It has become November in Denmark – a lot. The recent days’ heavy rain over Zealand and Lolland-Falster is also leaving a mark on the work on the 30 kilometers of the Ringsted-Femern track, which Banedanmark and the contractor M.J. Eriksson is currently working on
– We have received a lot of water, and that presents a number of challenges. We are not quite finished with the drainage systems yet, so we have many pumps running, says Jens Aalund, project manager at Banedanmark.
The rain a problem for the earthwork
The wet weather is especially a problem for earthworks. Fortunately, it is over for most of the stretch, but there is still some work to be done. The soil must also be lime stabilized in some places. And the rain has simply made that work impossible, and the contractor has had to send his people home in dry weather.
– The weather is the builder’s risk. So we have to wait for dry weather. But it was foreseen, so we have a good buffer in the schedule. We struggle with the water in many places, but we are not under pressure as such. It is autumn every year in Denmark, so we have taken that into account. And we’ve had a couple of very dry years up until this year, so we still have a buffer to draw from, says Jens Aalund.
Can’t get rid of the water
The biggest problem right now is getting rid of the water. Recent large amounts of rain have completely filled lakes and streams, so there is really nowhere to pump the water to. So if you can get pumps:
– There is a very high demand for pumps and hoses at the moment. But it’s not something I’m nervous about, says the project manager.
– Certainly not an everyday situation
But even if it doesn’t exactly cause nervousness or sleepless nights for Jens Aalund, the wet weather of the last few days has nevertheless made an impression:
– I have been here for ten years and have been with Ringsted-Femern all the way. And this is probably one of the worst things I’ve experienced. It is certainly not an everyday situation. It is not surprising that it rains in the autumn, but what is extraordinary is the amount of water, says Jens Aalund.
Will lay rails by March
However, the project manager is completely confident that the work will probably be completed in enough time for the track contractor, Strukton Rail, to start laying rails by March.
