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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 8
NEWS
STRATEGY
Training for excellence
Dry air system for stays
Bandra WorliSea Link
BANDRAWORLI 28
highlights
FACTS&TRENDS 6New Markets: Capital projects for VSL 6
Stay Cables: Brazil’s widest 7
SUSTAINABLEDEVELOPMENT 4Changing the way we do business 4
SITE INSIGHTS 16Spain: Embalse de Contreras Viaduct 16
UK: Ageless anchors 21
Singapore: Expansion in ground engineering 22
Australia: Gateway upgrade 24
COVER STORY 8Human resources development:Training for ExcellenceVSL is implementing new actions to properly train and to keep competent and expert staff.
SPECIAL REPORT 26System Development: The VSL SSI 2000-D system
NEWS, magazine published by VSL International Ltd. • Bern, Switzerland Director of Publication: Jean-Philippe Trin • [email protected] Editor in chief: Jane Rousseau •[email protected] Editor : Elisabeth Lichter-Rodriguez • [email protected] Co-ordinators: Carlos Such, Renata Kunz-Tamburrino, Doris Tong.Distribution: Sandra Puel • [email protected] Design: Red Line Photos: Derek Allan, Philippe Guignard, Laurent Zylberman, others Copyright: VSL •
TECH SHOW 28VSL is playing a key role as a bridge construction partner for Hindustan Construction Company (HCC) in the Bandra Worli Sea Link across Mumbai’s Mahim Bay, India,scheduled for completion in 2009.
BONDTECH7
TRAINING 8
SSI 2000-D26
BRIDGES 20
Cover photo : Training on safety
In VSL’s business, technologies and regulations are
constantly evolving. Thus, continuous training of our
staff is a must for us as a leading company. Over the
years, VSL has undertaken considerable efforts in
structuring and formalising training at all levels of the
company to maintain our expertise at the highest level.
Our massive recruitment of staff in recent years has led us to implement new training
initiatives, including a great new tool, the VSL Academy. VSL’s training centre is a
unique in-house university dedicated to post-tensioning techniques. The aim is to
ensure that best practices are covered and applied, and that all members of staff adopt
the same high standards of quality. Whatever technical improvements – large or small -
are achieved in any of VSL’s many locations, they are immediately spread by the
VSL Academy to allow our entire network to benefit.
Technical excellence is vital for both the staff and the project. A strong training policy is
of strategic importance to increase the overall performance of the company by
contributing to ever-enhanced quality improvement – and productivity. Our training policy
also addresses a key issue: striking a balance in our development plan between the
economic profitability of our businesses and its social and environmental impact.
We believe that a well-trained staff is our most valuable investment in better service to
our clients.
3
EDITORIALI S S U E TWO • 2 0 0 8
J e a n - P h i l i p p e T r i n , C E O
Well-trained staff: our greatest asset
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SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENTACTITUDES
Changing the way we do businessFor VSL, sustainable development meansstriking a balance in its development modelbetween the economic profitability of itsbusinesses and their social and environmentalimpact. Decisions at every level must takeaccount of all three facets of sustainabledevelopment: economic, social andenvironmental, not merely economic.
Foster a trusting relationshipwith our clients, based on
consideration, transparency andinnovation. Building a genuine trust-basedrelationship with our clientsmeans willing to listen, acting incomplete transparency andoffering performance guaranteesin terms of quality, safety and theenvironment. Client trust is alsodetermined by our capacity forinnovation with a view to meetingtheir expectations, especially interms of environmental protection.
Incorporate risk into the day-to-day management of
the company. In addition to clearly identifiedtechnical and financial risks, wewant to step up vigilance on theenvironmental, social andreputation risks arising from ouroperations. Heightened vigilance inthese areas implies enhancingexisting procedures and improvingemployees’ risk-management skills.
Lead our business sectors in terms of occupational
health and safety. We are determined to lead oursector in terms of safety, bycontinuously upgrading prevention,involving our partners andsubcontractors in our approach tosafety, increasing workplace
A ccording to the UnitedNations, development issustainable if it "meets the
needs of the present withoutcompromising the ability of futuregenerations to meet their ownneeds". Sustainable developmentdoes not mean giving up on growth.Rather, it means developing inways that can be sustained by theplanet over the long term.
Sustainable development hasthree facets:Economic: promote economicgrowth to create wealth for all byfostering sustainable patterns ofproduction and consumption. Thisimplies rational use of naturalresources, sound corporategovernance and professional ethics.Environmental: preserve, improveand develop the environment andnatural resources over the longterm. Resource preservationinvolves reducing environmentalimpacts and managing andrecycling waste.Social: uphold social equity andfundamental human rights (as setforth in the Universal Declarationof Human Rights). For companies,this includes anti-discriminationmeasures, combating child labour,enhancing welfare policies andprotecting workers' rights. Thesustainable development approachof VSL is based on seven aims:
ergonomics and expanding ourroad safety action. We also want tofurther improve the health of ouremployees, particularly by raisingawareness of the dangers ofalcohol, smoking and drug abuse.
Develop our employees’skills and promote equal
opportunity.We will make VSL a more attractivecompany by fostering the personaldevelopment of our employees,encouraging cultural diversity,increasing the numbers of femaleand disabled employees and givingall employees the opportunity to beresponsible citizens.
Establish balanced, long-term relationships
with partners, suppliers andsubcontractors. We intend to build genuinepartnerships with oursubcontractors by involving them in our progress plans for quality,safety and environmental protectionand in combating illegal labour.With respect to our suppliers,especially in emerging countries,this means being stringent onquality and labour standards.
Ensure that our businessesrespect the environment.
Integrating environmentalconcerns at VSL first meansdesigning facilities that consumeless energy and resources and thatblend better into theirsurroundings. It also meansreducing energy and naturalresource consumption on our work sites as well asminimising the disturbance forlocal residents. Lastly, it meansencouraging environmentally-friendly habits in every employee,because 2,900 small efforts to helpthe environment on a daily basishave a big impact.
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5VSL and theLighthouse Club
T he Lighthouse Club is a non-political organisation thatraises money, through
social activities, to assist lessfortunate persons who areassociated with the constructionindustry. VSL has been involvedwith the Club for many years inHong Kong as a corporatemember, and a number of staffhave individual memberships. In2008 the increased level ofcommitment has resulted in thecompany being invited to join theLighthouse Club Asia-Pacificcommittee. VSL was also invited tojoin the Club’s Hong Kong SafetyCommittee. In this role VSL willwork on the preventive measuresthat will help avoiding accidents inthe future. The Lighthouse Cluband VSL’s objectives align closelyin many areas, assisting accidentvictims, education, safetystandards, encouraging women towork in the industry, and simplybeing involved in the communitieswhere VSL operates. �
V SL Singapore recentlyconducted their first energyaudit. The audit was carried
out at the main office, workshopsand store, and initially coveredelectricity consumption. The mainfinding from the audit was that 2.3t of CO2 emissions could beeliminated per year simply byturning off electrical appliances atnight, or when not in use, and thatseveral hundreds of Euro could besaved. While this may seem small,on the back of this it has beendecided that a comprehensive study(including cost-benefit analysis) intoenergy saving devices andequipment for the office and
Energy Audit at VSL Singaporeexisting workshops is worthwhile; a similar study into alternative energysources (e.g. solar, wind) to partiallypower the new workshop arewarranted; and, that arranging anenergy audit by an external expertwould likely bring significantly moresavings. Step by step progress willlead to substantial savings. �
Hard hatsprotect smartheads
A total of about 110 staffmembers, includinglabour, foremen,
supervisors and engineers fromdifferent projects celebrated the37th National Safety Day in theNorth Region, Delhi. The seniorstaff supported the day andinsisted on the importance ofquality, safety and environment to all the attendees. �
Participate in the economicand social life of the regions
where we operate. We want to play an active role inthe economic and social life of theregions where we operate, bysupporting associations andorganisations that help reintegratepeople in difficulty and by providingfinancial assistance for actions ineducation, health and heritagepreservation. �
Milestones in sustainabledevelopment
1972: Limits to Growth, a reportcommissioned by the Club of Romethat models the impact of finiteresources on economic growth.
