The Polish WKS Duna Polska, a member of the Duna Group, boasts significant experience in manufacturing and assembling steel structures on-site, particularly bridge structures. However, the construction of the Saupstadbrua Bridge in the outskirts of Trondheim, Norway, presented new challenges for the company.
The Saupstadbrua Bridge project comprised eight massive elements, each measuring 24 meters in length, nearly 6 meters in width, and over 3 meters in height, with each element weighing over 50 tons. During production, not only did the elements need to comply with European steel structure standards, but they also had to meet the requirements of the Norwegian Handbook R762! The bridge structure consisted of a large, rigid, closed box girder and two side cantilevers, which were produced as separate units and assembled in the final phase. Maintaining geometric tolerances for such large elements posed a significant challenge, necessitating meticulous and targeted planning before production. Strict assembly and welding instructions were developed to ensure optimal heat distribution during welding and to meet manufacturing tolerance requirements upon completion of the welding process.
Implementing corrosion protection to meet specific North European requirements presented new tasks. The different surfaces of the bridge were covered with three distinct painting systems. To begin the metal spraying process, a highly clean Sa3 surface with exceptional roughness of Ry5=85-130um had to be achieved. For this purpose, a very hard 700HV GH25/18 size fractured steel shot, specifically chosen for this project, was used. The production and painting processes were carried out according to strict specifications, under the technical supervision of the client, ensuring that each element met the very high quality standards.
For WKS Duna Polska, part of the Duna Group, the production and on-site assembly of the Saupstadbrua Bridge was not only a challenge but also an opportunity to demonstrate their expertise and commitment to quality! The successful completion of the project attests to the company's professionalism and innovative solutions in the field of steel structures.
Norwegian media coverage of the bridge structure on pages 132-143:
https://www.samferdselinfra.no/bladarkiv/samferdsel-infrastruktur-01-utgave-2024/
Sopron – The construction of the Vienna Hill Tunnel is progressing with excellent quality and on schedule, carried out safely with the assistance of Hungarian experts and our own specialized equipment. Designing and constructing a tunnel like the Vienna Hill Tunnel presents numerous challenges, especially due to geological uncertainties. The development of the internal installation system also poses significant challenges, but our teams are successfully managing them!
This unique and exceptional project of the Duna Group involves the construction of the M85 expressway section between Fertőrákos and the Hungarian-Austrian border near Sopron, including the 780-meter-long tunnel pair through Vienna Hill and the creation of the bypass route 8647around northwest Sopron. The project also features two engineering structures and one grade-separated junction on the expressway, and on the route8647 three roundabouts, five engineering structures, and a railway crossing will be made.
The Vienna Hill Tunnel and the associated road network are being executed by the SDD Consortium (which includes Dömper Kft., a member of the Duna Group), the works reached their final stages. Within the project, the bypass 8647 was built as a 4-kilometer-long two-lane road connecting the M85 and Ágfalvi Road way out west of Sopron. The technical handover of this part of the execution has been completed, and the contractor will hand over the new urban bypass and its connecting elements to commuters about three months earlier than scheduled.
In the case of the Vienna Hill Tunnel, the final structural concreting activities were completed in last December, thus besides the post-production works of the structure construction one of the remaining tasks of the builders included the disassembly of the machinery used for constructing the final structure, requiring time, space, and logistics at the eastern and western forecourts of the tunnel.
After completing the structural works, a significant change occurred at the site, as the mobile concrete plant, the workshop tent, depots associated with the mixing plant, and other stored materials were dismantled and removed from the eastern preamble worksite. This allowed the final construction of the pavement structure of the expressway connecting to the eastern and western foregrounds of the tunnel. The gabion walls supporting the eastern and western tunnel portals were also completed, on the eastern side, the placement of closing stones and maintenance walkways was already finalized, by the end of April the noise barrier is nearing completion, with landscaping in progress.
In both passages of the tunnel the pavement structure is also completed, a 30 cm FZKA layer was built to the counter-arch, a 17 cm Ckt-4 hydraulic binding layer, and a 4 cm thick AC-11 separating asphalt layer as well. The 26 cm thick CP4/2.7 basalt concrete, forming the topmost layer of the pavement that needed a special working line was completed in the last days of April. Cutting and sealing the pavement surface is ongoing.
On the southern tunnel wall, the final coating system has been applied up to 5 meters in height, in the northern passage the coating application is being finalized following the completion of the basalt concrete work. The installation and cabling of the horizontal and vertical traffic control systems are in progress, and all JET fans have been installed after trial operations. The final lighting fixtures, active prisms, and emergency passages' special gates have been installed. The electrical distribution cabinets for emergency call booths are being activated, and the special doors for the booths have arrived and been installed and connected. The sharp setting of the electrical joint-boxes of the mayday niches is in progress, the special doors of the niches arrived alright to the worksite, they were installed.
The main remaining tasks for the contractors until the notification of completion will include the live testing of the traffic and control technology elements already installed in a great part and the activation and comprehensive testing of the SCADA software responsible for tunnel management and the test run of the elements of the system.
