Companies responsible for detailed technical design of Rail Baltica section from Kaunas to Lithuanian-Latvian state border, Spanish IDOM and Lithuanian UAB Kelprojektas, had completed site investigations for the first main line section. According Antanas Šnirpūnas, Head of RB Rail AS in Lithuania, key geodesic, geologic and geotechnical investigations had been completed in the 78 km long section Kaunas-Ramygala.
“A total of 700 boreholes were drilled with more than 2000 samples tested in the laboratory. Most of the wells were 10 m. and some of them even 25 m. deep. Thorough investigations were required for value engineering solutions. These solutions will be used to devise key construction elements for the most important infrastructure objects. They key object in this section is a 1,4 km. long railway bridge over river Neris”, – said A. Šnirpūnas.
This section crosses five municipalities in Lithuania – Kaunas city, Kaunas, Jonava, Kėdaniai and Panevėžys districts. Investigations were conducted in a 565-hectare area. Value engineering solutions were prepared for a 30 km long section from Šveicarija to Žeimiai and from Žeimiai to Šėta. Designers were trying to find the best solutions for road and rail viaducts and animal passages. Elements were considered according to cost, technical, environmental and construction parameters.
“The infrastructure will have to last for 100 years so we are designing it to be durable and require as less maintenance as possible. We are considering not only the composition of soil, adhering to the project design guidelines, but also making sure that the infrastructure is designed to tackle challenges posed by future climate change”, – he added.
The designers will soon present the value engineering solutions to the public. Detailed technical design of this section and the section from Ramygala to Lithuanian-Latvian state border will be completed in 2021.