1987: The concept of "sustainabledevelopment" appears officially in areport by the United Nations' WorldCommission on Environment andDevelopment. Drafted by Gro HarlemBrundtland, then prime minister ofNorway, the report defines theconcept as development that "meetsthe needs of the present withoutcompromising the ability of futuregenerations to meet their own needs".
1992: The Earth Summit in Rio deJaneiro (the second UN Conference onEnvironment and Development), 173 heads of state sign "Agenda 21",a programme of action for thetwenty-first century to fostersustainable development.
1997: 11 December in Kyoto, Japan,the countries that signed the UNFramework Convention on ClimateChange adopt the Kyoto Protocol toreduce greenhouse gas emissions(including carbon dioxide, methaneand nitrous oxide) after the year 2000.
2007: The conference of Baliculminated in the adoption of the BaliRoad Map, which consists of anumber of forward-looking decisionsthat represent the various tracks thatare essential to reaching a secureclimate future.
Network
Peruvian license
> VSL has announced that SECPerú (Sistemas Especiales deConstrucción Perú) is its newlyappointed licensee for thepromising Peruvian market. The agreement with Lima-basedSEC Perú will allow VSL to offer itsservices more efficiently to localand foreign contractors. SEC
Perú's experience in post-tensioning dates back to 1995 andthe licence extends its scope ofwork to include the full range ofVSL construction solutions. Thetwo companies are assessing newprojects being tendered in Peruwith the aim of expanding thescope of work and becoming theleader in specialist constructiontechniques there. The newarrangement allows VSL to offer anenhanced service to its clients inPeru. VSL had already worked onsome major projects there in thepast, including ground anchors forthe 1980s Machu Pichu Dam, heavylifts on the Camisea gas projectbetween 2003 and 2007 and recentinterchanges in Lima. � Contact:[email protected]
Right: Francisco Capurro (Director of SEC Perú), left: Carlos Ibargüen
(General Manager of SEC Perú)
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FACTS&TRENDSBondtech
Spanishhospitalsuccess> VSL Bondtech® PT slabtechnology has enabled asignificant development in thestructural design of Spanishhospital buildings. In the last fouryears, CTT Stronghold (VSL inSpain) has used the Bondtech®
system to provide solutions forfour major new hospitals togetherwith other smaller medicalcentres. A total of more than180,000m2 of PT Slabs has beeninstalled, with spans of up to 18m.The VSL Bondtech® bondedmonostrand post-tensioningsystem is ideally suited to the waythat layouts often change to
Kazakhstan
Capital projects for VSL
> VSL has opened up businessopportunities in Kazakhstan andis busy on key projects for the newcapital, Astana. VSL Heavy Liftingis currently executing threeprojects for Turkish contractorSamko and VSL Special Projects isworking on two arch bridges for
Mega Yapi Construction. A veryinnovative method, proposed byWiecon of Taiwan, is being used toerect Ramstore Bridge's 180m-span arch. The arch is temporarilyhinged on one abutment and islifted using a relatively smallgantry to allow the addition of eachsegment in turn. The bridge'shangers are from the VSL SSI 2000system and the longest is 60m.The scheme will be finished inOctober and will be followed by asecond contract, called M3 Arch. A spectacular project involves the erection of the 130m-highcentral mast of the Khan ShatyrEntertainment Center. A temporary mast uses 16 SLU-330 strand lifting units toprovide the required 2000t pullingand tie-back forces. The sameequipment will lift five roof trussesof up to 500t for a new IndoorStadium. � Contact:[email protected]
accommodate new equipment anduses while the hospitals remain inservice by allowing easy openingsin the concrete slabs. Specialistarchitects are taking advantage ofthe technology to introduce open,column-free areas in order tocreate flexible buildings withoutany major extra costs. VSL bondedpost tensioning is also allowing theimplementation of free cantileversor transfer slabs. Specialisedarchitects in Healthcare buildingsare using bonded PT slabs in projectssuch as the new Lugo, Burgos orSan Sebastian de los Reyes hospitals.� Contact: [email protected]
N E W S N ° 2 • 2 0 0 8
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>Miravelle Tower, a projectcompletely designed by VSLMexico (21,000 m² includingfoundations) has taken the firstnational place and the secondinternational place in the OBRASCEMEX Award in recognition of itsconstruction and structural design.
> At the 20th edition of theArgentina's Structural Engineeringcongress held in Buenos Aires inOctober 2008, the Pastaza cable-stayed bridge built in Ecuador wasrecognized as Remarkable Sructureof the years 2007/2008 and theirdesigners (H. Cabjolky, C. Amura yM. Ameijeiras) together with themain contractor JCCC fromArgentina received the prestigiousJosé Luis Delpini prize. �
Stay cables
Vilnius debut> The Karoliniskes Footbridge in Vilnius is VSL's first project in Lithuania. VSL is supplying its SSI 2000 stay cable system for thebridge, which was initially designedas a suspended structure usingsteel rods. Bridge contractor is UAB ViaCon Baltic. The bridge hastwo steel pylons, each with a pair ofback stay cables of SSI 2000 6-19with 14 strands. The main span issupported from two pairs of cables,which are made up of SSI 2000 6-12with seven and five strands. The totaltonnage of the plastic-coated strandsis just 1,700kg as the maximum staylength is 22m. The cables were fullyprefabricated prior to erection insteadof using the strand by strand method.Because of this, the DS anchorsinside the pylon trumpets weremodified to use a compressionfitting instead of wedges. �Contact: [email protected]
> Success in a stringent technicalassessment means that IntraforHong Kong can now tender forgovernment ground investigationprojects of unlimited contractvalue. The assessment, which was carried out by the HKGovernment's GeotechnicalEngineering Office, has resulted inIntrafor’s Ground InvestigationDepartment being upgraded toGroup II in the list of approvedsuppliers and specialist
Ground Investigation Department
Unlimited growth
> Turkey's first cable-stayedroad bridge is being fitted withVSL SSI 2000 Stay Cables.Manavgat Bridge's steel deck andpylon have been erected by Mega Yapi, which is VSL's licenseein Turkey. The bridge has beendesigned by Pöyry Infra Asia and isowned by the Municipality ofManavgat/Antalya. It has a singlepylon and two spans of 102m.Steelwork has been manufacturedby Aykon. A total of 28 stays, sizedfrom 6-19 to 6-31, will support a14m-wide composite steel deck.The 50t of replaceable stays aregalvanised, waxed monostrandsplaced in an external PE pipe withno grouting. � Contact:[email protected]
Cable-stayedbridges
First forTurkey
Stay cables
Brazil’s widest> VSL SSI 2000 stay cables arebeing installed on the Cidade deGuarulhos Bridge over Brazil'smain highway from São Paulo andRio de Janeiro. This is the firstcable-stayed bridge in Brazil to beequipped with VSL Stays and, at23.1m wide, features Brazil'swidest stay-supported deck. Thebridge has been designed by OutecEngenharia and is being built byConstruções e Comércio CamargoCorrêa. It has a main span of 100mand a side span of 70m and involvesa total of 123t of replaceable stays.The 27 stays that support theconcrete deck are galvanised,waxed monostrands placedungrouted in an external PE pipe.� Contact: [email protected]
contractors. The first projectcarried out under the licence is amajor ground investigation sub-contract awarded by the Dragages –Nishimatsu JV on the Hong KongWest Drainage Tunnel scheme.Research and development inground investigation is also goingstrong with the development ofIntrafor’s own directional coringsystem, which is being fine-tunedusing in-situ tests. � Contact:[email protected]
Awards
N E W S N ° 2 • 2 0 0 8
COVER STORY
8
VSL Academy’s facilities in Bangkok provide a strategictool for staff training
N E W S N ° 2 • 2 0 0 8
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HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT
Training forExcellenceTechnically demanding projects and thehighest requirements in terms of quality ofservice reflect themselves in a resolutelyproactive training organisation within VSL.Given the massive hiring of staff in the lastyears, new actions are implemented toproperly train and to keep competent andexpert staff.
