Enhancing A1 Motorway durability
Location of work/project:
Company:
Summary:
A1 Romania
BontexGeo
The A1 Motorway in Romania, spanning 123 km from Sibiu to Pitesti, is a key project enhancing Romania's highway network and connecting Central Europe to the Black Sea. Comprising six sectors, Section V (Curtea de Arges to Pitesti) is a pivotal 30km stretch. Critical factors for construction include a lengthy service life, minimal maintenance requirements, low environmental impact, and cost efficiency. To address these, high-quality geotextiles were employed, specifically a durable nonwoven geotextile for embankment separation and filtration.
This product, made from premium polypropylene, ensures stability by allowing efficient water flow and preventing displacement of granular material. With 1.2 million m² used in Section V, timely installation and optimization of transport loading were achieved with a 6.5m width. This approach, incorporating efficient filtration for gabions using nonwoven geotextile, underscores a cost-effective and enduring solution, ultimately contributing to the project's success.
The A1 Motorway in Romania is currently undergoing construction to connect Bucharest with the Western part of Romania and facilitate smoother connectivity with the rest of Europe. The ongoing project spans 123 km and comprises six sectors, with Section V being one of the lengthiest, extending from Curtea de Arges to Pitesti and covering over 30 km. The primary objective of this highway development is to enhance Romania's transportation infrastructure, optimizing the country's highway network layout and improving travel conditions for residents. Furthermore, it forms an integral part of the European Corridors that link Central Europe to the Black Sea.
Several key considerations were taken into account to ensure the highway's optimal construction: 1. Long service life 2. Limited need for repairs and maintenance 3. Low environmental impact 4. Cost-efficient solutions.
To address these requirements, a geotextile solution was implemented, focusing on durability, efficiency, and environmental consciousness. The selected Tipptex nonwoven geotextiles, made from high-quality virgin polypropylene, contribute to high performance at an optimal weight. For embankment areas, a nonwoven geotextile (BS10) was utilized to act as a separation and filtration layer. This geotextile facilitates high water flows perpendicular to the plane while preventing the displacement of granular materials, ensuring the integrity and functionality of various construction layers and long-term stability. In Section V alone, 1.2 million square meters of this geotextile were supplied and installed promptly. Additionally, gabions were employed at various points in the section, and an efficient filtration solution underneath them was achieved using a different geotextile (BS8), which offers effectiveness at a low weight.
All supplied products, with optimized transport loading due to a 6.5m width, were sourced from a reliable provider, leading to quick and efficient installations and minimizing the need for overlay areas. In conclusion, the production capabilities and high-quality geotextile solutions offered a cost-effective and durable outcome, ensuring the success of both the separation layer beneath the embankment and the filter layer beneath the gabions in Section V of the A1 Motorway project.