en.Wedoany.com Reported - With the support walls completed, the UK HS2 project's twin-box structure over the M42 motorway will move to the beam roof installation phase. Once built, the 300-meter-long twin box will allow vehicles to pass underneath while trains run on the bridge above. The support walls are constructed on both sides of the carriageway, and the pier consisting of 46 support columns in the central reservation is also nearing completion.

These 10-meter-high walls are built using prefabricated hollow blocks, with the construction method described as similar to giant Lego bricks. Each block weighs an average of 14 tons, is lifted into place, and connected with reinforced concrete to support the beam roof weighing 9.8 tons. Engineers from HS2 construction partner Balfour Beatty Vinci (BBV) will next lead the installation of the beam roof. Due to the scale and complexity of the work, this phase can only be carried out during temporary lane closures.

180 engineers and specialists from BBV and Expanded will work around the clock in shifts to ensure the first phase is completed before the motorway reopens at 5 a.m. on June 29. The walls and piers use a modular construction method called "Design for Manufacture and Assembly" (DfMA), reducing the need for prolonged motorway closures. During four separate weekends from June to September, 175 prefabricated beams, each weighing between 56 and 92 tons, will be installed. These 23-meter-long beams are lifted into place using a 300-ton crawler crane to bridge the gap between the support walls and the piers.

Agnes Usciak, Senior Project Manager for HS2 Ltd on this project, stated that this is a huge moment for the project, clearly demonstrating progress in filling the gap in the region's motorway network. HS2 Ltd has agreed on a work plan with National Highways and confirmed access dates for the northbound and southbound carriageways. The twin-box structure is located on the main line of the HS2 route, less than a mile from the new interchange station in Solihull, directly between the Parkington Embankment and Pool Wood Embankment, and will carry four railway tracks over the motorway. This project is one of three major structures being built on the Midlands motorway network this year, the other two being the Water Orton twin bridge and the M6 South viaduct.

The twin-box design and installation method is led by UK company Expanded Structures, a pioneer in modular bridge systems. The prefabricated components for the twin box are produced by Explore Manufacturing in Nottinghamshire, which employs over 400 people at its factory in Worksop. Expanded previously installed the first permanent structure on the HS2 railway line in 2020—a modular bridge over the M42—and recently subcontracted the station box structure at Old Oak Common, including the removal of 1.3 million tons of London clay.

To minimize impact on commuters, the roof installation is scheduled for weekends. Engineers from BBV and Expanded have carefully planned the construction schedule across the four allocated weekends, with approximately 44 beams expected to be installed during each closure period. The work is scheduled to conclude in September. Oliver Shore, Project Director at Balfour Beatty Vinci, stated that this magnificent structure over a busy section of the M42 motorway is a huge engineering challenge, requiring precise planning and close collaboration with numerous stakeholders.

Tim Rowe, Project Lead at Expanded, said the modular bridge solution is faster and safer to install than traditional bridge construction, leveraging the advantages of off-site manufacturing to shift risk and disruption away from the site and public interface. National Highways played a key role in the planning process for the twin box, working closely with HS2 and BBV, and holding community events to ensure residents, businesses, and commuters are informed of closure dates and diversion routes. Ian Doust, Head of Network Planning and Development at National Highways, noted that innovative measures will reduce the impact of this large infrastructure project on road users.

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