Big projects, small details
highway
E40
Renovating a busy highway in full operation

For the bridge crossing over the highway, we closed off part of the E40 during the night to install six girders. We installed a 450-tonne crane on the road, while a 700-tonne crane was prepared beside the road beforehand. The 44-metre-long and 110-tonnes-heavy concrete structures arrived via specialised transport, were lifted and installed consecutively, with only centimetres to spare. Afterwards, we dismantled the crane on the road, cleaned up and opened the highway again. All of this happened within a time frame of twelve hours, to reduce impact on traffic. Just as planned.

6 girders

Wouter Van Der Fraenen
Site Manager Soetaert

No highway bridge without foundations, this is how Soetaert got started

Our in-house foundation specialist subsidiary Soetaert is responsible for the foundations of the bridge. Almost 500 piles of 14 metres had to be driven into the ground to provide the most stable foundation for the bridges. As the construction takes place right next to the train tracks, this provides an extra challenge for our colleagues. Our colleague Wouter explains a bit more about the foundation works of the second phase.

The highway bridge crossing over the train tracks had been installed in the 1960s and originally only had two lanes on each side, along with an emergency lane. This was turned into a regular lane afterwards to cope with heavier traffic. For this upgrade, we needed an entire new structure to provide enough space for three regular lanes along with an emergency lane in both directions. We also added noise screens to the design on both sides to lower the inconvenience for the people in the neighbourhood.

With the E40 being one of the busiest roads in Belgium, closing off the highway and diverting traffic the entire time is not an option. Along with this, demolishing of the old bridge had to take place while the train tracks below were taken out of service for a weekend. So, we planned and adapted our plans to minimise the hindrance to traffic on the road and the tracks.

We placed a temporary bridge next to the highway, and diverted traffic while one part of the bridge was demolished and rebuilt. Next, we removed the temporary bridge and diverted traffic over the new bridge and are in the process of constructing the second part of the new bridge.

Rebuilding a highway over train tracks
Big
projects, small details

The E40, one of Europe’s longest highways, has a long history. The construction of the Belgian part of this road started in the 1930s. This means that thorough renovations are necessary to keep it safe and fit for modern traffic. Jan De Nul is rebuilding two bridges between Ghent and Brussels: one crossing above train tracks, the other one spanning across the highway itself. And all this while the motorway remains accessible to all mobilists as usual.

Lifting girders above the highway
Big projects, small details
Renovating a busy highway in full operation
highway
E40
700-tonne crane
44 meter long
110 tonnes
450-tonne crane

For the bridge crossing over the highway, we closed off part of the E40 during the night to install six girders. We installed a 450-tonne crane on the road, while a 700-tonne crane was prepared beside the road beforehand. The 44-metre-long and 110-tonnes-heavy concrete structures arrived via specialised transport, were lifted and installed consecutively, with only centimetres to spare. Afterwards, we dismantled the crane on the road, cleaned up and opened the highway again. All of this happened within a time frame of twelve hours, to reduce impact on traffic. Just as planned.

Lifting girders above the highway
6 girders

Wouter Van Der Fraenen
Site Manager Soetaert

No highway bridge without foundations, this is how Soetaert got started

Our in-house foundation specialist subsidiary Soetaert is responsible for the foundations of the bridge. Almost 500 piles of 14 metres had to be driven into the ground to provide the most stable foundation for the bridges. As the construction takes place right next to the train tracks, this provides an extra challenge for our colleagues. Our colleague Wouter explains a bit more about the foundation works of the second phase.

We placed a temporary bridge next to the highway, and diverted traffic while one part of the bridge was demolished and rebuilt. Next, we removed the temporary bridge and diverted traffic over the new bridge and are in the process of constructing the second part of the new bridge.

With the E40 being one of the busiest roads in Belgium, closing off the highway and diverting traffic the entire time is not an option. Along with this, demolishing of the old bridge had to take place while the train tracks below were taken out of service for a weekend. So, we planned and adapted our plans to minimise the hindrance to traffic on the road and the tracks.

The highway bridge crossing over the train tracks had been installed in the 1960s and originally only had two lanes on each side, along with an emergency lane. This was turned into a regular lane afterwards to cope with heavier traffic. For this upgrade, we needed an entire new structure to provide enough space for three regular lanes along with an emergency lane in both directions. We also added noise screens to the design on both sides to lower the inconvenience for the people in the neighbourhood.

Planned wind farms

Gode Wind 3
Offshore substations
Rebuilding a highway over train tracks

The E40, one of Europe’s longest highways, has a long history. The construction of the Belgian part of this road started in the 1930s. This means that thorough renovations are necessary to keep it safe and fit for modern traffic. Jan De Nul is rebuilding two bridges between Ghent and Brussels: one crossing above train tracks, the other one spanning across the highway itself. And all this while the motorway remains accessible to all mobilists as usual.

Big
projects, small details