Construction of a new tram line on Blancefloerlaan

Teams from BESIX Infra, Frateur-De Pourcq, and Franki Foundations collaborated, commissioned by De Lijn, to build a new railway line on Blancefloerlaan in Linkeroever, Antwerp. This involved the construction of 2.4 kilometers of new track - 1.2 kilometers one way and 1.2 kilometers back - laid parallel to the existing infrastructure.

Piles as an underground for the tram track

The renovation was necessary because the peat layer in the subsoil at Linkeroever had been causing problems for the tracks for some time. The peat, located at a depth of about five meters, leads to instability in the ground. The original tram line was built on a thick layer of concrete, but over the years it became clear that even this was not enough to resist the instability caused by the peat layer, leading to subsidence of the tracks.

To address this issue, a pile foundation was chosen in combination with a mattress foundation.
More than 2,000 foundation piles, each about 8 to 11 meters long, were driven into the ground. Additionally, 150 prefabricated piles of the same length were added. Together, they form a sort of underground bridge for the tram line. On top of this, a mattress foundation was laid, consisting of various layers of crushed stone and geogrid.

This provides:

improved stability: the combination offers extra stability as the mattress distributes foreces and the piles transfer the load to stable ground layers.
Reduction of pile load: by distributing the load first through the mattress foundation, the piles are less heavily loaded
better settlement control: the combination can reduce differential settlements, as the mattress equalizes loads before transferring them to the piles.

Old tram line becomes a green zone

The new tram route was laid parallel to the old infrastructure. During a conversion weekend, the new track was connected to the existing route, both at Halewijnlaan and the turning loop at P&R Linkeroever. In addition to connecting the tram tracks, the overhead wires were installed over a length of 400 meters, along with power cables, signaling, and security systems.

Afterward, the old tram line was demolished to be converted into a green zone.

Although the work obviously causes some inconveniences for everyone, I must say that the work is progressing very systematically and that it is pleasant to follow the progress. Work is being done in many places at the same time, which gives local residents a clear sense that a tight schedule is being followed.