{"id":34802,"date":"2024-09-02T17:36:28","date_gmt":"2024-09-02T15:36:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.soletanche.pl\/?p=34802"},"modified":"2026-07-15T17:37:00","modified_gmt":"2026-07-15T15:37:00","slug":"retkinia-shaft-we-have-completed-the-construction-of-the-diaphragm-walls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.soletanche.pl\/en\/retkinia-shaft-we-have-completed-the-construction-of-the-diaphragm-walls\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018RETKINIA\u2019 shaft \u2013 we have completed the construction of the diaphragm walls"},"content":{"rendered":"

02\/09\/24<\/p>\n<\/div>

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The retaining structure of the \u201cRetkinia\u201d shaft is under construction as part of the project \u201cLong-distance tunnel construction in\u00a0\u0141\u00f3d\u017a\u00a0along\u00a0Railway 85 with a connection into\u00a0Railway 14\u201d. It is here that the TBM cutter head will begin its work to bore a long-distance tunnel towards the\u00a0\u0141\u00f3d\u017a\u00a0Fabryczna\u00a0train station.<\/h3><\/div>
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\u201cAfter five months of intensive work, we\u2019ve finished the construction of the diaphragm walls that serve as the trench shoring as well as the shaft frame and foundation,\u201d <\/em>says\u00a0Wojciech\u00a0Walczak, Project Manager at\u00a0Soletanche\u00a0Polska. Furthermore, he adds: \u201cThe walls have a thickness of 120 centimetres and reach a depth of 45 metres. Their impressive size meant that the installation of\u00a0large\u00a0reinforcement cages, weighing over 10 tons each, posed quite a challenge to us.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

The High-Speed Railway Tunnel in\u00a0\u0141\u00f3d\u017a\u00a0is a nearly 5-kilometre-long section running beneath the surface of the city. This key project is a part of the Central Communication Port and is\u00a0intended\u00a0to establish a fast railway connection between Warsaw,\u00a0\u0141\u00f3d\u017a,\u00a0Wroc\u0142aw\u00a0and\u00a0Pozna\u0144. The General Contractor for this investment is\u00a0Budimex, on whose order\u00a0Soletanche\u00a0Polska\u00a0is conducting geotechnical works.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

High-Speed Railway Tunnel construction and foundations\u00a0<\/h2><\/div>

Soletanche\u00a0Polska\u2019s\u00a0task was to construct diaphragm walls that would serve\u00a0a number of\u00a0key functions \u2013 they will be the trench shoring as well as the structural element and foundation of the shaft. The circumference of the \u201cRetkinia\u201d shaft shoring measures 438 running metres. The walls have a thickness of 120 centimetres and reach a depth of 45 metres. After their exposure, they will be secured with 52 temporary steel struts.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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\u00a0In order to protect the TBM starting shaft from groundwater inflows, the company set up a horizontal impermeable barrier (known as a plug) by means of jet grouting at a depth of nearly 30 metres. Additionally,\u00a0Soletanche\u00a0Polska\u00a0applied the same technology to establish the thrust block (plug-out) for the TBM. It is intended to seal and reinforce the soil to ensure the stability of the cutter head.\u00a0
\n\u201cWe began the geotechnical works in April 2024. After constructing the guide walls, we proceeded to produce the diaphragm walls. By the end of July, the work related to this task was over 75 percent complete. We embedded the final section of the diaphragm walls in concrete on\u00a0the 2nd of\u00a0September and thus finished our primary scope of production,\u201d<\/em> says\u00a0Wojciech\u00a0Walczak, Project Manager at\u00a0Soletanche\u00a0Polska.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Impressive diaphragm wall size\u00a0<\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div>

The most impressive element of the retaining structure of the \u201cRetkinia\u201d shaft are the diaphragm walls, whose thickness measures\u00a0120 centimetres, while their depth reaches as much as 45 metres.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe challenge related to establishing diaphragm walls with such parameters is not limited only to the technical aspects of boring to such a depth, but also to ensuring the stability of the trench under complex geological conditions. At such a major scale of the work, it\u2019s extremely important to\u00a0maintain\u00a0constant safety and precision\u00a0during\u00a0the installation of reinforcement cages, as at walls this big they can reach a mass of over 30 tons per section,\u201d <\/em>explains\u00a0Wojciech\u00a0Walczak, Project Manager at\u00a0Soletanche\u00a0Polska.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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The future of public transport lies\u00a0beneath the earth\u00a0<\/h2><\/div>

As\u00a0Soletanche\u00a0Polska, we work on numerous investments that support the development of public transport in Poland. Examples of our projects include stations and tunnels in both lines of the Warsaw subway, where currently we work on the construction of the final station of the second subway line, C1 Karolin, and the exit tunnel to the Karolin depot station. In\u00a0Krak\u00f3w, we are building the diaphragm\u00a0walls for the tramway tunnel and underground passenger stations as part of Stage IV of the\u00a0Krak\u00f3w\u00a0Fast Tram. In Warsaw, we are finishing the work on the Warszawa\u00a0Zachodnia\u00a0station and commencing the construction of the tramway tunnel that will head out from Warszawa\u00a0Zachodnia, pass under\u00a0Aleje\u00a0Jerozolimskie\u00a0and the Five Sisters Park, and afterwards run along\u00a0Bitwy\u00a0Warszawskiej\u00a01920 street.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>

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“Growing demand for sustainable and efficient urban transport requires the implementation of modern solutions. Investments in underground infrastructure, such as tunnels and metro lines, not only reduce congestion at street level but also improve traffic flow and minimize the environmental impact of transport.<\/em><\/p>\n

This is a key step towards building more sustainable and future-ready cities. We are proud that, as Soletanche Polska, we have the opportunity to contribute to this positive trend by delivering solutions that support the development of modern infrastructure and address the challenges of rapidly growing urban areas,”<\/em> emphasizes Wojciech Walczak, Project Manager at Soletanche Polska.<\/p>\n

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