as installation works of the HVACR subsections.

Client. Institut Haus der Barmherzigkeit

Services. Competition management, project control, measurement of ambient noise

The subject of the presented investigation was the application of an integrated LCM Model (Life Cycle Management) developed in close collaboration with ÖBB for the entire bridge network from the Austrian Federal Railways analysing different maintenance strategies.

Concent. The objective of the investigation was a short-, mid- and long-term LCM prognosis of the heavy maintenance and replacement demand for the entire bridge network of the Federal Austrian Railways. The model was applied to a provided dataset of approx. 10.000 bridges analysing different forecast periods (12, 50 and 120 years).

The results were used to derive the upcoming budget demand.

Client. ÖBB Infrastruktur AG

The section of this project runs from Ashgabad to Turkmenabat – up to the border of Uzbekistan. The total length is approx. 600 km and comprises a 2 x 3 - lane motorway with dozens of underpasses, bridges, railway crossings and intersections enabling a signal-free passage between Ashgabat and Turkmenabat.

Client . CJSC Closed Joint Stock Company "Turkmen Awtoban”

Service of VCE . Quality Control Engineer (QCE)

After a construction period of more than two years the new Paracelsus spa + health resort was inaugurated on Friday, 11 October 2019.

The Paracelsus spa + health resort is located directly in the heart of Salzburg and near the world-famous Mirabell garden and offers outstanding architecture, state-of-the-art equipment and a breath-taking view of the historic centre of Salzburg. The distinctive building with the completely glazed bathing world on the third floor is quasi a visionary project and an oasis for recreation.

Tender. Architekturbüro Berger+Parkkinen

Service. Tender

In the scope of the comprehensive modernization works along the underground railway line U4 the restoration of some sections of the track superstructure and substructure including retaining wall as well as the installation of additional track connections is planned.

In the summer months the approx. 3.5 km long section between Karlsplatz and Längenfeldgasse was restored. In this section also the future junction U4/U2 Pilgramgasse is located.

The section "Station Pilgramgasse" comprises all the required building measures for the restoration and modernization of the underground railway line U4 as well as building measures which are necessary as preparatory services for the realization of a future connection to the underground railway line U2.

In the area of the station Pilgramgasse platforms and collectors of the U4 are modernized by structural renewal and repair works. In accordance with a future connection of the underground railway line U2 to the existing U4 route in the area of the station Pilgramgasse (U2/U4 connecting station) preliminary building measures for the future line U2 are implemented. These preparatory services are realized in order to be able to best use synergies from these two projects both from a technical and an economic point of view.

We are assigned with static and structural design in the project “Station Pilgramgasse”. For the handling of this project also BIM-compatible design was performed.

The whole section of U4 modernization was assessed with regard to the expected impacts due to noise and vibration (renewal of the track superstructure and substructure, track connections etc.):

- assessment of the renewal of the track superstructure and substructure
- definition of vibration measuring points for verification before and after reconstruction
- vibration measurements as verification
-prediction of the expected immissions in the adjacent buildings
- acoustic assessment of the new track connections
- verification measurements after the reconstruction measures in normal operation

APP . U2xU5 in 3D

Client. Wiener Linien

Services . static and structural design (submission, tender and detailed structural design), measurement, assessment and prediction

On 25 May 2019 a new museum, the Lower Austrian gallery was opened. The new gallery becomes the centre of the art district in Krems ranging from the exhibition buildings Kunsthalle Krems, Karikaturmuseum Krems and Forum Frohner from Minoritenplatz in Stein over Museumsplatz up to the Dominikanerkirche in Krems.

The new gallery with its 3,000 m² of exhibition area comprises the art collection of the province of Lower Austria with approx. 60,000 objects on four levels and is connected with the Kunsthalle Krems via the presentation area on the basement floor. The outer panelling by means of zinc rhombuses guarantees an additional remarkable setting of the building. The otherwise windowless cladding is only opened in the attic by a viewing platform.

VCE was assigned with the services of technical and financial control. The project was handled considering BVergG 2006 (Austrian public procurement law), the project was awarded to individual trades.

