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Rail Baltica carries out site investigations for line expansion

Posted: 9 September 2019 | | No comments yet

As part of the development of the Rail Baltica line through Lithuania, more than 15 sites are being investigated daily for the suitability of each location.

Rail Baltica carry out site investigations for line expansion

Site investigations for the main Rail Baltica line in Lithuania are currently underway in the Jonava region. Kelprojektas – a local company under the supervision of Spanish IDOM – is currently surveying the area from the towns of Švecarija to Šėta. Special attention is paid to the site where the almost  two kilometre long railway bridge over river Neris will be built – it will be the longest in the Baltics.

Geological surveys are vital because they are supposed to help determine the composition of soil underneath the Rail Baltica construction sites. Soil samples from more than 25 metres underground are sent to the laboratory and examined to determine mechanical properties and geotechnical conditions for each site.  

Currently two types of surveys are being conducted in Lithuania – geological probing along the planned main line and more detailed geological surveys required for value engineering. The former entails drilling 10 metres deep boreholes every 100 metres. This will then help make design decisions and prepare for future construction activities. The latter is a more in-depth analysis that will help the designers to determine what sort of foundations will be best suited for future bridges, viaducts and other structures.

The geological surveys in Lithuania for Rail Baltica are almost halfway finished. Currently multiple teams complete up to 15 surveys in one day which amounts to a total of around 1,000 surveys for the main line will be complete by the end of November 2019. Once the investigations are finished in the Švecarija to Šėta section, the works will continue towards the Latvian state border.

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