Year: 2018

In the second phase of the West Metro from Matinkylä to Kivenlahti, around 95% of excavations have been completed, and the work is close to the finish line. The moment when excavation contractors and drill jumbos depart from the worksites and tunnels. The tunnels are left to await the arrival of the rail and station constructors.

In what condition are the worksites left at the end of excavations?

“The final work stages in excavation involve the installation of reinforcement bolts and subsurface drains and shotcreting. All of these are related to the reinforcement of the tunnels, and are carried out throughout the tunnel’s excavation. Shotcreting or concrete spraying is performed for designated areas in the ceiling and walls,” explains Pentti Väyrynen, supervisor at the Kaitaa excavation project.

The lower part of the tunnel is not sprayed; the last step involves filling the floor with rock and levelling it. The rock surface allows concrete mixers and other construction vehicles to move in the tunnels during the later stages of construction.

“Finally, we inspect the tunnel floors and ensure that canals have been excavated at their base. The canals will later be used to place public utility services, such as water mains and power cables,” Väyrynen says.

After the levelling operation, a final inspection of the excavation worksite verifies that all tasks have been completed. The inspection ensures that, for example, the electric and pumping systems are in order for the eventual construction project.

“When you finally emerge from the tunnel after excavation, the main emotion is that you’re glad the work is over and the project can move on,” says Väyrynen.

From excavation to construction: everything is founded on concrete

After excavation, the tunnels and their electric and pumping systems are maintained until the building contractor is selected and its staff deployed on the worksite.

The building contract begins by establishing a worksite. The first issues to be addressed are matters such as site facilities. The first actual work stages include the construction of natural foundation beds and sewers, and the concrete pouring of foundation bases. Structures such as the walls, floors and ceiling are later installed over the base.

Väyrynen will continue at the Kaitaa site, supervising the construction of the station. He has plenty of experience of the matter, as he joined the West Metro project some three years ago to supervise the construction of the Lauttasaari and Koivusaari stations.

“I know the construction phase well and am excited about the new project,” Väyrynen says.

The Board was presented the situation on the final financial statement of the first phase of the West Metro, the Ruoholahti-Matinkylä section. The final financial statements are currently being prepared. Incomplete construction projects for the first phase still include the southern entrance in Tapiola and the western entrance in Matinkylä. The construction of both entrances is tied to the schedules of other ongoing construction projects in their respective areas. In Tapiola, the entrance is situated below the currently developed Ainoa 3, and in Matinkylä, it is built in connection with the upcoming hotel in the so-called Tynnyripuisto area.

Status updates on the maintenance and servicing of the first phase of the West Metro, the Ruoholahti-Matinkylä section, were presented to the Board. Länsimetro Oy handed over the stations and rail to HKL for the initiation of traffic on 3 October 2017. The rail, its technical systems and the eight stations remained in the ownership of Länsimetro Oy. HKL shall report to Länsimetro Oy on the use of the rail and stations and the related service and maintenance tasks as agreed.

The incentive scheme for the second phase of the West Metro, the Matinkylä-Kivenlahti section, was presented to the Board.

The Board received a status update on the risk management of the second phase.

The next meeting will be held on 28 February.

Further information:

Ville Saksi, CEO, Länsimetro Oy, tel. +358 (0)40 823 2086

Olli Isotalo, Chairman of the Board of Länsimetro Oy, tel. +358 (0)50 593 3359

Media contacts: Satu Linkola,Communications Director, tel. +358 (0)46 877 3392

Janina Lempinen (B. Eng. in automation engineering) joined the West Metro project on 8 January 2018 as a maintenance manager.

Lempinen supervises repairs and maintenance of the rail and stations of the first phase of the West Metro from Ruoholahti to Matinkylä. The rail and stations were handed over to HKL on 3 October 2017 as part of their opening for traffic, but the eight stations and the rail line with its technical systems remained in the ownership of Länsimetro Oy.

Lempinen’s responsibilities include the monitoring of maintenance of the stations and technical systems and the development of these in cooperation with HKL.

Lempinen joined the West Metro project from HKL, where she worked as a technical depot manager. She also has experience of working as a building services engineering expert and technical manager with VR Group until 2015. She is therefore familiar with a variety of operating environments and properties related to rail traffic.

“The West Metro presented an exciting opportunity for both my career and personal development. The West Metro systems are more modern and technically advanced than those found in the older section of the metro line, and provide an opportunity to learn about challenging and complex overall systems”, Lempinen says.

In her first days in her new position, Lempinen is reviewing various contracts and visiting the metro stations in person.

 

Tarja Nieminen (B. Eng) began work with the West Metro project on 2 January 2018 as a HVAC supervisor. In her work, Nieminen focuses on supervising HVAC work on the Kivenlahti station construction site.

The construction of metro HVAC systems is familiar to Nieminen from the first phase of the West Metro, during which she was employed by Caverion Suomi Oy as an air conditioning project manager at the Keilaniemi station site for 18 months.

“The HVAC and cooling systems used in the second phase of the West Metro are similar to those of the first phase. I am particularly familiar with the initial construction stages of metro stations”, Nieminen says.

In addition to Caverion, Nieminen has experience of HVAC supervision and project management with firms such as Sweco Asiantuntijapalvelut Oy, Karves Energia & Valvonta Oy and Sähköpeko Oy.

“I have experience of HVAC supervision in building renovation projects, and the West Metro is an exciting next step in my career”, Nieminen says.

For Nieminen, the technical building services of metro stations and a large shopping centre have much in common. At a metro station, the systems are simply implemented underground.

“When building a metro station, the space required by technical systems and the underground environment pose unique challenges. I am starting my work by studying the plans and contracts related to the station’s construction”, says Nieminen.