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Client . Government of Lower Austria
Architect . Marte.Marte Architekten
Service . Technical and financial control

VIDEO . Lower Austrian gallery

LINK . www.ots.at/presseaussendung
LINK . noe.orf.at/news/stories/2974144/

We were able to extend our competence as engineering consultants with the framework contract “building safety inspections in Lower Austria“. The process of a building condition assessment including cost and risk estimate was developed for this project.

Within the scope of this project the facades and public staircases of more than 60 public buildings in Lower Austria were annually analysed and assessed.

Building safety inspection, assessment and action planning was completed for 2018. Further inspections and monitoring of actions and costs were commissioned for an additional period of 8 years.

Client . Lower Austrian government
Services . Structural assessment

Civil engineering verification for the performed braking work of a buffer stop without headstock

Weichenwerke Wörth GmbH has developed a new buffer stop. A civil engineering verification of the braking work was the basis for the approval by a public utility.

VCE was assigned with the performance of the required measurements, the evaluation and the preparation of the civil engineering verification as well as the programming of a calculation tool.

The tests were performed on a storage track and were classified into the following steps:

• Impact with 2 ballast waggons 108 t with different speeds
• Impact with 3 ballast waggons 146.58 t with different speeds
• Impact with 17 ballast waggons 753.98 t with different speeds

Client . Weichenwerke Wörth GmbH

Service . Measurement and instrumentation, evaluation, civil engineering verification

Take a break and join us on our journey to the North Pole!

At VCE challenges of various levels of engineering tasks are on the daily agenda. But deep down VCE is also a home for creative minds. In the course of a “Santa’s Workshop” BIM competition they let their imagination run wild.

Join us on a short tour: Video Santas Workshop

Which load pattern do you use for track design? In rail track engineering it is common to apply load models developed for design and assessment of bridges as an approximation of loading regimes for rail tracks. VCE’s client questions the traditional approach and is interested in developing realistic load models for track designers.

Multi-body dynamic simulations have been performed to model the dynamic interaction of the coupled vehicle-track-soil domain. Comparison of numerical response quantities with readily available data extracted from measurements of the project VDE 8.2 reveals the superior quality of the novel methodology.

VCE proposes a novel load model consisting of both a realistic load pattern and spectra of dynamic amplification factors. This study contributes to the existing body of modifications to the next generation of modern track design codes. Theory, findings and possible applications will be published on the client’s website in the first quarter of 2019.

Client . RSSB – Rail Safety and Standards Board, U.K.

Service . Development of a Methodology to Determine Loading Regimes for Track Designers

The healthcare facility Josefhof, located on the outskirts of Graz, is the competence centre for in-patient health promotion and prevention of the VAEB (insurance institution for railways and mining). The facility is currently being extended from 70 to 120 beds. The new building consists of three elongated terrace-shaped structures comprising 120 barrier-free rooms as well as guest rooms offering a variety of functions including a outpatient clinic with examination and treatment area, seminar and fitness rooms, indoor swimming pool and sauna area, canteen with an open-view kitchen, dining hall as well as the required administrative and technical areas. The building has been partially constructed in a modular timber design.

Current works include a timber slatted façade, various floor coverings such as tiles, terrazzo tiles and wood flooring as well as a outdoor area with a pond.

Auftraggeber . VAEB Insurance institution for railways and mining

Leistung . Project management in Joint Venture with Ritter

LINK . construction progress on vaeb.at

On 2 June 2018 the Life Ball celebrated its 25^th anniversary under the motto “Sound of Music”.

VCE supported the initiative with the free-of-charge service of design and building site coordination according to the building site coordination law for the “event site” Life Ball 2018 in the area of Rathausplatz and in the event rooms of the city hall.

Client: Life+ association for direct support of HIV-positive persons and persons down with AIDS

Service: Health and safety engineering

LINK . Life Ball

There are 12 classes of an open secondary modern school in Carlbergergasse 72 in 1230 Vienna, which was built in 1999. An annex to the existing school building will be realized for the creation of additional rooms. The annex comprises the new construction of 9 elementary school classes with all-day care including side rooms and an underground gym hall as well as the extension of the existing secondary modern school by 4 classes including side rooms. The open areas of the school are appropriately designed for pupils and instruction.

