Luc De Clercq, acting technical sub-sector manager at Infrabel:
The combination of heavy rail traffic and a subsidence-prone subsoil caused a concrete slab beneath the approach to the railway bridge in Willebroek to subside. To avoid disrupting rail traffic, the URETEK FloorLift® method was applied overnight. It was a success.
Luc De Clercq, acting technical sub-sector manager at Infrabel: “We had two options for resolving the problem: a complete dismantling of our local railway infrastructure, followed by the removal of the ten-tonne concrete slab. We would then, based on a thorough soil analysis and study, have had to renovate and reinforce the sub-bases using a rather invasive method, or the URETEK method. The first option would have had a significant impact on train services and general operational conditions. From a technical, organisational and economic point of view, we favoured the second option. URETEK offers excellent value for money and guarantees, so we quickly arranged a meeting on site at the worksite to discuss and map out all the technical and organisational aspects together with URETEK’s experts.
Added value
According to Luc De Clercq and the entire Infrabel team, it did take some head-scratching to ensure the work was carried out properly: “The transfer mechanism from the fixed railway line to the mechanically rotating, opening railway bridge is adjusted to the nearest millimetre. It was of the utmost importance that the level of the upper running surface of the rails at the transfer pins was maintained at the same height under all circumstances. URETEK works with great precision and control, but cannot guarantee that a millimetre of play will not occur. To reduce this risk to zero, we first constructed a mechanical stop ourselves and installed and adjusted its height in advance to secure the transfer mechanism at its correct level during the repair work. This provided added value for both parties, as it enabled URETEK to distribute the expansion resin more effectively across the width.”
Smooth and well-organised
“The work proceeded very smoothly and in a well-organised manner: the URETEK staff adapted perfectly to our safety guidelines, and there were regular technical consultations throughout the process to discuss progress. The staff were also skilled and technically knowledgeable. We are very satisfied with the result: after removing our formwork, there was no sign of any post-expansion effect. The settlement had been rectified to the nearest millimetre at all four measured points and geometrically stabilised.
Even after the first two weeks of dynamic track loading, no new settlements or subsidence have occurred. We are very pleased with this!”