T R A I N I N G F O R E X C E L L EN C E
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COVER STORY
faces highly competitive markets.Technically demanding projectsand the highest requirements interms of quality of service reflectthemselves in a resolutelyproactive training organisationwithin VSL. It is furthermore ofgreat interest for the company toaddress the motivations andambitions of the staff, to have apermanent exchange concerningambitions and requirements inorder to fulfil the needs of both,the company and the staff.
Back to basics: VSL AcademyThe transfer of knowledge andacquired experience by senior staffto new staff members is one of thepossibilities to pass on not only thetechnical details but also thecompany culture and values. Giventhe evolution in recent years, themassive hiring of staff in newregions, such as India, Vietnam,the Middle East and Mexico, on theone hand and the retirement ofexperienced staff on the other, thisintergenerational transfer is nolonger guaranteed throughout the
T raining is the keystonewithin a human resourcesdepartment and within VSL,
staff training has become astrategic topic. In a businesswhere technical excellence is vitalboth for the staff and the projectand where technologies andsystems are constantly evolving, it is of utmost importance toproperly train and to keepcompetent staff. VSL isundertaking considerable efforts in structuring and formalisingtraining efforts at all levels of thecompany.
The continuous development ofVSL’s staff is a key factor for anexcellent performance. It is thusbecoming vital to properly managecompetences internally andstructure training accordingly. For the permanent development of the asset “competence” inorganisations, professionaltraining and qualificationmeasures are adapted toorganisational and personalneeds. VSL is increasinglyspecialised in their activities and
Hands-on training is an essential part of the certification course
The VSL Academy experiencealso creates group cohesion
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ever growing network. It has thus been decided to create the VSL Academy, a unique Post-Tensioning training centre inBangkok.
VSL Academy officially launchedits first certification class onFebruary 11, 2008. To ensure thatbest practices are covered andapplied, the training sessions aregiven by experienced staff and arebased on the latest updated VSLField Manual. Access to thevarious levels is stringent: awritten exam has to besuccessfully passed to fulfil therequirements in stage certification.Before being admitted to the nextlevel, the participants have to beinvolved in Post-Tensioning worksfor a minimum of one year. This isrecorded in a Project Log Book
The Academy presently schedulesone Certification class per monthwith 20 participants each. VSLAcademy does not intend to limitits scope and Certification coursesto Post-Tensioning works, othertraining sessions will be introducedon an on-going basis, new tools,new equipment, maintenance andcover other activities such as staycable, heavy lifting.
To enable hands-on practicaltraining, post-tensioning mock-ups have been built on theAcademy’s premises and furthermock-ups are being designed tocover other appropriateoperational procedures.
The VSL Academy is teachingpeople a lot. Courses areappreciated by the trainees asshown in the ratings. PelleGustavsson, VSL Academy’sheadmaster, says: “In stage 1, webasically teach them how to walk.Stage 2 teaches them how to run,and in stage three they will run theobstacle course.”Whereas stage 1 is the training onPT basics and fundamentals, stage2 really goes into problem solvingand some into other P-T techniqueslike external P-T. Finally stagethree will cover more thetheoretical part of the certification,where participants will have some
VSL Academy on stage
The Certification scheme has been designed and structured into 3 stages.Stage 1 brings participants to Foreman level, Stage 2 to Supervisor leveland Stage 3 to Site Manager level.Upon successful training, students return to the work sites and startimplementing procedures and tools they have learned about at theAcademy. During the next months, VSL will be carrying out operationalaudits on these implementations and on the “effects” of the trainingcourses in the day-to-day business. Efforts will be extended in 2009.
commented and approved by theirrespective Project/Site Managers.
Groups are small and participantscome from all regions of thenetwork to foster company values.
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COVER STORY
N E W S N ° 2 • 2 0 0 8
VSL Academy
We all speak the same languageFredy Schwab, a senior engineer who is with VSL for more than 30 years,comments on the VSL Academy: “The Academy is not good, it is excellent.It teaches us to speak the same language throughout VSL. This kind oftraining session could also be good for people that do not actually work onsite, but also for office staff, quality control, purchasers… so thateverybody uses the same words for the same tools. These trainingcourses are very useful. The headmaster opens every session with: whatis the best thing VSL has? The answer is: it is the Field Manual. And thesecond best: the telephone list. Whatever the question will be, you will beable to find someone within the VSL network who has alreadyencountered the same or similar situations and he will be able to helpyou. The VSL Academy will help to bring everybody to a same level ofknowledge, and it will of course create a group cohesion that is soimportant in our operations. Even experienced staff could come here,learn something and fresh up their memories…”
external lectures from ourTechnical centres adding to ourstudent’s knowledge.
Better understanding Students’ feedback underlines thebetter understanding that VSLAcademy provides. YuttanaMekruerod, project manager onthe Bankuwat project in Bangkoksays: “VSL Academy trains us onhow to work safely and properly.The course enables me to findsolutions for difficulties I mayencounter on a worksite. It gaveme a better understanding of VSLtechniques.” John Dan, projectmanager in Hong Kong,
comments: “VSL Academy was avery useful experience for me. Itcan help to refresh your knowledge.I have already started to implementtechniques and tools on the site I am working on…”
The VSL Academy premises arealso quite inviting for potentialclients willing to witness the post-tensioning market leader’s strongpoints in terms of in-house policyfor quality of service, safety, andapproach of proven or newtechnologies.
Enhance SafetyVSL’s bridge and structureconstruction projects involve theoperation of major items ofmachinery, which are usuallydesigned or adapted to meet thespecific conditions and constraintsof the particular project. Thismeans that VSL’s equipment isusually one-of-a-kind, complexand controlled by multipleoperators. It therefore requires a high level of engineering,coordination and skill in order toensure safe and efficientoperation. VSL has recentlylaunched the permit system MEOP (Major Equipment OperationPermit) which has becomecompulsory for the operation of allmajor equipment on VSL projectsto improve safety and efficiency.
Transfer of experience tomaintain highest standards
Participants come from all regions of the networkand learn to speak one common language.
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The permit requires project staff toassemble and operate majorequipment in accordance withstrict requirements. A permit isgranted only if a panel of expertauditors approve that all aspects ofthe equipment have been checkedso that it can be operated safely,properly and effectively. Areascovered include design,fabrication, assembly andcommissioning, as well as the on-site preparations. A permit is validfor a period of 6 months and hasthen to be renewed.
Managing Excellence The continuous individualprofessional development is notonly of strategic importance for thecompany but also for the staffmember who has the chance tomove on in his professional career.Originally initiated by themanagement of the Asia-Pacificregion in 2006, the PMX – ProjectManagement Excellence - trainingsessions have been created totrain a new generation of Project
Back to basics and continuoustraining on safety
Best practices are acquired at the VSL Academyand implemented on the worksites
Managers, with a forecasted needof 25 new Project Managers peryear in the Asia-Pacific region. The objective of these sessions istwofold: the main objective is toimprove the knowledge andobjective management capabilitiesand to prepare the personal andcareer development of managerswith an identified potential. At themoment, the third training sessionis ongoing. As of 2009, the principle of PMXwill evolve and be upgraded takinginto account the experiences of thelast three years of trainingsessions and in order to furtherreinforce the acquisition of VSL’s
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T R A I N I N G F O R E X C E L L EN C E
COVER STORY
E-learning
E-learning is easy to bedistributed and can be providedon many different supports.There is no limitation in timeand space, no limitation in thenumber of persons to betrained. VSL is providingthroughout the network CDsshowing VSL techniques andmethods. Furthermore, over150 training videos concerning 8 activities, a total of 45 hours of VSL-specific training areavailable. Updates and newvideos are continuouslyprepared and are availableonline for internal use only.
fundamental values andmotivations. The sessions will alsobe extended to other staff inmanagement positions.