The annex is situated on the available hard court so that it can be connected to the existing building on two sides.

The project is in the basic design stage at the moment. Construction start is planned on 15 October 2018. Operation of the newly erected school building shall start in August 2019.

Client: Vienna municipal authorities MA 56 represented by WIP Wiener Infrastruktur Projekt GmbH

Services as subcontractor for Klammer * Zeleny Architekten ZT GmbH: Design-build, static and structural design, tender / cost estimation, building physics, site supervision, health & safety engineering, check engineering

The extension / rehabilitation of the Voest bridge in Linz started at the beginning of 2018.

Two bypass bridges were erected and a multitude of further objects were reconstructed or newly built (bridges, underpasses, abutments) in the first section in lot AST Hafenstrasse – Junction Urfahr.

Client . ASFINAG

Service . Check engineering

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The launch of the approx. 500 km long traffic project Nürnberg-Berlin (VDE 8) is planned for 10 December 2017. This project shortens the travelling time from Munich to Berlin by railway to only four hours. The section Ebensfeld – Ilmenau (VDE 8.1) is a double-track electrified railway route for the high-ranking passenger and freight traffic with a length of approx. 66 kilometres and a maximum speed of 300 km/h.

VCE carried out the track system in form of a ballastless track of the sections VDE 8.2 (in operation since 12/2015), VDE 8.1 Lot Centre and Lot South on a length of approx. 160 km.

Services: Approval design, detailed structural design, as-completed drawings, participation in launching, bridge checks, noise protection design incl. foundation and noise assessment

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> to the project VDE 8.2 measurement

A shared zone was established in front of the new vocational training school in Waldegg in compliance with the citizens. The shared zone has a length of 315 m and an area of 5850 m².

For an improvement of recreational opportunities part of the existing park got a facelift by additional seating furniture and a small lake.

In due time for the opening of the shared zone on Sunday, 17 September 2017, the reconstruction of the provincial vocational school and the object for assisted living were completed.

Architect: Architect Weidinger

The project Meerwind South / East consists of the two offshore wind parks Meerwind South and Meerwind East, which were planned and constructed 23 km north of Helgoland island in the North Sea and are maintained from Helgoland. The wind park comprises a total of 80 wind energy plants with a performance of 3.6 megawatt each. The network is supplied with a performance of up to 288 MW via a transformer platform.

The foundations (mono-piles and transition pieces) of all 80 wind turbines are equipped with a condition monitoring system by Airwerk GmbH for permanent condition monitoring and monitoring of the ageing behaviour (fatigue). All measurement data are transmitted to an onshore server, analysed by software routines and all results are made available to the client in a web-user interface.

Client: Airwerk GmbH

Services: Software for data transmission, software for data analysis, web-user interface, support in the preparation of the monitoring reports for the authorities

Four underground railway lines are being constructed on a total length of 172 km in Doha, Qatar, in the scope of phase 1 of the Doha Metro project. At the end of May track slab design was approved by the Design Verification Engineer DVE. Furthermore the noise and vibration assessment was completed and the effectivity of the mass-spring systems was verified in a 1:1 in-situ test.

The track system is currently under construction. It is designed as ballastless Porr slab track system including light and heavy mass-spring systems as required. All in all approx. 80% of the precast track slabs have been already produced and are being installed continuously. The section comprises tunnel, at-grade and bridge sections. In addition turnout areas and the associated transition areas on ballastless track were developed and planned. The track design was revised and adapted for the installation of the slab track system.

VCE carried out noise and vibration assessment determining emission reduction measures (e.g. mass-spring systems) for providing the protection targets regarding vibrations, ground-borne noise and airborne noise. In order to verify the effectivity of the proposed mass-spring systems, true size mock-ups were installed, tested and their performance was verified.

