Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania: Expert report on the A20 hole: Structural engineering is the main cause of subsidence

Tribsees (dpa/mv) - A report by the Technical University of Berlin cites structural engineering as the main reason for the sagging of the A20 motorway near Tribsees (Vorpommern-Rügen district) in 2017.

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania: Expert report on the A20 hole: Structural engineering is the main cause of subsidence

Tribsees (dpa/mv) - A report by the Technical University of Berlin cites structural engineering as the main reason for the sagging of the A20 motorway near Tribsees (Vorpommern-Rügen district) in 2017. "The investigation showed that the cause of the overall failure ultimately the break of several rows of columns was," announced the Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs and Transport (BMDV) on Wednesday. This refers to the dry mortar columns used to stabilize the subsoil. The Ostseezeitung (OZ) had previously reported on it.

In addition to the structural engineering of the road section, however, high stress and a sinking of the groundwater also contributed to this from the point of view of the experts.

In October 2017, the A20 between the Bad Sülze and Tribsees junctions initially sagged to around 40 meters in length and 2.5 meters in width, but over time the hole widened to over 90 meters. The damage initially led to a complete closure of the important traffic axis. Disabilities as a result of the necessary conversion work continue to this day. The construction work to repair the spectacular hole in the motorway should be completed by the end of 2023.

According to the BMDV, the road construction authorities of the federal states were made aware of the problems with the construction technology used in Tribsees, especially in peat soils, immediately after the incident. In addition, the relevant rules have been adjusted according to the information and experts have been made aware of the problem.