Waterway traversals in Stettin are expertly handled by Tracto

In the heart of Szczecin, Poland, a historic city with nearly 400,000 inhabitants and a significant Baltic Sea port, a groundbreaking project was underway. The city, divided by several arms of the Oder River, presented a unique challenge for the construction of a telecommunications distribution network. The project, entrusted to Hydropex, a seasoned construction and engineering company with seven years of experience in trenchless methods, aimed to connect neighborhoods on the right bank of the Oder with the city center.

To overcome the geographical hurdles, three inner-city river arms had to be crossed: the Western Oder, the Parnicki Canal, and the Regalica River. The longest crossing of the project, a 426-meter long tunnel under the Regalica River, marked a significant milestone for Hydropex, becoming the longest crossing in their history.

The test boring for the project was carried out using Hydropex's own radio locating system. A 200-meter long rope was spanned from bank to bank, and the team used the controlled, horizontal directional drilling (HDD) method with a GRUNDODRILL 28Nplus from Tracto for all three boreholes. The test boring was completed with high precision and within two working days.

The 231-meter-long crossing of the Western Oder in the city center was accomplished using a radio location system of the MAG8 type and a 19-inch probe. Each crossing of the project was completed with a crew of 6 to 9 employees in an average of two weeks.

The project encountered inconsistent geological conditions, including sandy and sandy-silty soils, clayey soils with a peat content, moraine soils in some areas, and working within densely built-up residential areas, near harbor infrastructure, and under waterways. Despite these challenges, the automation of the entire drilling process spared the team physically demanding work.

The experiences with the GRUNDODRILL 28N Plus were positive, according to the manufacturer, Tracto. The recording of all drilling data was convincing, they said. The use of trenchless technology for the project allowed for cost-effective and minimal disruption during the fiber optic network expansion in Szczecin.

Tomasz Raczynski, the leader of the Hydropex team for the fiber optic network installation project in Szczecin in the year 2023, expressed his satisfaction with the project. "The project was challenging, but the use of trenchless technology made it possible to complete the work efficiently and with minimal impact on the city," he said.

Ship traffic was shut down during the test boring to improve control and exclude interference signals. The 280 kN pulling and feed force, as well as the infinitely variable torque control of the Cummins Tier V engine, were effective during the project.

With the successful completion of the project, Szczecin is now better connected, ready to face the future with improved telecommunications infrastructure. The city, once divided by the Oder River, now stands united, a testament to the power of innovation and technology.