World champion underground - the M3 metro line reconstruction project wins a professional award

Béla Markovich, managing director of Mapei Kft., considers the latest recognition for the renovation of the M3 metro line to be a success for the domestic construction industry. The five-year renovation, which our newspaper has reported on regularly, won an award at the MAPEI international competition for reference buildings. The best projects were selected from hundreds of entries from around the world.

"In recent years, Hungarian projects have been ranked among the best in the world: in 2023 the MVM Dome, earlier the Puskás Arena, and now the M3 metro line. These achievements are clear proof that Hungarian engineering and construction expertise is internationally at the forefront of the world. It is a great honour for us to be involved in such a major infrastructure project. We are proud to have contributed with our products and our professional support to the renovation of the M3 metro line" - said Béla Markovich.

The project was previously included among the most outstanding architectural works shaping the cityscape, most outstanding architectural works shaping the cityscape.

Fighting water - insulation repair by grouting

The modernisation began with the renovation of the northern section in 2017, followed by the renovation of the southern section in 2019. The reconstruction of the central section, between Lehel Square and Nagyvárad Square, took place between 2020 and 2023. The project is part of the BKV Zrt. investment, SWIETELSKY Építő Kft. and SWIETELSKY Vasúttechnika Kft., where the Mapei Kft. also played a key role.

On the central section of the M3 metro, one of the most important tasks was to eliminate water infiltration, especially in places where the presence of water would have endangered the railway vehicles or the electrical network. During the insulation repair, the technicians used special technologies and a total of 148 tonnes of material capable of penetrating into micropores and cracks to ensure a proper watertight seal and eliminate water leakage.

During the initial phase of the project, intensive consultation took place between the Mapei technologists and the contractor's staff, with experts even coming from Italy to find the best solutions to the specific problems of the different sections of the tunnel. This joint work ensured that the right technologies and materials were used, taking into account the varying ground conditions and structural differences. The problems were solved by the end of the renovation, which was a major step forward for the sustainability of the metro line.

Cold coating in stations - with Mapei products

The Wayet Service Kft. played a major role in the renewal of the stations in the middle section. The refurbishment included mosaic tiling, paving of service areas and individual tiling. The works used Mapei products for foundations, waterproofing, substrate levelling and cladding. Wayet Service Kft. has a long history of using Mapei products, chosen for their reliability and high quality. The excellent end result has also been achieved thanks to the flexible professional support provided by Mapei experts.