We fondly remember our late colleague, László Mosonyi, now commemorated with a rest area on the M44 highway! On April the 19th a complex rest area named after László Mosonyi was inaugurated on the Szentkirály-Lakitelek section of the M44, worthily honouring the outstanding professional in the Hungarian construction industry.
The M44 Szentkirály-Lakitelek construction project was initiated partly due to a referendum in Szentkirály, which stipulated that the village could only be connected to the planned expressway via a bypass. Consequently, the project implementer was obligated to design the bypass, manage the associated land development and expropriations. Therefore, the duration of the project was extended to 48 months as the tasks of the bypass were starting from scratch.
The contract for the construction of the Szentkirály-Lakitelek section of the M44 expressway was signed by Közgép Zrt., part of the Duna Group, in February 2020. Besides expressway M44, the entire project included the creation of a complex rest area (later named the Mosonyi László Rest Area), the renovation of routes 4622 and 4623, the construction of new bicycle paths along their entire section, the construction of three new roundabouts, and the addition of a direct turning lane in the “airplane” roundabout in Kecskemét. Construction of the main M44 section commenced in summer 2020, following the completion and approval of the details of execution.
The management of Duna Aszfalt Zrt. has always been dedicated to honouring the memory of their late project chief engineer, our colleague László Mosonyi, which led to the naming of the project's rest area after him.
During the summer in 2023, we completed nearly 600,000 m³ of earthworks, the Ckt base layer, and the asphalt layers for the 5 km main section. The rest area, which was already named the Mosonyi Rest Area by then, was completed in October 2023. The other project components (the renovation of routes 4622 and 4623, the construction of bicycle paths, roundabouts, and the Szentkirály bypass) were also completed in October 2023, and the contractual tasks were successfully handed over three months ahead of schedule on December the 12th 2023.
The rest area's lighting system is dynamic and smart, making its operation more energy-efficient, functioning like twilight-activated lighting across all lamp posts.
In the spring of 2024, we placed a commemorative stone made of Süttő limestone on both sides of the Mosonyi Rest Area, engraved with attributes characteristic of “Uncle” Laci. Each side of the rest area features a memorial site with these stones, which were unveiled ceremoniously on April the 19th 2024, in the presence of our founding owner László Szíjj and members of the Mosonyi family, paying a worthy tribute to this great Engineer and Man. It can be written in Hungarian as one and with capital letters: EngineerMan!
After ending the previous year with a defeat in Sopron, the Duna Aszfalt-DTKH Kecskemét team is determined to start the new year successfully on their home court. Ivkovic Stojan's squad will host Debrecen on Friday evening.
In their first regular-season matchup in Debrecen, the DEAC emerged victorious with a score of 79-71, giving the Kecskemét team a strong motive for redemption. Currently, Debrecen stands in 6th place on the table with 7 wins and 7 losses, while Duna Aszfalt-DTKH Kecskemét is in 10th place with a 5-9 record. DEAC secured a victory in the previous round in Oroszlány, whereas the Kecskemét team narrowly lost to Sopron in a close match. The team is now focused on making improvements.
Ivkovic Stojan, the professional director, shared his thoughts on the upcoming game: "We played four matches in a short period and experienced many stimuli, plus there were the holidays, Christmas, and New Year's Eve. After the Sopron match, I was upset, but then I reviewed the past period, and we can be satisfied because we won three out of the four. This league is a real roller coaster. Apart from Falco, no team can be certain of victory.
Every match is a close battle. What we improved in the previous three games were limiting blocking out and turnovers. These aspects went very poorly against Sopron, resulting in chaotic offense. We are working on correcting these mistakes. Debrecen is consistently one of the most organized clubs in Hungary. They set high goals and assemble their roster accordingly. This year is no different. We respect our opponent, but our goal is nothing less than victory, especially on our home court in front of our dedicated and enthusiastic fans. Dr. Csont analyzed DEAC's game against Oroszlány, and he will report the findings on Saturday," the expert concluded humorously about the anticipated close match.
Source: baon.hu
In a true winter setting, accompanied by snowfall, the closure of the left bank of the Paks Duna Bridge was completed in early December 2023. The project, led by Duna Aszfalt Zrt. as a main contractor, is nearing the point where one can walk across the entire bridge. The completion of the new bridge between Paks and Kalocsa will eliminate the need for a detour of more than 70 kilometers, that is is being constructed under the general contracting of Duna Aszfalt Zrt. on behalf of the Ministry of Construction and Transport (ÉKM) (video).
Two Floodplain Bridges and an Intermediate River Bridge between them
The nearly 1-kilometer-long (specifically almost of 946 meters) bridge being built on the southern Hungarian section of the Duna actually consists of three separate parts: two floodplain bridges and an intermediate river bridge, forming one large unit. The floodplain bridges are already connected to the two sides of the river bridge, but as of early December, the latter was still in three sections. The construction of the 440-meter-long river bridge reached a spectacular moment on December 6, 2023: thanks to the work of the experts, the section on the Kalocsa bank was definitively connected.
