Retaining walls for a road overpass

Project description

The project located south east from Riga, Latvia. It is a part of the Ķekava bypass, which after its construction will be the new section of the road A7 Riga–Bauska and it will be a part of the international road E67 Via Baltica passing through the municipality of Kekava. The new bypass will enhance the connectivity between the Baltic capitals and nearby municipalities, while also diverting traffic from crowded areas, leading to increased road safety and reduced travel times. The total length of its lane kilometres will be approximately 100 km, including six bridges, interchanges and overpasses, nine roundabouts, two tunnels etc.

Solution

The original solution for the construction of the vertical walls of the approaches to the road overpass was sheet piling, but for commercial, environmental and time reasons this was replaced by a more effective system Fortrac^® Panel, i.e. geogrid-reinforced soil with segmental concrete panels as facing elements. The side walls of the approach embankments are made of geogrid-reinforced soil, while the front walls are founded on piles and constructed as conventional concrete abutments. The maximum height of the walls is 9 m. The total length of two approaching embankments is 260 m and the total facing area is 2650 m².

Benefits

HUESKER’s uni-axial polyester flexible geogrids Fortrac were used for soil reinforcement. To be wrapped back effectively, the geogrid needs to possess certain flexibility, suitable load-strain characteristics and durability. Non-woven geotextiles were used for erosion control at the joints of the segmental panels. Local sand was used as fill making logistics simple and effective. The quick and easy installation of the segmental concrete panels reduced the construction time and cost associated with building geogrid-reinforced walls. Such facing provides a robust, resistant to weathering, erosion, and other environmental factors and architecturally pleasing solution. Segmental concrete panels can be designed in various colors, textures, and finishes to create an attractive, uniform appearance for the wall. With their extensive knowledge and experience of local soil conditions, the local engineering team managed all aspects of the design work, including technical drawings and calculations that adhered to local design principles. The project participants' expertise and innovative approach were advantageous. The utilization of the chosen HUESKER products facilitated the successful completion of the technically demanding part of the new Kekavas Bypass.