{"id":103067,"date":"2021-12-20T16:46:41","date_gmt":"2021-12-20T16:46:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/?p=103067"},"modified":"2021-12-20T16:46:41","modified_gmt":"2021-12-20T16:46:41","slug":"hs2-colne-valley-viaduct-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/planning-construction-news\/hs2-colne-valley-viaduct-2\/103067\/","title":{"rendered":"HS2 creates the first of 56 giant piers for Colne Valley Viaduct"},"content":{"rendered":"

HS2<\/a> has taken another step forward towards the construction of the UK\u2019s largest railway bridge, as work begins on the first of 56 giant concrete piers that will support the Colne Valley Viaduct<\/h2>\n

Stretching for 3.4km, the viaduct<\/a> will carry high-speed trains travelling at speeds of up to 200mph between the outskirts of Hillingdon and the M25 on their way to Birmingham and the North of England.<\/p>\n

The first pier was cast by engineers from Align JV<\/a>, HS2\u2019s main works contractor, a team made up of Bouygues Travaux Publics, Sir Robert McAlpine, and VolkerFitzpatrick, and working in partnership with Kilnbridge.<\/p>\n

The 6m tall reinforced concrete<\/a> pier was cast on-site by a team of engineers who used specially-designed formwork to create the shape of the structure.<\/p>\n

Each pier is designed to support the full weight of the deck above and rests on a set of concrete piles going up to 55m into the ground. This foundation work began earlier this year and will require the construction of 292 piles and 56 pile caps across the whole length of the viaduct.<\/p>\n

The team has also completed the construction of the first of four jetties across the lakes to get equipment into position to support the construction, thereby taking construction vehicles off local roads.<\/p>\n

Where the viaduct crosses the lake, the piles will be bored directly into the lakebed, using a cofferdam to hold back the water while the pier is constructed.<\/p>\n