Post by PORR Group

Value Engineering in Action: How do you cut 15% of the cost on a railway project - without compromising quality or performance? The easy answer: 💡 Value engineering The hard part: identifying a real opportunity and executing it.  PORR #SlabTrackAustria achieved exactly this on the Metro Doha Trackworks Project - by looking beyond the slab track itself and engineering the entire system.    The challenge  When Qatar Rail set out to build 165 km of a new urban metro network, only state‑of‑the‑art solutions were acceptable. For trackworks, that meant:  ✅ Slab track technology  ✅ Superior performance  ✅ Maximum availability  ✅ Minimal to no maintenance over the entire design life    The #PORR #SlabTrackAustria value engineering approach  Already in the pre‑tender phase, our PORR engineering team analysed not only the slab track - but the overall system requirements. One key requirement: Guard rail along the entire network, except at switches and crossings → 82.5 double‑track km / 165 running km  This opened the door for a smarter solution.    The solution  PORR SlabTrackAustria developed a unique capability: Integration of the derailment protection function directly into the precast slab  ✅ Eliminated the need for approx. 320 km of steel guard rail  ✅ Removed the corresponding fastening systems  ✅ Maintained full performance and safety requirements  The derailment protection was realised through reinforced concrete upstands, integrated into the PORR precast slab design.  A small adjustment to the precast moulds and a minimal increase in concrete and reinforcement unlocked major benefits.    The results Extraordinary savings: ➡️~160 km of steel guard rail eliminated  ➡️→ ~15% saving of the overall contract value  ➡️~500,000 guard rail fastening sets eliminated  ➡️~2,000 man‑hours eliminated  ➡️~3 months reduction in construction time    Additional benefits  ✅ CO₂ reduction: ➡️Removal of steel guard rail material: 26,700 t  ➡️Concrete derailment guard: 1,500 t rebar + 9,000 m³ concrete → ~40 t CO₂ saved  ✅ Improved construction site safety  ✅ Freed‑up construction windows for 7 major contractors  ✅ Reduced interfaces and program complexity    Proven performance  Slab Track Austria in operation on Metro Doha since 2018:  ✅ No slab track maintenance required  ✅ Maximum operational availability  ✅ Superior track precision over the entire design life  This #SlabTrackAustria value‑engineering solution has since been successfully deployed on metro and semi high‑speed projects in India, Australia, and Romania.  Proven in use. Ready for future railway projects.    What’s next?  This is just one example of how PORR engineering delivers cost reduction,   quality enhancement and long‑term operational value. Let’s enhance the #RAMS performance of your railway project together. #RailInfrastructure #SlabTrack #ValueEngineering #RailwayEngineering #PORRGroup