The unique solutions offered by the MEVA are supporting the work on one of the country’s largest railway projects

We regularly report on the Southern Circular Railway project. In January 2024, the second major phase of construction began, during which railway capacity will be expanded between Ferencváros and Kelenföld stations, two new railway stops will be built in the Közvágóhíd and Nádorkert areas, railway bridges will be rebuilt at seven locations, and the necessary noise barriers will also be installed.

As we learnt from our previous interview: „At the Közvágóhíd station, four tracks will be built instead of the current two, and the bridge will be significantly longer, with a pedestrian underpass and a concourse underneath it. First, the bridge abutments must be constructed here, and the two tracks must be created, which will be placed alongside the existing two using a temporary and then a permanent solution. Only then can the old structure be demolished, the span widened, the substructure built, and the superstructure installed.”

The investor Építési és Közlekedési Minisztérium (ÉKM) information, bridge construction work is currently underway in the vicinity of Közvágóhíd. The project is being carried out by V-Híd Zrt, with Constexpert Kft. playing a role in the above tasks, having chosen MEVA formwork technology solutions for the construction of the piers.

One of the greatest challenges of the construction project is the reinforced concrete columns with varying geometries, which are being built using non-standard formwork systems.

We spoke on site about the details of the works with Attila Murányi, site manager for Constexpert Kft., and Szabolcs Gazgyik, sales engineer for MEVA.

Custom formwork designed for individual columns

Attila Murányi explained that the pillars, which are 4.23 and 7 metres tall, are unique not only in terms of their size but also in terms of their finish, as they will feature a distinctive surface pattern.

The column formwork was constructed using components from the MEVA Mammut system, which were customised to suit the project’s geometric requirements and the required surface finish. Custom-made, curved wooden inserts were installed and cladded into the steel formwork panels, with a special rubber stamp applied to their surface. The layer sequence used ensured the distinctive, textured appearance of the concrete surfaces.

„This is no longer a simple formwork with a smooth surface. Every element here has been custom-made, from the wooden inserts right through to the bonded rubber sheet, which creates the final pattern.”

– said the site manager.

Trial casting, strict technical procedures

The special formwork solutions were tested using trial pours, which successfully demonstrated the system’s functionality. During construction, particular attention had to be paid to temperature conditions: the columns were fully wrapped in plastic sheeting, and where necessary, the structure was heated from the outside and from above.

The scheduling of work processes was also affected by the winter season. Formwork and steelwork can be carried out in cold weather, but concreting is not possible at temperatures below minus 10 degrees Celsius; in such cases, resources had to be reallocated to other tasks.

Girder beams and track structure: heavy loads, varying supports

In parallel with the construction of the columns, work has also begun on the formwork and scaffolding for the header beams.

The heavy-duty MEP scaffolding system was used for the works; when assembled as scaffolding towers, it provides a load-bearing capacity of 40 kN per leg. The modular design of the scaffolding system allows for the precise and safe arrangement of supports at varying levels, ensuring stable support throughout the entire concreting process.

One of the most spectacular stages of the Southern Circular Railway project will be the rolling of the bridge into position, which is scheduled for July 2026. By then, the track structure must also be ready, which will require a high degree of organisational and technical discipline from everyone involved in the construction.

Systems prepared off-site and installed on-site

Speaking on behalf of MEVA, Szabolcs Gazgyik emphasised that preparations for the project had begun as soon as the plans were received, months before work began on site.

The custom formwork for the columns was designed by formwork engineer Krisztián Csordás. Based on the plans, the formwork components were assembled at the company’s site, with a 3D design process ensuring precise and coordinated execution.

„The outline of the columns is unconventional, so we had to convert the existing formwork panels into a custom-designed arched box structure capable of withstanding the loads resulting from the concrete pressure”

- he said.

Custom inserts for the formwork elements were manufactured using CNC milling technology, onto which the contractor subsequently applied a special surface-finishing film. One of the advantages of the system is that the formwork for the larger columns can be dismantled after concreting, stored on site, and reused in subsequent phases.

Tailor-made solutions for a complex project

The development of the Southern Circular Railway stands out not only for its scale but also for its technical complexity. The varying heights of the piers, the differing support planes and the unique surface finishes are all challenges that can only be addressed with bespoke formwork and scaffolding solutions.

The bespoke modifications to the MEVA Mammut system are a prime example of how industrial formwork systems can be adapted to create project-specific solutions for the successful completion of a railway project of national significance.