No space or timelimitationsE-learning or electronic learning isa training method that providespedagogic contents on anelectronic support (CD, Internet,intranet, extranet, interactivetelevision, etc). It allows flexibilityof the training, i.e. self-trainingupon demand, according to theindividual rhythm. It is less cost-intensive, easy to be distributedand thus well adapted to VSL’snetwork organisation. VSLprovides and distributes suchindividual training online withspecific videos and presentations.
Other training programs are alsoorganised at Group level to developcompetence. The internationalUlysses and Marco Polo programsare for junior executives headedfor senior management status.Participants take a good look atthe world at large, businessconditions and businessorganisations, which improvestheir perspective on the position,role and duties of the individualwithin the corporate environment.Another axis of training is benchmarking in transverse functions,such as financial controlling,accounting and others.Experiences, potentially repeatablesuccesses, best practices as wellas new tools and procedures areshared between the differentbusiness units for the best
Well trained staff is VSL’smost valuable stake
possible use. Last but not least,such sessions with middle and topmanagement enhance a personalnetwork within a multi-nationaland multi-cultural company.
At VSL it is considered themanager’s task to discussexpectations and needs in terms oftraining and to provide appropriatemeasures. These actions aremeasured to fit VSL’s priorities:“Well trained staff is our mostvaluable stake to better serviceour clients, says Thierry Serres,Human Resources Manager ofVSL. Staff members who enjoytheir job increase the overallperformance of the company. They contribute to VSL’s successand ever enhanced qualityimprovement.” �
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Major Equipment Operation PermitThe MEOP includes the review of the following items: the sitedocumentation, the inspection of the equipment assembled as well as the site organisation and staff experience and skills. Finally, a specialemphasis is put on the enforcement of the rules and procedures relatedto the operations.
Project managementexcellence training
PMX sessionsare organized in4 courses of 3 to4 days, inJanuary, May,
September and December. Theplace of the sessions changesdepending on ongoingworksites and interestingprojects, the availability of guest speakers or any otherrelevant event. The program’s contentcombines technical topics,planning, organization, riskmanagement, result orientationwith communication topics,leadership and management ofchange. VSL’s managers thustransfer the fundamentals andculture of the company,promotes exchanges and usefulnetworking throughout the group.The courses are also completedby external keynote speakersand information on the latestrequirements.
> CTT Stronghold (VSL in Spain)is working on the construction ofthe Embalse de ContrerasViaduct, which is one of the mainstructures on the Madrid – Valenciahigh speed railway. Upon completion,its arch will be the biggest concretearch of a railway bridge in Spain.The project involves the installationof temporary stays, post-tensioningworks using CS Anchorages andCouplers, as well as the supply of30 pot bearings with capacities from900t to 1,900t. The 587.25m-longviaduct's main span takes the formof a concrete arch. The 261m-longarch is built by the incremental
> CTT Stronghold (VSL in Spain)has won a package of work for a318m-span landmark cable-stayedbridge at Talavera de la Reina. The 183m-high pylon inclinesbackwards and carries two parallellayers of stays for the main spanas well as two sets of backstays.The backstays end at massiveanchorages situated off to thesides, giving the stay cables a Y shape when viewed in plan.VSL's work includes the supply and installation of 152 SSI 2000 stays (90 m to 410m long), totalling 2,200t.VSL also supplies and installsdampers, both Gensui elastomericand friction units. Another VSL roleon the project is the supply andinstallation of 890t of PT. �Contact: [email protected]
cantilever method and is supportedtemporarily by stay cables, whichare anchored to an auxiliary steelstructure built on temporary andpermanent piles. The stay systemhas been designed to ease thestressing and destressing operationsthrough a combination of anchoragedesign, transfer beams and anarrangement of jacks. Main contractoris a joint venture, AZVI – San José,and the specialist subcontractor forthe bridge is Estructuras y Montajes(Grupo Puentes). The projectengineers are from designer CarlosFernandez Casado and EIPSA. � Contact: [email protected]
> Portugal's west coast highwaycrosses the River Mondegothrough a 610.6m-long bridgedesigned by Armando Rito Lda.Each of the two independent
18.1m-wide parallel decks has two135m main spans, two spans of100m and side spans of 56.6m and84m. Main contractor SomagueEngenharia SA built the box girderdecks using the cast-in-situbalanced cantilever method withseven pairs of form travellers. A fast cycle of two castings a weekmeant that cables had to betensioned just 16 hours after eachsegment was cast. VSL Portugalsupplied and installed 1,000t ofpost tensioning cables.� Contact: [email protected]
Spain
Talavera Y
Spain
Expertise in action
Portugal
Parallel success
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SITE INSIGHTS
16
> Two dramatic and complexlifting operations have beencarried out by CTT Stronghold (VSLin Spain) for the new CortegadaViaduct over the Miño River innorth-west Spain. The 250m-longviaduct has a main span of 182m,with two 2,700t triangular concretecells forming the abutments. CTTStronghold was awarded the post-tensioning works, the design andsupply of pot bearings, as well asthe design and execution of theheavy lifting operations. One of thecells was cast in situ while theother – 20m high by 72m long -was constructed perpendicular toits final position on a temporarybearing. The first operationinvolved rotating it. CTT Strongholddesigned and fabricated a special4.8m-diameter rotation system onwhich the whole concrete structurewas built. Once the load wasbalanced, the controlled rotationtook less than an hour. Thestructure was lifted onto jacks onceit had been rotated by 85º to enabledemolition of the rotation table andinstallation of the permanentbearings. The second heavy liftingoperation involved the erection ofthe 86m central part of the mainsteel span, delivered to site by riverand raised 25m on lifting cables injust six hours. Client for the projectwas Xunta de Galicia, the maincontractor was Arias Hermanosand the consultant was Pondio. �Contact: [email protected]
> Post-tensioning by CTTStronghold (VSL in Spain) wassuccessfully completed in June onone of the main structures of thehigh speed railway in north-westSpain, following a spectacularheavy lifting operation at the endof last year. The Eixo Viaduct, closeto Santiago de Compostela, has atotal length of 1,224m, with 24 piersand typical spans of 50m. Use of a 100m arch for the central spanprovides the required structuralresponse to one of the mainconstraints of this kind of structure:the braking forces generated bytrains. A similar solution wasadopted for the Miraflores Viaduct,completed by VSL in 2005. The
> VSL has been awarded acontract on a cable-stayed bridgewith a 150m-long main span inBuenaventura, on Colombia'spacific coast. VSL's licensee inColombia, Sistemas Especiales deConstrucción will be responsiblefor the installation of stay cablesfor the Piñal Bridge, which isscheduled to begin in March 2009.Consorcio Puentes CF-C-116 is themain contractor for the bridge,which has been designed byPedelta and is being built for clientInstituto Nacional de Vías. GermánEscobar Ingenieros is responsiblefor the construction methodology.The 80t of replaceable stay cables
Spain
Complex liftsfor Cortegada
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Spain
Accurate arch
Colombia
Coastal cables
central arch was constructedvertically in two 1,100t halves. Thearches were then lowered, ratherthan lifted, in order to minimisethe forces involved. VSL wasawarded the contract to lowerthem into position ready for theclosing pour, with the loweringworks carried out by VSLSwitzerland and CTT. It took justone day to lower each half arch.The jacking system allowedprecise adjustment prior to thefinal closing pour. Deflections andforces were closely monitoredthroughout the operation. Themain contractor was Estructurasand the consultant was Pondio. �Contact: [email protected]
