RMD Kwikform Middle East earns contract to supply formwork and falsework solution to five bridges in the 10km, six lane, Dh449.2 Million parallel roads project in Dubai from Italian contractor Todini Construzione Generali S.p.A.
RMD Kwikform Middle East is supplying a complete formwork and falsework system for the construction of the bridges on Dubai’s Parallel Roads project. The new 10km, six-lane road, incorporating five bridges is a much needed bypass system running through Jumeirah Lakes for the new developments in Dubai and will link up to the Al Khail road, which is also under going improvement. It is estimated that once opened the road will have an intake of a staggering 18,000 vehicles per hour, providing much needed relief to Dubai’s already crowded infrastructure.
The contract for the Dh449.2 Million, Phase 3A of the road has been awarded to Italian firm, Todini Construzione Generali S.p.A. As newcomers to the Middle East construction scene, RMD Kwikform Middle East’s hard earned reputation in this competitive arena made them the perfect formwork and falsework solution for Todini.
RMD Kwikform Middle East’s Stuart Bland, Key Account Manager for Dubai, talks us through the project. “We are currently working on bridge EW01, RMD Kwikform Middle East has been awarded this contract because of its extensive experience in the Middle East. For this particular bridge we have supplied Todini with a high loading Rapidshor shoring system. Designed to customer specification the system has been constructed to support a 75kN leg load.
“The bridge itself runs along a radius, this means we have had to design the shoring to accommodate this feature. The design being used incorporates a series of Rapidshor towers along the width and length of the bridge; these are then linked together with scaffold tube lacing and topped with Superslim Soldiers to help provide additional stability and strength to the shoring.
“The bridge itself requires a cantilever on each edge, to create this we have been able to use standard RMD Kwikform equipment. The cantilever form has been constructed using Superslim Soldiers with a specialised crank Soldier that allows us to make adjustments to accurately create the exact profile of the bridge. Once the profile is formed, wooden GTX beams are fixed in place to form the shuttering to shape the concrete when poured.
“The cantilever is made up of several smaller sections, these are individually constructed onsite and then craned on to the bridge. This is done by using a ‘C Hook’, supplied by RMD Kwikform Middle East, which allows each of the cantilever sections to be moved accurately into place fully assembled. This whole process provides considerable savings to programme times and is vital to delivering projects such as this on time. Additionally, cantilever sections such as these are traditionally made of structural steel, which needs to be purchased and fabricated. By using standard RMD Kwikform equipment, we have provided a much more versatile solution that is incredibly cost effective to the customer.
“The cantilever forms, once craned in place are fixed directly to the Rapidshor shoring, and topped with an RMD Kwikform double guard rail along the full length of the bridge to help ensure the safety of workers on the bridge.”
The bridge is a post tension bridge; this is quite unique to Dubai and the UAE. Inside the 15 metre wide bridge are two separate box sections called cells. Internal web wall and diaphragm walls are poured to create these cells, the final stage comes with the pouring of the slab. For this Todini is using a 45Kn Kwikstage system with primary and secondary GTX beams.
Riccardo Lameri – Site Assistant Manager, Todini Construzione Generali S.p.A, comments on the success of the RMD Kwikform Middle East cantilever solution. “ The cantilevers are assembled on the ground and then lifted onto the bridge, this makes them very easy to assemble, and because we can make them in advance, we can work effectively and efficiently throughout the day. The RMD Kwikform Middle East solution has allowed us to work on both sides of the bridge at the same time, which is a better way to manage our human resource. We can work on one side producing the cantilever and on the other side with the falsework for the slab.
“The contract was put out to tender and RMD Kwikform Middle East delivered the best solution in line with the projects programme time and budget. As this is our first project in the Middle East it was important to get a formwork and falsework supplier that new the Middle East construction scene, and RMD Kwikform Middle East’s reputation is well founded.”
Stuart Bland added, “The dedicated onsite support and the formwork and falsework system supplied has resulted in Todini Construzione Generali S.p.A awarding the contract for the remaining bridges to RMD Kwikform Middle East. The result of our work here has enhanced the reputation of RMD Kwikform Middle East with Todini Construzioni Spa and we look forward to developing this relationship for all future projects. By proven technical and Support services on the ground the learning barrier is overcome with new Systems and guarantees a successful Project.”
Work on phase 3a of the parallel roads project is scheduled for completion later this year.
