Our assignment
The Swedish Transport Administration commissioned the Partihallsförbindelsen Bridge and Skanska was selected as general contractor. The Partihallsförbindelsen Bridge has been built as a 1,150-meter-long overpass between Åsnäsmotet on the E20 and E45 expressways at Marieholm and has two lanes going in each direction. The objective is to relieve the pressure on the E6 between the Olskroksmotet and Gullbergsmotet intersections. Together with the planned Marieholm Tunnel and a new link under the Göta Älv River, the project is part of the Marieholm Connection Project.
The project was highly intensive due to the short construction schedule. Nevertheless, as a result of good planning, competent employees and solid cooperation between the customer – the Swedish Transport Administration – and Skanska, we were able to maintain the schedule.
Construction process
The area where we constructed the Partihallsförbindelsen Bridge presented us with a challenge. The traffic flowed uninterrupted during construction on both sides of the site. The E20 in the east carried about 80,000 vehicles each day, while the volume on the E45 in the west was about 50,000 vehicles per day. Furthermore, the Säveån River ran right through the site, which is a Natura 2000 area. This means that the area has special protection and conservation values that placed particularly high demands on the construction process. Work was also affected by the passage of trains and trams through the site.
Challenging foundation work
The land on which the bridge was built mainly comprised clay. Surveys conducted indicated that the dept to solid rock in the areas was as much as 100 meters. The bridge is built on piles, the longest of which was 78 meters. The pilework was a combination of piles driven into solid rock and piles “hanging” in the clay, known as cohesion piles. To ensure the stability of the structure, we enlisted the help of experts in geotechnology. We also developed a proprietary calculation program for complex geostructures.
Since parts of the construction area were old industrial areas, soil samples were taken and remediation action was taken were pollution was identified.
Like a red snake
The Partihallsförbindelsen Bridge was built of concrete and steel. By the E45 expressway, it is a traditional concrete bridge and from the Säveån River to the E20 expressway, it is a composite bridge built of steel and concrete. The bridge lighting is recessed into the bridge barriers and directed downwards at an angle to illuminate the roadway in front of the cars. The lights used are Light Emitting Diodes (LED), with an expected life of 15 years.
The brick-red color of the Partihallsförbindelsen Bridge was inspired by the color of the brick buildings in the old town of Gothenburg. In popular speech, the bridge is referred to as “the Red Snake.”
The project in figures
- 33,500 cubic meters of concrete
- 3,500 tons of steel
- 125,000 meters of piles
- 225,000 tons of crushed aggregate
- 400,000 working hours for formwork and reinforcement work
- 100,000 working hours for earthworks
Customer comments
“The Partihallsförbindelsen Bridge is an important link and crucial part of the city and region’s future infrastructure construction project. Travel times will be reduced in a number of Gothenburg’s most congested areas. Furthermore, carbon emissions will be reduced as traffic jams are alleviated.”
Håkan Wennerström, Region Manager, the Swedish Transport Administration
