REGIONAL REPORT DFI Europe Summary of On-Going Activities Current DFI Europe activities are focused on youth: young engineers and students as well as apprentices and trainees for a variety of careers in the deep foundations profession. We developed a “University Presentation” especially for entry-level students, to support this aim. The presentation includes a link to the DFI Glossary/Lexicon to educate students on the most-used terms. We also started offering a free two-year DFI membership for students to encourage their participation. One challenge faced by our industry is demonstrating innovation in this economy of strict budgets and budget control. Developments in planning and design, including 5D and BIM, are showing promise and meeting the high demands of all stakeholders. There are many similar opportunities and technologies that we can introduce to young students in order to get them attracted to our field of activities. DFI Europe is hosting a Frank Haehnig President DFI Europe research campaign on pile inspection, called PileInspect, which is supported by several universities. Field tests and evaluations have started. When the first results are available, short courses will be held to disseminate the findings. For more information, contact [email protected]. The Geotechnical Carbon Calculator, jointly developed by EFFC and DFI, is undergoing a field test with positive response thus far. It still needs support to become an integral part of foundation projects. DFI Europe is working toward sustainable products and renewable energy sources to be part of our industry and the production processes at every level. Our Monitoring and Instrumentation Committee met several times and developed an approach for the industry to implement monitoring as a necessary supplement to professional judgment in an ongoing construction project. Rob van Dorp, Allnamics Pile Testing Experts, is chair of the committee and is currently working on a testing scheme to emphasize the importance of monitoring and testing. Current Construction in Europe Many new and interesting projects are currently underway in Europe. The Semmering Base Tunnel is a 27.3 km (17 mi) 46 • DEEP FOUNDATIONS • NOV/DEC 2014 long railway tunnel, which crosses below the northern Alps in lower Austria and will bypass 41 km (25 mi) of the Semmeringbahn (Semmering railway). The tunnel excavation was initiated in 2014 and shall be completed in 2024 in two parallel guided tubes with a total cost of € 3.1b. The new section will allow speeds of up to 230 km/h (143 mi/h). The Stockholm metro’s first line opened in 1950, and today the system has 100 stations in use, of which 47 are underground and 53 above ground. There are three lines (green, red and blue), going through the Stockholm City Centre. In 2013, it was announced that agreement had been reached on the future of several extensions, with construction projected to start in 2016 and revenue service on the first sections projected to begin in 2020. The new Storstrøm Bridge will be Denmark’s third-largest bridge after Storebælt Bridge and Øresund Bridge. It will replace the current bridge, which has been deemed unfit to service modern traffic. Cracks were found in 2011 resulting from metal fatigue in the steel structure. The new bridge will be 4 km (2.5 mi) long, and will serve as a combined car/railway bridge that will also have pedestrian and bicycle paths. The new bridge is expected to be completed in 2021, when work on Fehmarnbelt tunnel will also be finished just west of the current bridge location site. Semmering Base Tunnel (below) and Source: wikipedia.com Stockholm metro (above)
