Video: First pier complete for HS2's Wendover Dean Viaduct
The team delivering HS2's Wendover Dean Viaduct have completed the assembly of the first of nine piers that will support the 450m-long viaduct deck.
The piers are made up of a series of hollow pre-cast concrete shells that are placed on top of each other and filled with concrete and steel reinforcing. This approach was chosen to enable a crisp, clean external finish to the concrete, cut the amount of work on site and reduce disruption for local residents.
Nine evenly spaced piers will support the deck of the viaduct and will be placed to carefully reflect the near symmetry of the ground beneath.
Early in 2024, HS2’s main works contractor, EKFB - a team made up of Eiffage, Kier, Ferrovial Construction and BAM Nuttall – will launch the first of five 90m long viaduct deck spans out onto the viaduct piers.
The huge spans are assembled on site, with pre-cast concrete sections added to form the box-like structure. These will then be slowly pushed out from the north abutment onto each of the concrete piers.
Once complete, HS2 will link London, Birmingham and the North – dramatically improving journeys while freeing up space for more freight and local services on the existing network.
Trains will be powered by zero-carbon electricity from day one and carry up to 1,100 passengers.
The double composite approach is set to save an estimated 7,433 tonnes of embodied carbon within materials – the equivalent of someone taking 20,500 return flights from London to Edinburgh – and help HS2 achieve its goal of halving the amount of embedded carbon in construction.
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