Meteren Southwest Curve: Construx contributes to new rail connection in the Netherlands

In Meteren, the Netherlands, they're working on the construction of the Southwest Curve, a new rail link between the Betuweroute and the line heading toward the southern Netherlands. Currently, the Brabantroute is heavily congested due to the combination of freight and passenger trains. Thanks to this new rail arc, freight trains from the Betuweroute will be able to travel directly south, freeing up more capacity for passenger traffic on the Brabantroute.

Between 2025 and 2030, as part of this project, two new bridges will be built and the Betuweroute will be relocated northward by approximately sixty meters. The project includes a pergola bridge over the Utrecht-Den Bosch rail line and a trough bridge over the A15 and the Betuweroute. For both bridge structures, Van Hattum & Blankevoort drew on the expertise of Construx Infra and Construx Rental.

Standard Bridge Pier Formwork

For the construction of the Southwest Arch, Construx Infra, based in Maarsbergen, supplied the standard bridge pier formwork. This formwork was used a total of 31 times for piers ranging in height from 6.2 meters to 11.8 meters. At the base of the piers, a formwork box was placed on the footings in combination with the Construx Rental system formwork. After pouring, the inner formwork could be lowered using a wheeled system and easily rolled out.

Through-Shaped Pier Formwork

Ook de trogpijlerbekisting werd gerealiseerd door Construx Infra in samenwerking met Construx Rental. Deze oplossing combineerde maatwerk-rondingen van Construx Infra met MEGA-panelen uit het verhuurgamma van Construx Rental. De bekistingen werden toegepast voor hoogtes tussen 6 en 12 meter. Zowel de binnen- als buitenkist werden voorzien van maatvulstukken, zodat centerpennen tussen de MEGA-panelen konden doorlopen. De bekisting werd zesmaal ingezet. Hoewel de breedtes varieerden, bleven de rondingen identiek en werden de verschillen opgevangen door het flexibele gebruik van de MEGA-panelen.

Closure Pour Formwork

Construx Infra also supplied Closure Pour Formwork for all column formwork. The formwork is equipped with height-adjustable beveled edges, which ensure compliance with the flatness requirements of the support blocks. Two versions were used for this purpose: a standard type and an adjustable type.

Support of the approach Spans

After the piers were constructed, work began on supporting the approach spans, the spans between the piers and the abutments. A formwork box equipped with hydraulic jacks was used for this purpose. This solution was employed eight times, with the spacing between the piers and abutments adjusted accordingly. Seven intermediate spans, each 12.5 meters long, and four end spans, each 10 meters long, were provided to achieve the desired configuration.

Pergola Formwork

Finally, Construx Infra also supplied formwork for the pergola bridge. In this construction method, a pier is first poured against a bottom beam, after which a top beam is poured onto the pier. A distinctive feature of this formwork is that it can be anchored exclusively to the bottom beam and the work platform. The structure was 9.8 meters high and was constructed in two different widths.

Building the Future together

Construction on the Southwest Curve in Meteren will continue through 2030. Once completed, the new rail link will ensure more efficient freight traffic between Meteren and Boxtel and create additional capacity for passenger trains on the existing network. Construx thanks Van Hattum & Blankevoort for their trust and looks forward to continued successful collaboration..