are from the VSL SSI 2000 range.There will be 80 replaceable staysequipped with saddles at the top ofthe pylon, ranging in size from 6-12 to 6-31. The project will usegalvanised, waxed monostrandsplaced ungrouted in an externalHDPE stay cable pipe. � Contact:[email protected]
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SITE INSIGHTS
UAE
PT on the beach
> An efficient and safe solutionproposed by VSL Heavy Lifting hasenabled the complete and accurateprefabrication at ground level ofthe Dubai Mall Hotel's 35tpinnacle, thus reducing the
> VSL has started work on Al Zeina, one of several precinctsof Abu Dhabi's Al Raha Beachdevelopment. The 7km waterfrontscheme is being undertaken bydeveloper Aldar, which has formeda joint venture with Laing O'Rourkefor the construction work. The precinct consists mainly of residential accommodationacross 14 low-rise buildings plus townhouses and villas.Optimisation of the post-
> Dutco Balfour Beatty hasawarded VSL Middle East a supplyorder for 242t of marine ties for anew floating, production, storageand off-loading quay facility inDubai. The quay is beingconstructed for Drydocks World -Dubai. The 50-year design life andmarine environment dictate theneed for enhanced corrosionprotection. The surface is preparedto a St2 finish in accordance withISO 8501-1. A primer is thenapplied and a bituminous tape iswound onto the bars. Thecorrosion protection is beingcarried out in the new VSL BarFacility in Dubai. Bars are suppliedin lengths of 11.8m and coupled onsite to a total length of 31.5m. Twodiameters of grade S670 bars areused – 57.5mm and 63.5mm.�Contact: [email protected]
UAE
Pinnacle of success
UAE
Marine ties
tensioning design has enabled asignificant reduction in thereinforcement required, leading tocost savings for the Client andimproved cycle times for theinstallation. The peak of the workswill see the installation of morethan 250t of post-tensioning permonth and the total worksrepresent in excess of 400,000m2
of post-tensioned slabs.Completion is scheduled for June2009. � Contact: [email protected]
project's overall constructionschedule. A 50m pinnacle tops the225m-high hotel tower. VSL HeavyLifting proposed the erectionmethod to the main contractor,CSHK Dubai Branch. VSL’s scopeof work encompassed the lifting ofthe pinnacle as well as the designof the lifting platform and guidesystem. Wind was a critical factorfor the lift. The pinnacle followedguides installed by VSL on thebuilding façade in order to avoidany contact between the spire andthe hotel's glass cladding. Thepinnacle reached its final positionsmoothly within two days. �Contact: [email protected]
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> VSL has lifted and secured a5,000m3 water tank as part of aproject to pump drinking waterfrom underground to new watertowers for distribution to the ever-growing population in the upperpart of the capital Abidjan. TwelveSLU 330 lifting units were equallydistributed around the shaft to liftthe 2,700t tank to a height of 35mbefore it was fixed into positionusing post-tensioning with
> Construction work has juststarted on the new Z4 interchangeat the Avenue de la Républiqueand Rue d’ Italie in Tunis. The new825m-long viaduct will be adjacentto the existing one, and will easetraffic congestion by increasingaccess capacity into and out of thecity. Following completion inOctober 2010, the new viaduct willbe used for vehicles leaving Tuniswhile the original one will be
Tunisia
Twin for Tunis
Côte d’Ivoire
Super bowl for Abidjan Alexandrovskaya Ferma. VSLinstalled 34 stays up to 105m in less than a fortnight on anincrementally-launched curvedcable-stayed bridge in St Petersburg, Russia. Work tookplace above 21 railway trackswithout disruption to the railservices. The main contractorwas Mostootriad 19, with designby Guiprostroymost St Petersburg.
Colour fast. Blue stay cables are being installed on the 2nd Bolshoya Okhta Bridge in St Petersburg designed byGuiprostroymost St Petersburg.VSL's work with main contractorMostotrest follows the successof the 1st Bolshoya Okhta Bridgein 2005. The aim is to install 30 of the 6-19 cables, rangingfrom 5m to 27m, in less than twoweeks to support the 160m-longmain span.
Czech innovation. VSL hascompleted its first CzechRepublic project featuringelectrically-isolated prestressedtendons. The Nove Spojeni projectis a 325m-long railway bridge.The special requirements wereto use internal and externalelectrically-isolated tendons andexternal PT cables allowingadditional stressing in future.VSL developed a modifiedexternal anchor to meet theproject's needs and installedsensors to measure long-termstresses.
Parallel award. Bilfinger Bergerhas awarded the stay cable workfor the Smaalenene Bru to VSLNorge A/S. The bridge near Oslois VSL's first parallel-strandcable-stayed bridge in Norway.The scope of work for the singlepylon bridge includes the supplyand installation of 28 VSL SSI2000 stays, ranging in size from6-55 through to 6-85 and to beequipped with VSL's Gensuivibration damping system.
N O T E P A D
compacted strands. Every element,including PT and grouting, had to be installed and embedded atground level prior to the lift. Oncein the final position, 18 PT cableswere stressed to fix the bowl.Then, the 12 lifting cables werereleased and converted to serve as further PT cables, so that a totalof 30 vertical tendons Edy 6-31support the tank. � Contact:[email protected]
reserved for vehicles entering thecity. VSL Tunisia will provide the400t of post-tensioning, as well asthe elastomeric and pot bearingsas a subcontractor to the Tunisiancontractor Chaabane. This is VSL Tunisia’s second project there, following the soon-to-be-completed Radés La GouletteBridge. � Contact:[email protected]
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SITE INSIGHTS
Ireland
Bridge in full swing
> The construction of Ireland’s340m-long five-span Mulroy BayBridge is now in full swing and will
> Post-tensioning works for theslabs in the new Väike Paala officebuilding in Tallinn marks VSL'sfirst real step into the Estonianmarket. A leading local company,OÜ Mapri Projekt, awarded thework to VSL. The building consistsof five floors with a maximum spanof 7m by 7.5m and slab thicknessesof 200mm. Each floor is cast in
three parts in typical constructioncycle of two weeks per level. VSL isusing the unbonded slab system,with the stressing S-6 and passiveSF-6 anchorages at each level. The total amount of monostrandsis more than 30t. VSL's work beganin June and the last strand wasstressed in September. � Contact:[email protected]
Estonia
Talinn premierUnited Kingdom
VSL at theBBC
> Slabs and transfer beams forthe extension of the BBC'sBroadcasting House in the heart ofLondon feature post-tensioning byVSL. VSL’s scope of work includesthe supply and installation of allpost-tensioning materials andequipment, together withsupervision. The frame contractor isByrne Brothers, working for generalcontractor Bovis Lend Lease. Thisbuilding consists of eight levels ofpost-tensioned flat slabs as well astransfer beams with multi-strandtendons, located at the second floor.Construction of the 6,700m2 of slabsrequires VSL to install 53t of 0.6”(15.7mm)-diameter strand. Thetendons are stressed with 624 SOand H6-4 slab anchorages with PT-PLUS® plastic ducts. More than20t of strand and 60 anchors CS 6-37will be used for the transfer beams. � Contact: [email protected]
improve access to the northern partof the region. VSL is installing the150t of post-tensioning andmonitoring the bridge’s geometry,having completed the constructionengineering. Main contractor Ascon -a key player in civil engineering inIreland and a staunch VSL partner -is now taking less than a week toconstruct two cantileveredsegments. Two pairs of formtravellers - one on each pier – arebeing used to build the main spansas cantilevered segments cast insitu. Construction is going well and ison target to bridge the central 100mspan before the end of the year. Theadjacent abutment spans were castin situ on scaffolding. � Contact:[email protected]
United Kingdom