The section of Phase 1 is to be put into operation in 2020, in due time before the start of the Football World Cup in 2022.

Service: Project development and system configuration, concept and detailed design total track system, alignment, noise and vibration protection design, measurements on site

Client: Porr Qatar Construction WLL

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Stephansplatz is one of Austria‘s most prominent places due to St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Therefore this important central square shall be completely refurbished and its surface redesigned. For this purpose 36,400 granite slabs and stones are laid. In addition 1,500 t of asphalt concrete and 5,500 t of drain concrete are installed. Apart from surface assembly a second drainage level for the protection of the subterranean structures (catacombs and Virgil Chapel) is established. Furthermore, essential parts of the installations are relocated or renewed.

The construction works started in March 2017 and shall be concluded by November 2017.

Client: MA 28 – Vienna’s municipal authorities for road administration and construction, in cooperation with Kirsch ZT GmbH

Services: Traffic design, project control, tender

At the left bank of the Danube Canal, at river kilometre 7.355, serious settlements as well as material erosion due to scouring was determined for one abutment. Therefore a renovation of the side wall on a total length of approx. 130 metres was required. The remedial actions were implemented by an additional sheet pile wall.

The new sheet pile wall shall be completed in March 2017.

Services: Tender, structural design, site supervision, construction coordination

The project City Tower Vienna was successfully concluded in November.

In the course of the maintenance of the building the exterior toughened safety glass panels of the facade were exchanged with laminated safety glass. All in all approx. 7,250 m² or approx. 2,850 glass panes were substituted.

In parallel the total natural stone facade was inspected and refurbished. Furthermore safety measures regarding accessibility and guardrails were planned and implemented.

Client: City Tower Vienna Errichtungs- und Vermietungs-GmbH

Services: Design, tender, contracting and site supervision

On 7 September a topping-out ceremony and an open building site day took place on the occasion of the completion of the preliminary structural works of the underground railway station Rotes Rathaus.

The project “Lückenschluss U5” extends the previous U5 Line from Alexanderplatz to Brandenburger Tor and merges it with U55 there. Apart from 2.2 kilometres of tunnel routes, three new railway stations “Unter den Linden“, “Museumsinsel“ as well as “Rotes Rathaus” are constructed in the centre of Berlin.

Seven centrally arranged supports carry a major part of the floor load in the station “Rotes Rathaus“. The column heads look like mushrooms due to their funnel shape and shall remind of the old vault of the medieval town hall. 

Construction works and surface restoration shall take place after the completion of the structural works. The opening of the total route of the U5 is expected in 2020.

Client: BVG Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe

Design of Station Rotes Rathaus: Collignon Architektur

Services: Services in consortium with artus Architekten and Schüsslerplan: Project control, site management, site supervision of structural works, finishing works, cable routeing

The existing, approx. 95 m long, network arch bridge consists of a timber arch and a prestressed concrete bridge deck, which is suspended by means of 68 prestressed steel rods (MacAlloy system).

The aim of the current investigation was the measurement-based determination of the effective forces of all 68 rods of the network arch bridge during the individual construction phases and 12 months after completion with BRIMOS^® Structural Health Monitoring.

The basis for investigation was geometrical information on all tie rods and the corresponding product specifications. According to the bending beam theory of mechanical engineering an analysis tool for the determination of the tension forces was established on the basis of the measured eigenfrequencies and applied in the course of the attendant dynamic construction element measurements.

Services: Methodology for the determination of the tension forces in the existing construction element series, dynamic measurement of all bridge anchoring devices, periodic determination of the tensioin forces in all hangers

After numerous adjustment processes the road surface project Herrengasse was released for implementation. The privately financed road project represents an important axis between Freyung and Michaelerplatz. In this section several palaces, hotels, ministries, Vienna’s first high-rise building and the Loos house are located. Apart from Herrengasse, Fahnengasse and parts of Wallnerstrasse are reconstructed as well.

With the implementation of the project this area receives an adequate surface for underlining historically important buildings. Apart from the new high-quality pavement (Austrian granite), lighting is also brought to the state of the art. The existing traffic organization is modified to a shared zone, which creates more areas for pedestrians and pavement cafés.

