RMD Kwikform (Hong Kong) has won another of the prestigious Hong Kong West Rail falsework and formwork contracts.  It is providing innovative engineered solutions using RMD Kwikform's Megashor truss and support towers for the construction work currently taking place on the viaduct sections between Tin Shui Wai and Tuen Mun, at the north western end of the 30.5kM alignment that will ultimately link the North West New Territories with the urban areas of Kowloon.

The West Rail development for the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation [KCRC] is currently Hong Kong's largest infrastructure project, and RMD Kwikform reportedly faced tough international competition before securing the contract from the main contractor for the viaduct contracts, a joint venture between Japan's MAEDA and Chun Wo.  The company attributes its success to its ability to devise a solution that would contribute towards reducing construction times; one that would enable work to take place safely over the railway line while it was in operation, and that offered the significant cost saving advantage of using components readily available locally for hire.
 
Prior to this contract, RMD Kwikform had already supplied over 1,000 tonnes of its column formwork for the project, which was used to construct hundreds of heavy 20-metre high viaduct deck support columns.  The company is now using its high load capacity Megashor system to construct towers and trusses to support the portal beams for the viaduct soffits.  Each tower leg supports a load of 800kN – although the system is designed to take loads as high as 1,000kN – with a soffit height 8.7-metres above ground level.  In some instances, special Megashor legs are being provided to accommodate raking supports.
 
The construction programme called for RMD Kwikform engineers to design and manufacture three sets of Megashor trusses that were 2.4-metre deep and two sets 3.9-metre deep, spanning up to 22-metres to support the portal beams.  The limited headroom over the rail track meant that the trusses had to be positioned outside the line of the portal beams, with the soffit being supported from above using ties from hanger beams.
 
In addition to designing the trusses and providing the Megashor components, RMD Kwikform is also supplying all of the site labour and supervision for its assembly and installation.  The company also worked closely with the main contractor to provide detailed workshop drawings for the fabricated steelwork.

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