Ageless anchors> VSL (UK) has just completedthe first stage of a contract to test,adjust and monitor some VSL groundanchors installed more than 30 yearsago and has found them to be inremarkable condition. The anchorsform part of London’s River ThamesFlood Defence Scheme and had notbeen maintained or tested sinceinstallation. Large numbers aresubmerged twice daily with the tideand some have been under watersince the mid 1970s. Many werefound to be ‘as new’ and over 60% ofthe 123 tested to date were close tothe load at which they had originallybeen locked. The remainder werereloaded back to original values withno failures, resulting in 100%success. The client, the EnvironmentAgency, is both impressed and
delighted. The results are a tribute tothe VSL Ground Anchor System anddemonstrate its quality, reliabilityand durability in withstanding thetest of time in such a hostile andcorrosive environment. � Contact:[email protected]
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Switzerland
Rail upgrade
> The complete steel roofstructure for a new hangar atBasel Euroairport was lifted intoplace in a single day. The choice ofroof erection method was adeciding factor in completing JetAviation's hangar in record time.The roof, including cladding andinsulation, was lifted to its finallevel. Construction began at theend of 2007, with the first planerolling into the hangar on 20 April.Losinger was the contractor andVSL was involved from the earlydesign stages to ensure successfuland timely completion. � Contact:[email protected]
> Taisei Corporation hasawarded VSL Middle East acontract for precasting ofwalkways and housing platformsfor a major new residential areawithin Dubai's prestigious artificialisland projects. Palm Jebel Ali isthe second of three Palm Islandprojects under development byNakheel in Dubai. There are 504 'waterhome' platforms, eachconsisting of a 26m-long and 13m-wide slab which is supportedmonolithically on two longitudinalpost-tensioned beams and fivesecondary, transverse reinforcedbeams. The weight of eachplatform is about 285t. The 134 T-shaped post-tensioned walkwaybeams vary in length from 20m to34m and are 1,100mm high and850mm wide on top. VSL’s contractcovers the precasting as well as supply and installation of all PT components. � Contact:[email protected]
Switzerland
High speedhangar
UAE
Island platforms
> VSL is installing pre-groutedelectrically-isolated bar anchorsas part of a major project to enhanceSwiss rail capacity. Zurich’s mainrail station is a terminus, whichcreates a bottleneck as use expands.A double rail lane will bypassZürich to link Altstetten andOerlikon in a large bow, providingmore and better connections. VSLSwitzerland is working in a jointventure, providing temporary and
permanent soil nails. Due to straycurrents all permanent bar anchorsmust be electrically isolated andmeet stringent code requirements.The project involves the installationof a total of 7,567 anchor headswith 72.5km of pre-groutedelectrically-isolated passive B500bar anchors and 178 prestressedpermanent and electrically-isolated strand anchors. � Contact:[email protected]
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SITE INSIGHTS
Hong Kong
Flood alert!
Singapore
Core expansion
Korea
Business extension
> Hong Kong's Water SuppliesDepartment adopted the VSLClimbform system for theconstruction of a 40m-high draw-off tower at the Lower Shing MunReservoir on a site that was atconstant risk from flooding. VSL HK worked as specialist sub-contractor to Ming HingWaterworks Engineering Companyfrom March to June on a contractthat included the design, supplyand operation of the Climbformsystem. The biggest challenge layin the risk of flooding of the worksarea. At times of heavy rain, theWater Supplies Department wouldopen a flood gate adjacent to thedraw-off tower to release water.This would flood the entire sitewithin an hour. Personnel andequipment had to be on standby atall times ready for emergencyevacuation. Fortunately, there wasonly one 'black rain' storm duringthe project and the Climbform hadreached a height just above theflood. VSL HK is expecting furtherwork on the project, to design,supply and install formwork toconstruct a corbel on top of thetower and replace an existingfootbridge. �Contact : [email protected]
> VSL is continuing theexpansion of its GroundEngineering business with newoperations in Singapore. Theproject is for a diaphragm wall atChinatown Station, part of anextension to the undergroundrailway network. Work wasawarded to VSL Singapore inDecember 2007 and diaphragmwall excavation started in April. Itinvolves construction in just eightmonths of 1.25km of diaphragmwall, with 25,000m3 of excavationand concrete together withinstallation of 3,000t ofreinforcement. The core of thediaphragm wall team is fromIntrafor Hong Kong, but the projecthas provided an opportunity tocombine other resources from VSLAsia. The constraints which makethis project a challenge include thesite location on a major road in abusy commercial and tourist area,
> VSL Korea has diversified itsbusiness with a contract with PoscoConstruction for structural andpost-tensioning works on a tank aspart of the extension to the GwangYang LNG Terminal. The 200,000m3
above-ground full containment tankhas an 86.4m outer diameter andheight of 52.8m. The tank consistsof a base, nine wall sections, aring-beam and roof. It requires
3,800t of rebar, 24,000m3 of concreteand 1,100t of 0.6" (15mm) strand.Post-tensioning involved 88 horizontaltendons and 132 vertical tendonsusing GC6-27 anchorages.Prefabricated bundles of 27 strandswith lugs in their ends are insertedinto steel pipes for the verticaltendons, while corrugated steelsheaths are used horizontally. �Contact: [email protected]
working space limited to a 10m-wide strip and 80m of 20m-deepdiaphragm wall to be built under abridge with a clearance of only 6m.Gammon Construction is maincontractor for the project, which isdue for completion in early 2009.�Contact: [email protected]
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> VSL Korea is carrying outKorea's first immersed tunnelproject as part of the Busan-GeojeFixed Link project, which alsoincludes bridges. The works covercasting of concrete, rebarfabrication, operation of forms andinstallation of some 2,500t ofinternal PT for the 3,240m-longtunnel. Construction and
> Intrafor Hong Kong hassuccessfully avoided shaking theHong Kong stock market thanks totight vibration control during itsrecent project on the extension ofthe MTRC Airport Express and TungChung Line railway tunnels.The 40m-long MTRC overrun tunnelis supported by 11 barrettes andsurrounded by a 1.2m-thickcontinuous diaphragm wall, foundedon granite at an average depth of35m. The excavation of 7,300m3
of soil and rock was difficult due tothe presence of boulders, deepcompacted reclamation fill and avariable rock level. The proximity ofsensitive structures such as theInternational Finance Centre whichhouses the HK Stock Exchange,meant that vibrations induced by the excavation, and particularly the chiselling, required monitoringto keep vibration velocities under the 15mm/s limit. � Contact:[email protected]
Korea
Immersed debut
> VSL India is nearing completionof the 9.5km Bangalore-Hosur
Hong Kong
Steadying thestock market
precast segmental elevatedhighway project and is achieving a four day cycle per span, which is20% faster than originally envisaged.The highway is crucial for reducingcongestion. Engineering challengesthat VSL has solved include theheavy lifting of the 1,000t launchinggantries at the start of the projectand the complex erection of spansover the existing Nandi flyover.This success has led to a newcontract on the BangaloreNelamangala expressway, to beerected with an even faster cycle.� Contact: [email protected]
immersion of sections of tunnelhas already begun. The tunnel haseight elements, each made up ofeight segments, and its crosssection measures 9.75m high and26.5m wide. The work will befollowed next year by VSL'sinstallation of 570t of stay cablesfor one of the project's bridges. �Contact: [email protected]
> The Bonville Bypass Project inNew South Wales, required VSL to detail, cast and supply 6,222m2
of featured oversized, precastconcrete noise wall panels withinjust four months. The panels are upto 5.4m high by 7.7m wide, 130mmthick and weigh as much as 13t.