The preliminary works – installation of fixtures – will start at the beginning of April 2016, the actual surface works will start at the end of May 2016. The conclusion of the works is expected by mid-November 2016.

Client: HG+ Interessentengemeinschaft Herrengasse

Services: detailed design, tender design, project control, traffic design

On 21 January 2016 the foundation stone ceremony for the new building took place with the participation of politicians, staff members of the hospital and neighbours.

Obstetrics and oncology have already been among the focuses of the St. Josef Hospital for some time. This specialization shall be even intensified in future. Core piece is an annex which shall be opened in 2018. The extension shall result in an increase of capacities from 2000 to 3000 births as well as in the realization of the development to a specialized clinic for oncology. Up to 2020 the existing building shall be also comprehensively rehabilitated. The reconstruction is carried out without any interruption of hospital operation.

Completion phase 1: 2018
Completion phase 2: 2020

Services: site supervision

Low-cost residential buildings were developed , which can be quickly and easily assembled, with the company GHS Global Housing Solutions. At the moment the following models exist:  Family Home for permanent solutions as well as the Emergency House and the Temporary Housefor a flexible use in disaster zones.

GHS Family Home: A GHS family home is a permanent and sustainable housing solution. The housing system consists of a high-quality synthetic formwork which is filled with concrete and should therefore endure natural disasters like earthquakes and hurricanes and be bulletproof.

GHS Temporary House: The GHS “temporary housing” programme is the fastest and most low priced solution for the humane accommodation of persons with an urgent need for housing. The basic model offers space for up to 20 persons. Thus existing family structures or similar social connections can be maintained. This housing type comprises four bedrooms, one kitchen, two separate & furnished sanitary rooms as well as one training classroom on approx. 136 m².

GHS Emergency House: The housing system was developed as emergency accommodation especially for disaster operation. The house is built on a wooden foundation so that it can be easily demounted and re-erected somewhere else anytime if necessary.

Services: structural design

The new building is erected as separate structure at the campus of the University of Music and Performing Arts in the 3^rd district of Vienna on behalf of BIG. The building will comprise three institutes of the university in its two underground and three above-ground floors with a concert hall, a sound theatre, a big recording hall, teaching studios, practice rooms and a cinema.

On 16 July 2015 planning was initiated by a kick-off meeting. At the moment user coordination is carried out and the concepts of the individual expert planners are worked out and coordinated. The submission of the preliminary design is planned for the end of September 2015.

Design management: Pichler & Traupmann Architekten ZT GmbH

Services of FCP: Design management internal coordination, static and structural design, commercial management, tender preparation, project leader and planning coordinator, check engineer

Three new traffic light symbols on the topic of diversity were designed for 49 selected pedestrian crossings in Vienna. The design shows one symbol each for red and green traffic lights.

Traffic safety – raised awareness during the red phase – and conveyance of up-to-date social topics (diversity) are the focuses of this campaign. It was important to us to represent the contents in a congenial and positive way. It had to be considered that the fixed size of the light signal diameter only allowed a limited illustration. A quick perceptibility of the contents without affecting traffic safety was essential.

The section U1/13 "Turnout System Favoritenstrasse" is part of the extension of the underground railway line U1 from the station "Reumannplatz" to the district Oberlaa. The Tunnel will be constructed on one hand with the open cut method and on the other hand with the cut and cover method. The temporary construction pit will be managed with several pile walls. In total, 870 bore piles will be deepened with a total length of approximately 12 km. Theexcavation at this construction stage amounts to approx. 80,000 m³. Currently, the last bore piles are produced and the excavation and structural works are running at full speed.

Services: structural design (submission design, tender design, examination of variants, detailed design); traffic planning

In December 2014 the Drau river crossing of the Koralm railway line was completed and delivered with the assembly of the last noise barrier stays after two years of construction.

Starting with the competition VCE has successfully monitored this project during all its design and construction phases and has handled it to the full satisfaction of the client.

