Project Background

The earthquake caused extensive damage to railway infrastructure in eastern Türkiye, disrupting critical transport corridors used for commercial freight and passenger transport. Rapid restoration of these lines was essential to support regional logistics and economic activity.

ViaCon Türkiye was selected to provide structural solutions for the rehabilitation of several damaged sections across four railway lines. The works included multiple structure types and were carried out under challenging geographical conditions and strict time constraints.

Engineering Solution

ViaCon solutions were implemented across four main locations, addressing different structural challenges along the railway network.

Location 1 – Tunnel Reinforcement

An 1100 m section of an 11 km railway tunnel, originally constructed using the TBM method and located near a fault line, sustained severe structural damage during the earthquake.

Engineering analysis determined that reinforcement using a ViaPlate corrugated steel structure would provide the most effective rehabilitation solution.

The steel structure was assembled inside the tunnel to restore structural stability. Installation was completed in 65 days, compared with an estimated two years using conventional concrete reinforcement methods.

Despite the confined working conditions within the tunnel, the assembly team achieved a rapid installation rate of up to 16 m per day.

Location 2 – Rockfall Protection Tunnels

In a mountainous section of the railway, rockfalls triggered by the earthquake damaged the existing line and made the route unsafe for operation.

To restore and secure the railway corridor, corrugated steel rockfall protection tunnels were selected as the preferred solution due to the challenging terrain and tight construction schedule.

A total of 2100 m of rockfall protection tunnels are being installed across several sections of the line.

Location 3 – Pipeline Protection and Drainage

At another location, additional protection was required where a pipeline passed beneath the railway line.

A steel bridge structure was constructed to protect the pipeline, while a hydraulic culvert was installed to manage the adjacent watercourse.

Location 4 – Culvert and Drainage Modernisation

Across several sections of the railway, existing culverts and bridges that were hydraulically insufficient and damaged during the earthquake were redesigned using corrugated steel structures as part of the infrastructure modernisation.

The solution included:

• 75 ViaPlate steel culverts
• 35 HelCor steel pipes for drainage

Implementation works were initiated to restore drainage capacity and improve the resilience of the railway infrastructure.

Construction Advantages

The use of modular corrugated steel structures provided several advantages during the rehabilitation works:

Ease of installation
Steel plates can be transported and assembled in difficult terrain where traditional materials are difficult to deliver.

Adaptability for tunnel rehabilitation
The structural system allows reinforcement without significantly altering the existing tunnel cross-section.

Rapid construction
Prefabricated steel plates can be prepared and stocked in advance, enabling installation to begin immediately when site conditions allow. In many cases, installation time can be reduced by up to 80% compared to conventional construction methods.

Cost efficiency
Depending on structure type, steel solutions can provide up to 20% cost savings compared with reinforced concrete alternatives.

Sustainability
Corrugated steel structures offer durable and resource-efficient infrastructure solutions with reduced material consumption and construction time.