Australia
Oversized precast panelTo improve appearance the paneldesign incorporated sections of25mm-raised ribs. VSL cast thepanels on site for ease oftransportation. Production involvedstripping, lifting and casting a newpanel out of each of six moulds ona daily basis. 170mm slump concretewith a high early strength of 25 MPawas required to allow removal fromthe moulds after just 18 hours.Shrinkage was controlled by use ofsaturation curing and by wrappingpanels in plastic for seven days.The scheme’s design is by SMECAustralia and the main contractoris Abigroup Contractors. � Contact:[email protected]
India
Highwaycompletion
> The award of an additionalcontract on Brisbane's NorthernGateway Upgrade project istestament to VSL's relationship as an Alliance Partner on thescheme's main bridge, the 2nd Gateway Bridge. QueenslandDepartment of Main Roadsawarded Leighton Abigroup JointVenture (LAJV) the contracts forKedron Brook Bridge and theSouthern Bifurcation Bridge. VSL was appointed in January tocarry out the post-tensioning ofthe bridges and was alsoresponsible for design and supplyof stressing platforms. Kedron
> A milestone had been achievedrecently on Queensland's 1.6km-long 2nd Gateway Bridge with theerection of the first set of halvingjoint segments on the north side ofthe river approach viaduct. VSLAustralia is in an alliance withLeighton Abigroup to construct theduplicate bridge for QueenslandMotorways as part of the GatewayUpgrade project. Each halving jointis formed from two pairs of lowerand upper L-shaped precastsegments (145t and 185trespectively), which were erectedusing a 600t crawler crane. Thetwo sets of halving joint segmentswill each contain two permanentsliding bearings and aretemporarily held together withthree 400t support jacks, groutpads and stress bars pendingcompletion of the cantilevers andinstallation of the bearings. Todate, four 71m spans on the lowerend of the approaches have beenerected by crawler crane. A 165m-long launching gantry is beingassembled for use at the higherpiers. The project's casting facilityachieved a milestone recently withthe cast of its 100,000th tonne ofprecast products. The 260m mainspan is progressing with the pierconstruction. � Contact:[email protected]
Australia
Gatewaymilestone
Australia
Growing relationship
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SITE INSIGHTS
Brook Bridge involved the post-tensioning of 17 headstocks each with eight tendons of up to 25 strands. Safety was paramountand extra precautions were takenwhen installing and relocatingplatforms, with inspections fromVSL and LAJV. Daily tool box talkshelped avoid potential safety risks.Headstock post-tensioning tookseven to nine working days at the start of the project. By thefourth headstock, the cycle timehad been reduced to five days andto just four days by the sixth. �Contact: [email protected]
> The Insituform-developedPolyFlex pipe rehabilitationsystem was recently used to renewmore than 1.5km of sewerpressure main for CabooltureShire Council (CSC) in a highlyinnovative Australian first. Theoriginal 200mm-diameter ductileiron cement-lined main wascommissioned in 2003 butaggressive industrial wastedischarges had already eroded thelining and started to corrode theiron wall as well. The pipe runsdirectly under or adjacent to major
Australia
Taking the pressure
> VSL Australia was awarded acontract to design and build a 20 megalitre precast post-tensionedwater storage tank as part of theTarago Water Treatment Plantupgrade. This is one of several‘alliance’ type projects to increasesupply and storage capacity forMelbourne Water Corporation. Thealliance’s construction partner,Baulderstone Hornibrook,proposed a post-tensionedconcrete tank as an alternative tothe conforming steel design. Thisachieved significant cost savingsand a shorter constructionschedule for the 73m-diametertank. VSL’s scope of works includedthe design of the tank’s base slab
roads, including a recently-upgraded highway. The clienttherefore specified structuraltrenchless rehabilitation with adesign life of 50 years. Out of thevarious tenders received, CSCawarded the rehabilitation contractto Insituform Pacific Pty Limitedbased on the use of its exclusivePolyFlex system. This system usesstandard high density polyethylene(HDPE) pipe to create a new internalliner. The HDPE pipe is temporarilyreduced in size using the PolyFlexroller reduction machine, to alloweasy insertion. The compressedpipe is then ‘re-rounded’ within thehost pipe using hydrostatic pressureto provide a close-fitting liner. Thelongest single installation was288m. In total, 22 small excavationswere required to take account ofvalves and tight bends. One of thekey challenges was the requirementfor a temporary above-ground flowbypass system. � Contact:[email protected]
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and walls, supply and installationof post-tensioning and supply of 78 precast wall panels. The baseand ring-beam were concreted in asingle 4,188m2 pour in 13.5 hours,which eliminated the risk of waterleakage through slab joints. The6m-high tank wall was made up of300mm-thick precast panels. Ittook 37 days to cast the panels inVSL’s Thomastown Precast Yard.They were erected in four days, andthen connected together with in-situ concrete stitches beforehorizontal and vertical post-tensioning to achieve a watertightstructure. The hydro-test wassuccessfully passed. � Contact:[email protected]
Australia
Cost-saving tank design Patterned panels. VSL inAustralia was awarded designand supply of 16,700m2 ofpatterned VSoL® Retained EarthWalls up to 14m high and of 2mby 2m grey facing panels, to bepainted on site for the LoganMotorway Interchange in thesurbubs of Brisbane. Wall designallows for crash barrier loads,horizontal loads at theabutments and loadings on thepanels being used as formworkat the abutment areas.
Double first. Intrafor HK Ltd hascompleted its first project in Abu Dhabi: the basement shoringsystem for the prestigiousCorniche Hotel including a firstfor the region - a fullinstrumentation package includinginclinometers, piezometers,standpipes, tilt plates, crack tell-tales, settlement markers, loadcells and strain gauges. Workincluded 8,200m2 of 30m-deepdiaphragm walling throughunderlying sand and rock strata.Intrafor’s BC40 cutter was used,supported by a mechanical grab.
Busway beams. VSL in Australiawas awarded PT works on thebridge headstocks, viaductbeams and tunnel roof slabs forthe Boggo Road Busway inQueensland. VSL was alsoresponsible for supply, installationand stressing of CT stress barsfor the dual gauge beams.Challenges included workingsafely around live railway lineswhile meeting the schedule.
Repeat business. After thesuccessful completion of twopackages of VSoL® Retained EarthWalls for China State ConstructionEngineering HK, VSL Hong Kongwill shortly start a four-yearcontract for the design, supply andinstallation of 20,000m2 of VSoL®
on 10 structures as part of theAnderson Road development andsite formation project in Kowloon.
N O T E P A D
Permanent monitoringof the corrosion protectionsystem of the cables:• Temperature• Humidity• Air pressure
No damageof the cableprotection duringinstallation
Dry air protectionof the cable, the anchorages andthe vibration damping system
Permanent visual controlof the cable corrosion at theanchorages, without dismantling.
Reduced cost for anycable replacementNon-sheathed VSL strands
Guide pipe
Bearing plate
Protection cap
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SPECIAL REPORT
An innovative dehumidification system givesincreased corrosion protection to stay cables.
SSI 2000 SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT
The VSL SSI 2000-D sys
experience on steel deckprotection has confirmed the low maintenance costs ofdehumidification systems and their high reliability.VSL has developed the VSL SSI2000-D system which extends thesame technology to the use of staycables. SSI 2000-D is an evolutionof the well-established SSI 2000system. The technology provideshigh durability and low wind drag,
The use of dehumidification or dryair systems to protect steel decksstarted in 1971 and it is now ahighly-regarded solution. It haslater been applied also tosuspension cables. The efficiencyof dehumidification has beenproven in the protection of thecables of several suspensionbridges, including those of theAkashi Kaiyko Bridge’s 1991m-long main span. Long-term
thanks to a reduced cablediameter, which is of particularimportance for the long cables onmajor bridges.