The restaurant Steirereck in Vienna’s Stadtpark shall be re-launched.  Actually the restaurant was extended by a pavilion into the direction of the park. “All-the-year garden operation” shall be provided.

The restaurant and the park are connected via the metallized facade and the windows that can be moved beyond the edge of the roof. The roof area is used as herb garden. The two newly erected basement floors accommodate the extension of the kitchen premises.

Architecture: PPAG architects ztgmbh

Services VCE: Technical and financial control

Starting in August 2014 the first load tests were carried out at the new route VDE 8.2 Erfurt-Leipzig/Halle. Subsequently test runs at different speeds up to a maximum speed of 330 km/h were performed with ICE-S trains.  

In the scope of these tests VCE determined the longitudinal stresses of the rails at a total offive measuring sections on three viaducts (Scherkonde valley, Unstrut valley and Saale-Elster valley). Among other things, they served for the verification of the calculations carried out by VCE in the scope of track system design.

In a total of six weeks 16 new measurement systems with 130 strain gauges and approx. 3000 m of cables were installed. In addition a further section was instrumented with four accelerometers and 36 displacement transducers for the determination of track system deformation.

The measurements of the test and load runs with up to 330 km/h were subsequently supervised on site for a further four weeks. All in all the test runs showed that the behaviour of the track system is non-problematic.

Services VCE: Measurements and analyses of longitudinal stresses of the rails and track deformations

Sections O2-O3

The objective of the project Tram/Regional Railway in central Tyrol is the establishment of an efficient infrastructure for the local public transport.

VCE was assigned with the noise and vibration engineering design of fünf sections of the link Völs– Rum in the urban area of Innsbruck.

The services include a comprehensive survey of the buildings and the current noise and vibration exposure as well as the prediction of expected immissionsand the planning of any required measures.

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Mayreder Bridge is designed as a pedestrian and cycle path bridge for crossing the existing and future traffic routes in the area of the existing U2 station Aspern.

Currently variation studies are carried out for the project in order to find the optimum solution for the design of the northern forecourt.

Construction is scheduled to start in spring 2015 and it is to be opened and released to traffic in autumn 2016.

Architectural co-design: Treusch architecture

The fortress of Golubac including accessory projects shall be turned to a major tourist attraction of the region. For this purpose the historic and listed fortress of Golubac is revitalized and expanded by tourist facilities. Currently a road passes through the fortress (approx. from the 13^th century). For touristic utilization of the fortress this road has to be relocated. In the course of this new road (length approx. 800m) a tunnel has to be built as well (approx. 200m).

For an increased touristic attractiveness of the region a new visitor centre with connected archaeological park is established. In addition the Danube bank in the area of the project is equipped with a pedestrian and cycle path.

Furthermore a pier will be erected, which should enable tourists and persons passing the fortress by boat to visit the fortress.

The construction and revitalization works are carried out in close cooperation with the authorities for archaeology and the department for monument protection.

The project is funded by the European Commission, the implementation of the project and the administration of the budget is performed by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) – the Agency for Austrian development cooperation.

Architect: Marija Jovin, ALBO inzenjering
Visualisations © Boris Horosavin

On 22. November 2013 the last two platforms (8/9) of the new Salzburg main railway station were put into operation.

During the four-year reconstruction phase the important TEN junction became a modern through station. The reconstruction works took place under full operation of the station and were continuously supervised by the Austrian authority for the preservation of historical monuments.

The total reconstruction comprises 4,000 m² of leased areas, 3,200 m² of technical facilities/infrastructure and 2,800 m² of passage/ exploitation under the tracks in the new part as well as approx. 10,000 m² of useful area in the existing building.

The successful integration of both historic arched roof structures into the modern platform roof with approx. 22,000 m² was awarded the Austrian Design Prize and the European Steel Construction Prize in 2013.

