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KARST-WATERS OF GELLÉRT SQUARE WERE PRESERVED BY THE METRO BUILDERS – THE NEW METRO WILL BE GREEN NOT ONLY IN COLOR
The metro construction is a European standard project in terms of environment protection also. Key aspects are among others the protection of the karst-waters of Gellért square as well as that no protected trees should be removed for the project. It is rare even in international relations that during a metro construction as much money and energy are devoted by the builders to environment protection as for metro 4.
BOTH METRO TUNNELS ARE COMPLETED UNDER THE DANUBE
The north tunnel boring machine also reached the Fővám square station at noon today, by this the construction of both tunnels are finished across the three hundred meters stretch of the metro line under the Danube. A few decades ago it still took nearly a year for the metro builders to make their way through under the river. Today it was possible in hardly more than a month, moreover without difficulties, which is a remarkable professional achievement. While the north TBM was going through the final centimeters, amid the grandiose rings of the south tunnel the building managers, and the representatives of organizations and municipalities concerned by the project as well as the press were first to walk through from Buda to Pest more than 30 meters deep under the riverbed.
On the event arising great interest, besides Mr. Imre Ikvai-Szabó, Head Mayor Deputy, and Mr. László Becker, Metro Officer, being present on behalf of the host Metropolitan Municipality, two State Secretaries of the Ministry of National Development and Economy, Mr. László Varju and Mr. Sándor Burány were also present. As expressing completion of the Buda side tunnel construction and proceeding at the Pest side Mr. Imre Lakos, Deputy Mayor of Újbuda symbolically handed over the baton to Mr. Ferenc Gegesy, Mayor of Ferencváros, and finally Mr. Gusztáv Klados, Project Director of DBR and Mr. Christian Genschel, Project Manager of BAMCO, gave a professional report on the actual status of the project.
FOUNDATION STONE OF THE KELENFÖLD VEHICLE DEPOT OF METRO 4 IS PLACED
THE GROUP OF BUILDINGS WITH A FLOOR AREA OF NEARLY 20,000 M2 WILL BE BUILT FOR TWO YEARS
Construction works of the Kelenföld vehicle depot of metro 4 are commenced: the investor DBR and the contractor Swietelsky together laid the symbolic foundation stone of the large area building group this morning. The eminently modern facility, which includes the dispatcher centre of the metro line also, will be completed in two years and its main task will be to provide overall service to metro 4.
Comments on the VEKE writing of “Analysis of the additional sections of metro line 4”
The above writing was posted on the website of VEKE (Urban and Suburban Transportation Association) on 6th July, when it was made public that the bringing forward of the Flower market extension and postponing of the two stations of the Thököly road section of metro 4 are investigated.
Briefly we describe the advantages, which are resultant of the earlier handover of the west extension (section III.).
NORTH TUNNELING SHIELD IS LAUNCHED ON ITS WAY UNDER THE DANUBE AS WELL
Monday afternoon the north TBM of metro 4 was also able to set off from Szent Gellért square on its way under the Danube towards the Pest side, to where its south pair had arrived exactly a week ago. Prepared for the specific soil conditions under the river the professionals carried along a special instrument brought from Hamburg on the plant, it allows almost instant cleaning of the cutting shield in case clay gets stuck on it.
Tunnel boring machines used for metro 4 are one of the most state-of-the-art plants of the world, they could be continuously adjusted by the professionals to the actual soil conditions, but unexpected events may still occur. Recently it took almost one and a half weeks for the experts of the tunnel building company to clean under caisson pressure the TBM’s cutting shield from the stuck clay. As necessary the instrument used now will be able to reduce the time for this cleaning process to two to three days only.
SOUTH BORING SHIELD OF METRO 4 REACHED THE PEST SIDE
Within six weeks, following a short changeover, but without major technical difficulties, the south TBM of metro 4 made its way through to the Pest side. At the Fővám square station the platform tunnels towards the river bed were already finished in April, thus the station could receive the plant smoothly. Its north pair can also set off on the three hundred meter long stretch under the river in a few days, and once it arrives, it will become apparent how the Contractor will be able to program the pest side tunnel building.
