Near St. Petersburg, construction continues on a 14-kilometer railway elevated structure with 428 supports for the Moscow — St. Petersburg high-speed railway. The structure will become one of the largest artificial structures on the route of the future HSR. The work is being carried out by "Natsproektstroy" companies.
The elevated structure begins in the St. Petersburg area and continues into the Leningrad Region. Its total length exceeds 14 km, and the structure will rest on 428 supports. Currently, 234 of them are ready. The height of the supports ranges from 2.5 to 14.5 m.
Construction is complicated by the geology of the site. Peat and loams are found under the future railway, so weak soils are reinforced with cement or replaced. Approximately 3,500 bored piles are planned for the foundations, of which almost 2,300 have already been completed.
The elevated structure will cross existing utility lines, including power lines, gas pipelines, and oil pipelines. In addition, the route will pass over the M-11 "Neva" federal highway and three rivers — Murzinka, Kuzminka, and Slavyanka.
Sheet pile enclosures and temporary bridges are used in the construction of water crossings. This allows work to be carried out in close proximity to the riverbeds and at the same time provides access for construction equipment to individual sections.
Work on the site is carried out around the clock. During peak periods, up to 450 people and more than 160 units of construction equipment are involved here.