Spaceship Ariane 5 launch pad in Kourou, French Guyana

Foundations of one of the most heavily loaded railways in the world

For the foundations of one of the most heavily loaded railways in the world (2,000 tons of the space rocket), Menard developed an alternate solution combining dynamic replacement and vertical drains as an alternative to excavation and replacement of the mangrove, a difficult task, given Guyana’s weather conditions. A 300 t full-scale load test was carried out confirming the results of 3D finite element calculations. The final measurements showed less than 2.5 cm of settlement.

The Menard Group develops foundation solutions based on ground improvement and reinforcement technologies. Its treatments eliminate the need for the deep foundations traditionally used to support surface structures.

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