For the first time since the merger of SSAB and Ruukki the Steel Pile Day was held in Oslo April 14th this year. Ever since 2005 seminars and eventually the Steel Pile Day as we know it today, has been arranged in Norway. This year the auditorium in Holberg Terrasse Kurs- og Konferansesenter was filled with around 50 engaged and enthusiastic participants.

 

Figure 1. Focused and concentrated audience during Steel Pile Day 2016

Jan Andreassen, Business Manager in SSAB Europe, Norway, started the event by giving the audience the history of both Rautaruukki and SSAB from decades back, up till todays company SSAB and its structure.

First presentation was given by Gaute Nordbotten, Norwegian Public Roads Administration. He guided us through the major, relevant changes in Prosesskoden regarding steel piling and splice welding.

Minna Salmi and Petri Suonpuro, both SSAB Europe in Finland, presented sustainability in SSAB and in the value chain for RR- and RD-piles in particular. Environmental benefits of the piles, life cycle assessments and EPD Norge was also treated.

3 different projects were presented. The first: E18 Sky – Bommestad project and a lot of its complexity was presented by Marielle Øyvik, geologist, and Andreas Gjaerum, geotechnical engineer, both Ramboll Norge AS. This is the same presentation they gave at Geoteknikkdagen 2015 in Oslo a few months earlier. One of the main solutions for the construction of tunnel in soil was the use of RD-pile walls.

Second, Torgeir Haugen, NCC Construction, presented the foundation of a bridge crossing over Hobølelva, along E18. The drilled solution of RD700 piles was utilized here, the piles are inclined and the longest pile is about 60 m.

The final project presented is still ongoing in Pasila, Helsinki, Finland. Hannu Jokiniemi, Director for Infra in SSAB Europe, presented both a movie and a detailed description of the installation of more than 13000 m2 (more than 4000 t) of RD700 pile wall.

The latter part of the day was filled with product news, by Harald Ihler, SSAB Europe. New threaded sleeves for RD270 micropiles, increasing the “family” of RD piles with threaded sleeves was presented. Also the RR micropiles “family” has grown with its new RRs220/10 pile with quick splicing technique. And the new threaded casing tubes; RDc casing tubes, was proudly presented. Ihler also demonstrated the design tools RRPileCalc and PileWallCalc.

Hannu Jokiniemi also talked about the different applications and ways of installing small RR piles, which is so commonly used in both Sweden and Finland. The driving criteria to be used was presented by Jokiniemi and he also suggested how easily this can be adapted into Norwegian conditions.

Participants’ comments about the event

Arne Tveit Eigeland from Multiconsult AS is also the leader of the Norwegian Piling Committee. Eigeland attended again this year to catch up on news and trends in the business. He describes: “A day with a varied program. Appreciated especially all the reference projects presented, and also the presentation about Prosesskoden”.

Jon Endre Flåtten from Fundamentering AS (FAS) has also attended the Steel Pile Day several times. He said: “I attend to get professional input and meet nice colleagues in the business, including suppliers, contractors and designers. This time it was the presentations about Prosesskoden, Hobølelva bridge and Pasila that I found very interesting”.

 

Jan Slungaard is an experienced civil engineer working in Sweco Norge AS. He says: “Participation in Stålpeledagen is a good opportunity to be updated on new products and hear about experiences from executed piling jobs. Great that suppliers, contractors, project owners and designers can meet and exchange experiences in a professional meeting like this”.