Temporary road for abnormal load - A2 to DW424
Transportation of the largest ever abnormal load on Poland’s road network necessitated the building of a temporary road link between the A2 and DW424 roads. The structural road foundation for this high value load comprised a mechanically stabilised layer incorporating Tensar InterAx geogrid.
Benefits
- A reliable safe road foundation for this exceptionally high-value load
- Lower construction costs and 20% reduced materials transportation compared to nonstabilised alternatives
- Removable after use to enable reinstatement of the original highway profile
Relocation of a large tunnel boring machine (4,000 tonne when fully assembled) required 14 specialist transporters. Near Malnia, a temporary link road across farmland was needed to allow the vehicles to move smoothly from the DW424 onto the A2 motorway. The road’s designer had to guarantee a maximum surface rut depth of 25mm, for safe transport operations. Construction had to be quick, safe and economical.
The objective was to design the lowest cost road that would safely carry the in-service loading from multiple passes of the specialist transporters, while not exceeding the surface road rutting criteria. The solution was a 5cm stone mastic asphalt surface course supported on a mechanically stabilised aggregate layer incorporating Tensar InterAx geogrid.