After a maintenance period the south TBM that just broke in was able to start the construction of the section under the Danube – planned to last for 4 to 6 weeks then – at the 18th of May. Working under the river is always a greater challenge than usual, but it confirms the accuracy of the preliminary soil investigations that the tunneling work could proceed nearly with the same pace and safety here too, than in normal conditions and under built-up surface. There were only a short section whereat clay stuck into the cutting shield of the TBM, but the professionals finished with cleaning in a few days.
A HUNGARIAN ROCK BAND, AMNESZTIA, TOOK OVER METRO 4 YESTERDAY
Metro 4 as being constructed accommodated another concert on Friday, 26th June: this time the rock band Amnesztia choose an unusual venue to its second album release concert. At the Népszínház street station the “platform rock” was pounding nearly 20 meters deep underground with Tamás Takáts guest starring.
A real “underground” feeling welcomed the visitors coming to the concert of Amnesztia at Friday night in the metro 4 Népszínház street station built by Bilfinger Berger, Porr and Vegyépszer, where the modern rock music got the main role following the concert of Keep Floyding at Rákóczi square reminiscent of the atmosphere of the 70's. To the Amnesztia’s own organized event the DBR Metro Project Directorate and the Contractor were pleased to provide the grandiose scene for the band to present its second album “Without fear” in real extreme circumstances.
TBM IS BORING AGAIN UNDER THE DANUBE
This morning the south TBM was launched again under the Danube. Problems causing the south TBM to stop last week were eliminated by the experts of the tunnel building company; they cleaned the TBM’s cutting shield from the material stuck to it under caisson pressure, and proceed with excavation of the cohesive clay material with injecting a special diluting agent, thus tunnel building under the Danube can continue safely. Ideally the tunnel can reach the Fővám Square station next week.
The tunnel building machine of metro 4 is one of the most state-of-the-art methodology options used on the World now, which allows the experts to continuously adjust the machine to the extremely diverse soil conditions under Budapest. Such necessary technical breaks can occur in the future as well.
LAST HUNDRED METERS OF THE SECTION UNDER THE DANUBE WILL BE HARDER THAN THE PREVIOUS PART
As closing to the Pest side the south TBM of metro 4 has got into a fault zone and it has to work now in clay with a consistency different than that of the previous part, and the TBM has to be adjusted to the new condition. At the construction of the Buda side after leaving Szent Gellért Square there was a short section under the Danube with similar consistency clay, and the TBM was able to proceed with works following a cleaning. Likely from tomorrow experts under caisson pressure will clear the cutting shield that withdraws to approximately half meter, now they are being prepared.
Until last Friday the south TBM covered approximately 190 meters of the 300 m stretch under the Danube, then approaching to the Fővám Square station it got into a fault zone, where the different structure clay material likely stuck into the TBM’s cutting shield. In the environment of fault zones the soil conditions are always vary from the average. Situations similar to the one now can occur anytime during a metro construction, the experts are prepared for these; moreover the tunnel building machine of metro 4 is one of the most state-of-the-art methodology options used on the World now, which allows the experts to continuously adjust the machine to the extremely diverse soil conditions under Budapest.
WRITE4GOLD GRAFFITI WORLD COMPETITION IN BUDAPEST THIS YEAR
Ten teams, four categories, one theme and 150 meters of painted surface may be summed up as the final of the Central Europe’s official graffiti world competition held on Saturday that gives home at Népszínház street station of Metro 4 on the board set around the building area. About 60 creators from five countries and hundreds of interested people are expected at this event in name of the legal street art on 6th of June according to NeoPaint.hu. The best graffiti artists from Croatia, Czech Republic, Serbia, Slovakia and Hungary will compete on Saturday on Köztársaság Square after Rome, Moskow, Liverpool, Vienna, Stettin and Halle regional finals, Budapest organizes the Write4Gold graffiti final of the Central Europe’s world competition in 2009. After the Millenáris Park and the shipyard’s island Mokka Cuka, the organizers had picked up as the place of competition the set of board – the legal graffiti wall handed earlier - around the Népszínház street station built by Bilfinger, Porr and Vegyépszer.