Non-sheathed strandsprotected by dry airThe complete stay cable system isdesigned so that the strands arelocated within an airtightenclosure along their free lengthand along both anchorages. Thecable, anchorages and anyvibration damping system are allprotected against corrosion. Theairtight HDPE stay pipe isconnected at one end to the pylonand at the other to the deckanchorage. The cable is composed
Sealing deviceprotected inside theanti vandal pipe
Reduced cablediametersStrand cable with thelowest outer diameterallowing reduced cablewind load
Anti vandal pipe
Co-extruded HDPE stay pipewith helical rib
Cable with 3 nestedlayers of protection
VSL frictiondamper
The dry air combined protection
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of non-sheathed strandsmanufactured with a protectivecoating such as galvanising. A dehumidifier unit, which isgenerally placed inside the pylon,is equipped with air-pushing fansto maintain a low but permanentpressure of dry air along the cablelength. This permanent pressureprevents any ingress of water fromthe outside environment into thecable. The dehumidifier unitplaced within the pylon suppliesthe dry air at the pylonanchorages. The dry air flows fromthe pylon anchorages to those atthe deck where it is vented to theenvironment. The space betweenthe steel strands inside the HDPEpipe allows circulation of the dryair around them, with a pressureat the deck anchorage that isslightly above atmosphericpressure.
Additional levels ofcorrosion protectionThe main tensile elements ofstandard stay cable systems aredesigned with two levels of
protection whereas the SSI 2000-Doffers three levels: completecoating of the strand, continuousdry air around the strands and anairtight enclosure provided by thestay pipe.
Permanent monitoringof the cable corrosionprotection systemThe cable protection ispermanently monitored. Aprotection cap is installed at thedeck anchorage and is designedfor the connection of sensors tomeasure the humidity, airpressure and air temperature, aswell as the dehumidificationcontrol system. The anchorage protection cap canalso be designed to allowpermanent visual inspection of thestrands and wedges without anyneed to interfere with the system.This significantly reduces the timeand costs involved in the long-termmaintenance of the cables.
Providing protectionfor the deckThe SSI 2000-D DehumidificationSystem can also be used toachieve complete protection ofbridge decks that are designed assteel boxes. The dry air flowingalong the cables can be fed intothe compartments of the deckinstead of being vented to theenvironment.
Reduced cablediametersThe SSI 2000-D system is based onVSL’s standard SSI 2000 systemand uses the well-establishedwedge/strand anchoragetechnology. The technology allowsa 30% reduction in cable diametercompared to the standard system,resulting in significantly reducedcable wind loads on the individualstay cables. �
stem
Anchorage protection cap allowing visual inspection of cable
28
TECH SHOW
BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION
A landmark bridge for MumbaiVSL is playing a key role as a bridge construction partner
for Hindustan Construction Company (HCC) in the Bandra
Worli Sea Link across Mumbai’s Mahim Bay, India,
scheduled for completion in 2009.
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Twin bridge with 2 times 4 lanesThe crossing consists of
approach viaducts, which have typicalspans of 50m and are continuous overfour to five spans, and two cable-stayed bridges, the Bandra and Worlicable-stayed bridges.The viaduct is made up of twinsouthbound and northbound bridges,each carrying four lanes of traffic. Thebridge decks are composed of precastconcrete segments. Each of the twinnorthbound and southbound Bandrabridges has a single pylon and two250m spans, while the Worli bridgeshave two pylons and a main span of150m. In addition, a link bridge at thesouthern end provides a connection tothe mainland.
1
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TECH SHOWB ANDR A WOR L I S E A L I N K
Tackling an offshore bypassThe Bandra Worli Sea Link Project in Mumbai, India, is an eight lane
3.7km-long offshore viaduct west of the Mumbai Peninsula. Once completed,it will provide an alternative connection across Mahim Bay between thedistricts of Bandra in the north and Worli in the south. The project is the first phase of a Western Link, which is designed to providean offshore bypass all the way down to Nariman Point at the southern tip ofthe peninsula. Rough sea conditions at the project’s offshore location meanthat all construction work has to stop from May until September during theannual monsoon season.
2
Multiple contractsVSL has been awarded the supply
and installation of 4,590t of post-tensioningtendons; the construction engineering; the supply of special equipment for the twooverhead gantries and their heavy liftingduring commissioning as well as theengineering for gantry relocation; erectionof 256 segments for the cable-stayed bridges;the installation of 424 fully-prefabricatedstay cables (picture) with VSL strandtechnology; and the supply and commissioningof a third overhead gantry for the erection of segmental spans for the link bridge.
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N E W S N ° 2 • 2 0 0 8
Precasting of unique shapesVSL’s scope of work includes constructionengineering comprising resegmentation
of the bridge decks; design and detailing of thecasting yard and match-cast short line cells;production of segment shop drawings andgeometry control for the segment production. A typical segment weighs between 80t and 140tand is 18.6m wide, 3m deep and about 3m long. It has three longitudinal voids and a curved “fishbelly” underside.
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Barge or trailer deliveryThe approach viaducts are
erected span by span using VSL-designedoverhead gantries. These gantries allowsegments to be delivered either frombelow by barge or from behind, bytrailer along the previously-erectedsection of the viaduct. Where delivery is from behind, field segments have tobe suspended at two levels to allow the final segments to be fed in.
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Relocating a giantA dramatic
operation with an AsianHercules, one of thebiggest floating sheerlegcranes in the world, wasrequired to relocate thetwo 1,200t overheadgantries used for approachspan erection. The mainchallenges for thisoperation, whoseengineering HCC entrustedto VSL, were the shallowwater depth and the roughsea conditions around theBandra bridges.
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TECH SHOWB ANDR A WOR L I S E A L I N K
The Bandra cable-stayed bridgeThe project reached a major milestone
with the completion of one of the Bandra bridges,when the last pair of segments of the southboundcarriageway was erected end of May, about fivemonths after erection of the first stay. The Bandracable-stayed bridges have an overall length of600m with two 250m-long main spans suspendedfrom 128m-tall four-legged pylons. Each bridgehas two inclined planes of stays in a semi-fanarrangement anchored to the deck at 6m spacing.
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The Worli cable-stayed bridge
The Worli cable-stayed bridge is350m in overall length betweenexpansion joints and consists of two 150m cable-supported mainspans flanked by 50m conventionalapproach spans. A centre towerwith an overall height of 55m above pile cap level supports thesuperstructure by means of fourplanes of stay cables in a semi-fanarrangement. Cable spacing is 6m along the bridge deck.
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N E W S N ° 2 • 2 0 0 8
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TECH SHOWB ANDR A WOR L I S E A L I N K
State of the art outlookThe unique structure will emerge as a
landmark for the city and will be an ‘intelligent’bridge with state-of-the-art systems for trafficmonitoring, surveillance, information andguidance, instrumentation and emergencysupport. It will feature a modern toll plaza of 16 lanes with automated toll collection systems.After the Goa Bridge (2004) and the secondVivekananda Bridge (2007), the Bandra WorliSealink will be VSL’s third stay cable bridgereference in India and by far the biggest to date.
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Owner: Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation, Ltd.Consultant: Jacobs engineering Group - SVEDRUP/HNTB
Dar Al-Handasah ConsultantsMain Contractor: HCCSpecialist subcontractor: VSL India Pte Ltd
N E W S N ° 2 • 2 0 0 8
35
CREAT ING SOLUT IONS TOGETHERwww.vsl.com
TAIWANVSL Taiwan Ltd.TAIPEIPhone: +886 2 2759 6819Fax: +886 2 2759 6821
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Europe
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Asia
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FT Laboratories Ltd.PING CHEPhone: +852 2758 48 61Fax: +852 2758 89 62
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Middle East
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HEADQUARTERS
VSL International Ltd.Scheibenstrasse 70 – BernCH-3014 – SwitzerlandPhone: +41 58 456 30 00Fax: +41 58 456 30 95 VSL LOCATIONS
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