In the investment project overseen by the Ministry of Construction and Transport, the middle river closure is expected to be completed in February, from then on allowing passage across the entire bridge, which includes two floodplain bridges besides the river bridge.
Duna Aszfalt Zrt., a Hungarian expert in civil engineering, has signed an agreement with Mota-Engil SGPS SA to acquire the Mota-Engil Central Europe group, a significant and active player in Poland's construction and real estate development market, as a part of the Duna Group's Central and Eastern European business development plans.
To complete the acquisition of the company, approval is needed from the relevant Polish authorities and certain financial institutions, with the parties aiming to obtain these approvals in the first half of 2024.
The above transaction aims to increase the international presence of the Duna Group, strengthen its role in the construction industry, and achieve the status of a regional mid-sized enterprise owned by Hungarians.
Having been successfully running since 2020, the Duna Group Summer University will continue in 2024! Detailed information will be announced at the beginning of 2024.
What exactly is the Duna Group Summer University, who is it for, and what is it about?
Participating in the summer university can lay the groundwork for students to join the Duna Group team to complete their professional internships and launch their early careers. The intensive program is held once a year. For more information, please contact our HR division!
The Duna Bonum Foundation helped the Autism Centre in Szolnok by building a new playground. The assistance of the foundation established by László Szíjj was realized through implementation by Duna Aszfalt Zrt., which involved installing four playground elements and four benches in the courtyard of the Unified Special Education Methodological Institution Kindergarten, Primary School, and Skills Development School’s Autism Center in Liget Street. Additionally, new sidewalk pavements and 60 square meters of impact-absorbing rubber flooring were installed.
Thanks to the Duna Bonum Foundation, more than 10 million forints were allocated for the equipment and the development of the playground at the Szolnok institution. The foundation's primary goal is to ensure that its support is directly felt by those who receive it. The request for assistance came from Barbara Bóka, the head of the Autism Centre, who relayed their needs in a detailed letter, emphasizing their importance.
Dr. Mária Kállay, a member of Parliament, attended the inauguration, highlighting the immeasurable love and care for children at the institution in question, where the staff has a mission. In connection with this, Mayor Ferenc Szalay stated that it is natural in Szolnok to care for children and adults with disabilities. Ferenc Hajnal, the institution's director, added that joy is essential for the children, and the new equipment supports both exactly this carefree enjoyment and equally important physical activity.
The Pándy Kálmán member hospital of the Békés County Central Hospital has received significant support: the previously dangerous and deteriorated 850 square meters of pavement has been completely renewed near the Semmelweis building, benefiting patients and visitors alike. Additionally, instead of a non-functional entrance lift, a new reinforced concrete ramp has been constructed to facilitate access to the institution.
The new pavement and reinforced concrete ramp were donated to the hospital by the contractor, Duna Aszfalt Zrt. Even at cost price, the value of this support exceeds twenty-five million forints.
"The road surface in front of the Pediatrics and Obstetrics-Gynecology departments in the Semmelweis building of the Pándy Kálmán Member Hospital has worn out significantly over the years. The new asphalt pavement, implemented by Duna Aszfalt Zrt. with proper rainwater drainage, has made access to the building safer. Ambulances, strollers, and pedestrians can now approach the building via the barrier-free, renovated section of the road," said Dr. László Becsei, the Chief Medical Director of Gyula Hospital.
The official handover ceremony was attended by Dr. József Kovács, Member of Parliament, Dr. László Becsei, Chief Medical Director, Béla Puskás, Regional Director of Duna Aszfalt Zrt., and László Tóth, Chairman of the Board of Duna Aszfalt Zrt.
"In the nearly 35-year history of our Company, charitable activities have always been of paramount importance, particularly in the healthcare sector, whether it's about renovation or equipment procurement; we are also present in the sports world as sponsors of several domestic teams," added László Tóth, Chairman of the Board of Duna Aszfalt Zrt.
The company regularly supports domestic healthcare institutions, as it did recently by providing the Bács-Kiskun County Teaching Hospital with equipment worth thirty million forints. The Pediatric Cardiology Department and Pulmonology Department of the Kecskemét hospital received each valuable instruments necessary for their work.
Dear Visitors!
We are pleased to announce that the Kalocsa-Paks New Duna Bridge Visitor Centre will reopen for civil visitors on the following dates:
2023.05.26 (Friday) by 10:00 AM – Registration deadline: 2023.05.19 (Friday)
2023.06.30 (Friday) by 13:00 PM – Registration deadline: 2023.06.23 (Friday)
The minimum group size is 8, and the maximum is 15 participants. There will be one tour per occasion. We kindly inform interested parties that we are unable to accommodate groups without pre-registration and reaching the minimum number of participants.
For general public visitors, the planned program duration is 1 to 1.5 hours that includes a presentation of the project and the construction site with the help of interactive tools.
For engineers, investors, and operators, we offer the opportunity to view the project at specially arranged times.
Registrations can be made via email at paks_dunahid@dunaaszfalt.hu.
