Posti-Transval's distribution warehouse in Järvenpää has been chosen as the piling site for 2024.
When completed, Posti-Transval will build one of the largest warehouses in Finland, phase 1 of which has been selected as the Piling Site of 2024. The distribution warehouse in line with sustainable development will be logistically located excellently close to the capital region, in the northern part of Järvenpää in the Sveng business district along highway 4.
The plot of the warehouse corresponds to the size of approximately 13 football fields and enables the construction of a warehouse of more than 90 square meters. The project comprises three phases, the first of which will be completed in the spring of 000, with an area of approximately 2025 square meters. The purchase price of the land and the construction costs of the first part of the warehouse total approximately EUR 35 million.
In the planning of the distribution warehouse, the energy efficiency of the building and the minimization of carbon dioxide emissions have been taken into account. Geothermal solutions are used for heating, and solar energy is used for electricity production.
Piling contractor
Skanska Infra Oy's piling machines drove reinforced concrete piles at the site for a total of 50 km over the course of a couple of months, or about 1,2 km per day. The schedule for the piling contract was very tight, bids for the piling contract were submitted at the beginning of November 2023 and it had to be ready already at the beginning of the following February. Piling had to be done so-called as a utility measure bag, according to the total dimension of the piles of the finished pile foundations.
Work manager of Skanska Infra Oy Jyrki Nikkinen says that the implementation was carefully considered already at the tender stage, because the tight schedule already included the Christmas and New Year's holidays. The rather good quality and level of readiness of the planning documents made it easier to plan the work already at this stage, and the prevailing low economic situation in the field, on the other hand, made it possible to ensure sufficient piling machine capacity. Up to 4 piling machines were available if needed. Additional consideration was given to how to ensure pile deliveries, another kilometer, or about 10 loads per day.
The rate of the load-bearing base level, which consists of rock and thick moraine in the area, varies a lot and in some places even sharply, which is why the planned pile lengths in the pile lists had to be corrected by the contractor. It was possible to specify the piling orders already in the initial phase, as it was possible to carry out comprehensive test pilings right at the start of the project in early December, as the earthworks contractor had already prepared the piling platform in a large area. Taking into account the project's ambitious environmental goals, it can be stated that even a standard error of one meter in the pile lengths would have increased the carbon dioxide emissions of the foundations by approximately 150 tons, which is equivalent to flying more than 150 people to Thailand and back.
An earlier than normal frost season in December brought an additional challenge to the piling project. Snow and ice hindered the installation of the piles, the heavy site traffic in the area compacted the soil on the roadways into a rock-hard layer of frost, which sometimes reached a depth of 1–1,5 m. If necessary, the success of piling work through the hard frost layer had to be ensured by "pre-spiking" that penetrated the hard layer.
The large need for piles was covered by delivering more than 4000 pieces of RTB-300-16 piles from HTM Yhtiöi's two factories, Ryttylä and Nummela. Pile lengths and quantities were estimated and refined by dividing the piling area into 15 blocks, whose forecasts were constantly updated and the pile supplier was kept informed of changes. The piling machine drivers also commendably kept the other parties up to date on the rapid changes. These well-perceived operating methods ensured very low pile wastage and timely deliveries of piles of the right length.
The piling work progressed smoothly, even though there were many activities going on at the site at the same time, because the cooperation and coordination of the works went well between the earthworks contractor Jokioinsten Maanrakennus Oy and Skanska Infra Oy. Accidents at work were also avoided by planning working methods and equipment to be safe, taking winter conditions into account. The piling team's good team spirit and common coffee breaks made cooperation and the flow of information smooth, even during the holidays there was a lot of flexibility in the work team for tight schedules.
Selection criteria for the piling site in 2024
The jury's reasoning for the selection of the 2024 Piling site:
- In the project, exceptionally low pile loss was achieved, in challenging bottom and winter conditions.
- Special attention was paid to occupational safety and accidents were avoided, even though several work phases were in progress in the area at the same time.
- The work site's access roads and pile unloading sites were kept in good and safe condition even in winter conditions.
- The large need for piles in a short period of time and the management of dimensional changes in relation to these caused challenges, which were overcome by the frictionless coordination of the various activities of the earthworks contractor, the piling contractor and the pile supplier.
- The pile supplier received information about changes in the plans from both the earthworks and piling contractors in a commendable and controlled manner, thus leaving enough time for controlled changes to the production planning.
- Special honorable mention for operative activities for the site personnel, the piling team, the management and foremen, as well as the personnel of the pile factories.
The selection of the piling site for 2024 was carried out by the piling committee of Betoniteollisuus ry, which consists of representatives of the concrete piling industry. The jury was chaired by the chairperson of the pile committee Reijo Mustonen.
Implementers of the Piling Site of 2024
Builder and user of the premises: Transval Group
Main contractor: Jatke Toimitilat Oy
Structural designer: RI-Plan Oy
Geodesigner: Geosolver Oy
Land construction contractor: Jokiointen Maanrakennus Oy
Piling contractor: Skanska Infra Oy
Pile supplier: HTM Yhtiöt Oy
Previous Piling Sites of the Year
2023 Alfaroc Logistics logistics center, Tuusula
2022 Metsä Fibre's Kemi bioproduct factory, Kemi
2021 Extension of Vilhovuorenkatu in Helsinki
2019 Improvement of Tuusulanväylä at Vantaanjoki 2018 Helsinki Outlet, Helsinki
2017 Vermont pile slab, Espoo
2016 Metsä Fiber Oy's Äänekoski bioproduct factory, Äänekoski 2015 The new center of Eastern Helsinki, Helsinki
2014 Turvesolmu multi-level interchange and Turveradantie, Espoo 2013 Shopping Center Puuvilla, Pori
For more information:
Betoniteollisuus ry
Ari Mantila
phone 0400-201 507