dteq honored twice at the HLPFI Awards 2022

The UPM Taurus Project impressively showcases the importance of early transport engineering considerations prior to the cargo design phase of a project. For this project, dteq was involved at an early stage. UPM awarded an initial project study with the purpose of defining the maximum envelopes that can be transported to the project site.

Suitable routings to the project site were found via initial route studies, considering required route-enabling works to maximize possible cargo envelopes. After the initial study, dteq performed a full-scale infrastructure study to establish the project feasibility and provide initial input on possible cargo design parameters.

The main feasibility study included detailed structural analyses of various bridges, detailed surveys of all obstacles including power and communication lines, structural obstacles and street furniture along the two main routes defined and presented to the governmental entities.

Last, a hydrographic survey of the entire reservoir of the Baygorria Dam was conducted. Combining the findings of the detailed studies and the bathymetric particulars, a preliminary barge concept was developed based on a modular interlocking system considering potential jetty locations—defined with the bathymetry developed by dteq. In addition, a full traffic analysis was developed to determine the impact of the many convoys that would travel on the public road to the final site.

After studying multiple qualified routes, the route that included a crossing of the reservoir of the dam was found to be the best routing for significant cargo envelopes. Following the custom-made barge concept, dteq’s engineering team provided a preliminary jetty design concept with full design parameters for final governmental approval. Bridge bypasses were preliminary designed to circumnavigate three bridges and one town to minimize the impact on the local communities and allow for local traffic flow parallel to heavy haulage operation. This was based on dteq’s traffic and as well hydraulic analyses; the bypasses designed over the three bridges needed to continue having the proper flow rate for the river to continue its natural course.

The entire concept and the full design for infrastructure works initiated to allow cargo dimensions of 40 meters in length, 14.50 meters wide and 12 meters high for a travel route of approximately 230 kilometers.

After nearly three years of extensive planning and engineering, the physical movement of the pulp mill components could start, and the components were scaled to the maximum route limits. Each oversized and heavy transport was a fully engineered movement.

“The dedication, hard work and engineering knowledge required to achieve this award can be seen in many dteq projects on a global basis. The team does an amazing job, and thanks to our colleagues in the Americas, who went the extra mile for years, this exceptional performance is recognized within the industry,” said Hagen Hennig, Technical Director, dteq.

“This is an example of great collaboration of multiple engineering disciplines working together on a global basis with an outstanding outcome which took years in the planning. The entire dteq team is very grateful for this recognition and always looking for the next big challenge!” commented Franklin Alvarez, Regional Director Transport Engineering Americas, dteq.