When the city felt the need to renovate a very busy intersection, the design process started after all the necessary procedures had been followed. The main designer is the municipal undertaking “Vilniaus planas”. Specialists of “TEC Infrastructure” were responsible for the design of the structures, the underground tunnel, the retaining walls and the installation of the utilities. “The latter part of the work – the electricity, gas and water supply networks – was carried out by subcontractors under our management,” says Mantas.
The project involved a team of qualified professionals – 1 road engineer, 3 bridge engineers and a project coordinator. It is to be welcomed that the technical solutions for this project were developed in a modern 3D environment, using reliable and fast software. For example, “Bentley ProStructures” allowed the creation of accurate 3D models for metal and reinforced concrete structures, while “Fine Geotechnical Software GEO5 2020” was used to perform engineering calculations for retaining walls and sheet piling. Other applications included “Microsoft 365 Apps for Business”, “Midas Civil 2020”, “Tekla Structures 2020”, “Fine Geotechnical Software GEO5 2017 Pile”, “Fine Geotechnical Software GEO5 2017 Pile CPT” and “Bluebeam Revu 2019 eXtreme”.
“In order to ensure a smooth workflow and efficient results, there has been constant cooperation with the main project developer and partner, and coordination of solutions between them,” he says. Cooperation is one of the core values of the TEC team, which not only ensures smooth and efficient work, but also enables us to achieve long-term results and build customer loyalty.
Although the designers managed to achieve all the goals set according to the task, they also faced challenges. From an engineering perspective, the intersection of Liepkalnis, Žirnių str. and Minsko rd. is quite complex, so the “TEC Infrastructure” team had to put a lot of effort into improving the current situation. “The first thing to do was to get the infrastructure in order, i.e. to sort out what is already done and in place. And then take the next steps,” says “TEC Infrastructure” Project Management Director. Another challenge for the designers was how to design the structure to keep as much of the existing network intact as possible. “Using long-standing good practice, one type of structural anchorage has been replaced by an alternative in certain sections to avoid the high cost of removing the existing networks,” he explains.
Quarantine is another challenge that has forced us to react quickly and make decisions once construction is underway. “This period has taught us how to adapt to the situation without losing efficiency. Although we were slightly shocked at first, we realised that the work had to continue, so we adapted to the changes quite quickly,” says Mantas. “The team’s mutual understanding and cooperation made it easy and quick to meet the challenge, and remote working quickly became commonplace,” he adds.
When asked what contributed to the quick resolution of the problems during the reconstruction of the Vilnius intersection, Mantas says that the professionalism, managerial and technical skills of the TEC staff and the competence of the contractor had a major influence, especially during the preparation of the work project. “When you are clear about what you want and need, things go much more smoothly – communication is faster, solutions are chosen more quickly, etc.” In other words, projects are a team effort from the designer, to the contractor and the client.
“TEC Infrastructure”, UAB is part of the TEC Group of Companies which also includes the companies “TEC Industry” and “TEC Consulting”. The companies of the Group provide design, consulting, maintenance, project and construction management and other engineering services for transport infrastructure and industrial objects as well as energy facilities.
