According to Bane NOR, the Randklev bridge in Ringebu collapsed on Monday. The middle part has a crack and is located in Lågen. The damage will have serious local consequences for the Dovrebanen in the future.
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Bane NOR had just begun to survey the extent of the damage to the bridge on Monday morning when the center section slid into the river. This is due to damage to the central foundation of the bridge.
The Dovran Railway runs over the Randklev Bridge. This means that this part of the section cannot be used for traffic. We now need to use the near term to find out how long it will take to implement the solution.
– There is no danger of the bridge drifting further downstream. However, we want to get it out of the water as soon as possible to ensure the flow of water in Lågen and be able to put the bridge back over the river. We are working on further security measures and fencing off the area to keep people away from the bridge. We are now putting construction fencing on the three roads that lead there, says Sigbjørn Korsgård, track manager at Bane NOR.
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More rain on Tuesday
“Lågen still has high water flow and the area is saturated with water, so the situation is challenging,” says Korsgård.
The Randklev Bridge is a 172,5 meter long steel truss bridge with three equally long spans. The bridge has a direct foundation on the riverbed and was built in 1957. At the same time, the adjacent old railway bridge was converted into a road bridge.
“The storm and flood were extreme situations. Based on red level warnings, we decided, for safety reasons, to close the Dovrebanen to all traffic for more than two days before the bridge was damaged. This means that the Randklev incident has never involved a threat to life or health, which I am very happy about,” emphasizes track manager Eivind Bjurstrøm from Bane NOR.
“We can't say anything about how long it will take to reconnect in Lågen, but it's clear that it will take a long time. He adds that Bane NOR and the Norwegian Road Administration have temporary bridges ready and, among other things, we will check whether it would be appropriate to use some of them.
Much damage in Gudbrandsdalen
Bane NOR is also in the process of repairing other damage to the Dovrebanen as a result of the dramatic flooding. Many points between Moelv and Dombås are affected and the duration is currently uncertain.
Other railway bridges that were heavily loaded during the flood will be thoroughly checked before trains are allowed to run again. Embankments, shoulders and other technical structures will be checked in a similar way.
– Before we introduce trains to sections that have been closed as a result of flooding, we must be absolutely sure that the trains are safe to run. Safety must always come first, emphasizes track director Eivind Bjurstrøm.
Regular checks
A general review of the condition of railway bridges is carried out every six years. The Randkleiv Bridge was last inspected in 2019. You can read the status report by clicking here.
In 2021, the bridge was sandblasted and painted, the pavements replaced, and piers, landships, warehouses and storage facilities rinsed and cleaned.
Our annual inspections showed nothing but that the bridge was in good condition.
“The damage to the Randklev Bridge occurred during extreme flooding, says Brede Nermoen, head of planning and engineering at Bane NOR.
Damage leading to bridge collapse can occur quickly in such weather.
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Credit: Bane NOR, Photo: Sigbjørn Korsgård, Bane NOR
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