Warsaw Metro Line 2 Construction

Introduction

Excavation Works and Geotechnical Challenges of the Warsaw Metro Line 2 Construction

by:

Dr. Eng. Federico Bizzi, Astaldi-Gulermak- PBDiM Metro JV
Dr. Eng. Andrea Pettinaroli, Studio Andrea Pettinaroli srl (Milan)
Dr. Eng. Elena Rovetto, Studio Balossi Restelli e Associati (Milan)

The new Central Section of Warsaw Metro Line 2 connects the historical “Downtown” area in the west to the old quarters on the east side (the so called “Praga District”), passing under the River Vistula. The new Metro Line 2 comprises seven underground stations, six underground ventilation shafts and 12 km of underground tunnels. Station shafts and box excavations were constructed in highly urbanized areas, and were connected by tunnels excavated with EPB machines. The ground conditions were very challenging, being highly variable and encompassing a wide range of lithologies (clays, silts, sands and gravels). These constituted difficult conditions for the construction of an underground metro.

This lecture will present the solutions adopted for excavation of shafts and boxes and the associated geotechnical problems. Particular attention will be given to “Nauki Kopernik – Powisle” Station, also known as “C13”, which is located very close to the River Vistula, the longest and largest river in Poland. Station C13 passes beneath the highly trafficked Wislostrada Highway. At this location, artificial ground freezing allowed the excavation of twin bored tunnels plus a central mezzanine tunnel under complex geotechnical and hydraulic soils conditions. The tunnels connected two shafts to create the station complex, while enabling the Wislostarda traffic to be relatively uninterrupted during all the activities.

Please register in advance for this event using the following link.

Download: BGA Warsaw Metro flyer – May 2015