Services for ÖBB infrastructure new construction project:

• Project control
• Building coordination
• Maintenance and waste management concepts
• Design coordination of temporary solutions
• Expertise cost allocationInfra - IMMO
• Wind tunnel tests and computer-aided simulations

Services for ÖBB real estate project (station building):

• Building coordination
• Site supervision construction, electrical engineering, heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR)

On 4 October the campus of the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration(WU) was inaugurated. In a construction period of only 4 years a modern campus for the WU was established on an area between the exhibition center (Messe) and Prater with a useful area of approx. 90,000 m².

The core area is composed of the oblique Library & Learning Center (LLC) designed by the architect Zaha Hadid. All in all more than 25,000 people will frequent these six building complexes designed by six different international architects, in between generous open spaces invite people to pause.

Architecture:

• Executive Academy (EA): NO.MAD Arquitectos, Madrid
• Library & Learning Center (LLC): Zaha Hadid Architecture, Hamburg
• Departments 1 / Teaching Center (D1 TC): BUSarchitektur ZT GmbH, Wien
• Departments 2 / Students Center (D2 SC): Atelier Hitoshi Abe, Sendai
• Departments 3 / Administration (D3 AD): CRABstudio, London
• Departments 4 (D4): Estudio Carme Pinós S.L., Barcelona

Services: Technical and financial control

In the course of the project "Ersatzmaßnahmen Heiligenstadt" construction measures on the Handelskai marshalling yard designed by us will be completed this month.

Services: Submission design, tender, detailed design, design of signalling and communications facilities, static calculations, coordination of construction works

The existing Pavilion 4 of the geriatric centre Baumgarten in 1140 Vienna, which is a listed building, is currently reconstructed to a multi-purpose hall. The two existing brick masonry vault and the roof structure are completely demolished. In the interior several reinforced concrete frames and a new reinforced concrete floor is built. As only about a third of the existing pavilion is used as multi-purpose hall, the authorities required a complete separation of the two buildings. For this purpose a 4 cm wide earthquake joint is cut into the existing approx. 60 cm wide masonry by means of a wire saw.

In the scope of the innovation test runs 2012 on the new route Vienna – St. Pölten extensive measurements were carried out at a total of 9 measurement sections.

The measurements comprise the recording of sound emissions on the free route and in the tunnel, the effectiveness of the floating track slab systems in Lainzer Tunnel, the dynamic interaction of bridge structures, the effectiveness of a noise protection wall near a track and the behaviour of the track system in case of velocities up to V = 330 km/h.

On the basis of the recorded measurement data important findings regarding safety relevance, effectiveness and efficiency could be acquired. The surveys prepared represent the basis for the start of operation of the route in December 2012.

» Project

On the 4^th of July the construction works for the underground extension U1- South towards Oberlaa began.

Currently, at the construction section U1/10 – Troststrasse utility relocations are carried through, the foundation of the house is reconstructed and reinforced, the concrete pile walls are drilled out for the construction of the bay construction, confined water wells for the future dewatering System are extracted, and DSV-columns are dashed for the construction using NÖT of the station tunnel track 2.

On Wednesday, 30 May 2012, the residential building Donaufelder Strasse was inaugurated by the non-profit building and housing cooperative "Neues Leben". Dr. Michael Ludwig, city councillor for residential building and urban redevelopment, Ing. Heinz Lehner, district manager for the 21st district in Vienna, Norbert Walter, MAS, municipal council as well as Director Karl-Heinz Stadler, Chairman, took part in this festivity.

The construction works for the vocational school in Mistelbach were officially started on 12 March 2012. Currently the building company is carrying out excavation and temporary construction pit system works (retaining walls by means of soil nailing + shotcrete) towards the road. As a next step before the start of the concreting works of the base plate soil stabilization measures, i.e. deep compaction by means of grouted vibro-replacement stone columns, are taken.

A temporary port will be built in the area of the Marx-Engels-Forum for the large-scale project "Lückenschluss Linie U5" in the heart of Berlin. The port will be used for the transportation of construction materials. The port basin will be 80 m long and 9 m wide. In the scope of the underground railway construction a maximum of three barges will dock daily in order to remove approx. 160,000 m³ of excavated earth and to deliver approx. 18,000 precast concrete components.