SSAB has delivered spirally welded large diameter piles RD800 and RD1000 from Oulainen mill to Sotkamon Porapaalu Oy, who was the piling contractor of Jännevirta bridge and Friitala bridge. Kreate Oy is the main contractor for these bridges, which has been commissioned by the Finnish Transport Agency. New Jännevirta and Friitala bridges will both be replacing old bridges built in the 1950’s.

Jännevirta bridge

Jännevirta bridge is located on highway 9 over the Saimaa deep water channel at the boundary of Kuopio and the municipality of Siilinjärvi. Kreate Oy is responsible for building the Jännevirta bridge, which has been commissioned by the Finnish Transport Agency. New bridge will replace an old langer beam bridge and a drawbridge. Investment is necessary because the old bridge is too narrow and there is wear from the increasing traffic. Also drawbridge mechanisms are not always functioning well. New Jännevirta bridge is being realized as fixed composite girder bridge; concrete deck and columns are supported by heavy steel structures. Jännevirta bridge is thus by far the largest bridge project for the main contractor Kreate Oy.

SSAB has delivered 217 tons of large diameter piles to Kreate Oy. Piles were installed by Sotkamon Porapaalu Oy, who was the piling contractor at the site. RD800/12.5 and RD900/12.5 piles were delivered in 10 to 19 meters of length and steel grade S355J2H. SSAB delivered also 196 tons of scaffold piles 323.9/5.0 and 323.9/6.3. Scaffold piles were delivered in 12 to 16 meters of length and steel grade S420MH. All piles were drilled from temporary bridge. Piles were drilled during January to April in 2017.

”Almost all piles were drilled in one length without splices. This resulted in significant cost and time savings. Also the material consumption was able to be optimized. It would have been very challenging and required a lot of preparatory actions if there would have been welding required at windy and cold winter conditions.” says Arto Määttä, Construction Manager, Sotkamon Porapaalu Oy.


RD piles were drilled by Sotkamon Porapaalu Oy.

SSAB’s subsidiary Ruukki Construction supplied the load-bearing steel structures for the Jännevirta bridge. Ruukki’s delivery also includes installation of the structures. Ruukki used steel made by SSAB to manufacture the load-bearing steel structures. Ruukki is supplying a total of 2,430 tonnes of load-bearing structures for the bridge. These structures are being manufactured at Ruukki’s plant in Ylivieska, which specialises in the manufacture and installation of large steel structures used in buildings and bridges. Ruukki began making the steel structures in January 2017. Installation work started in April and was completed at the turn of the year. Surface treatment is scheduled for summer 2018.


Installation work of the steel structures was completed at the turn of the year 2018.

End of February 2018 the last casts for the deck were being built and their reinforcements made. In April the casting of the deck starts from both ends of the bridge. It will take 3 days non-stop. Old bridge will be demolished in August when the new bridge is completed. The whole project Jännevirta bridge is scheduled for completion by the end of 2018. When completed, the bridge will be 560 metres long and 15 metres wide, thus making it the sixth longest bridge in Finland.

Friitala bridge

Friitala bridge over Kokemäki river is located in Ulvila. Construction of the new bridge started in 2017. Kreate Oy is the main contractor for the project commissioned by the Southwest Finland ELY Centre. It will replace an old bridge built in 1953. Old bridge was in bad condition and also had weight limitation for heavy traffic. This is the most significant bridge project in Satakunta, which is a region in western Finland. In Southwest Finland the structures are being damaged faster than in other parts of Finland due to the climate, age distribution of the bridges and the soil conditions.

SSAB delivered 145 tons of large diameter piles to Sotkamon Porapaalu Oy. RD800/12.5 and RD1000/16 piles were S355J2H steel grade and delivered in 11- 18 meters of length. The longest RD piles were 60 meters. Using the produced-to-length piles, the amount of splices needed was minimized. SSAB delivered also 143 tons of scaffold piles to Kreate Oy. 323.9/5.0 and 323.9/6.3 were S420MH steel grade and 12-16 meters of length. Also 310 tons of RR220/12.5 pile elements were delivered in 12 meter length for the pile slabs.

“Long RD piles were drilled to very challenging ground conditions; there was a lot of water and there was a big risk for the hammer to be clogged during splicing. The amount of splices was minimized by using the produced-to-length piles, meaning not only cost savings but also resulted in positive risk management.” says Arto Määttä, Construction Manager, Sotkamon Porapaalu Oy.

Ruukki Construction will deliver the load-bearing steel structures for the bridge. Steel structures are being manufactured at Ruukki’s Ylivieska plan. Installation of the structures will start in April. When opened for the traffic in autumn 2018, the bridge will be 136 metres long and 15 metres wide.


Friitala bridge over Kokemäki river is located in Ulvila. New bridge will be 136 metres long and 15 metres wide.


Friitala bridge is scheduled for completion by the end of 2018.