Construction process
The Bohus County Skagerrak Transport Corridor consortium is working to make Skagerrakbanan a reality by 2030. Is this possible? Yes. According to some 30 global construction companies who participated in a full-day symposium in July 2021 in Uddevalla, Sweden, it is perfectly realistic in terms of construction technology. A number of major global construction companies are currently holding in-depth discussions with the consortium on how they can support this. Planning for contracting companies is in progress; see Timetable.
Building a high-speed rail line quickly and efficiently requires a bespoke organisation based on collaboration and modern technology. Conventional rail projects are slower and held up by bureaucracy and special regulations that complicate rail expansion, making it more difficult. The regulations are not suitable for major projects, and planning stages often exceed 15 years before any construction is begun.
Thanks to innovative viaduct construction technology, Skagerrakbanan can be built much more quickly and cheaply than conventional ballasted tracks at ground level. Achieving the shortest construction time possible will require 40-metre prefabricated bridge elements weighing 23 tonnes per metre. By comparison, the weight of a railway embankment is 140 tonnes per metre. This is six times heavier per metre and requires six times more material than a viaduct.
The longer tunnels will be built using tunnelling machines that can cover 10 metres per day. And using the material excavated from the rock to produce concrete for the viaduct elements is another advantage.
