Leading global engineering and consulting firm Golder has been appointed to deliver geotechnical consulting services for the Metro extension project in Stockholm, Sweden. The firm will undertake geological mapping and reinforcement assessments to drive efficiency and increase the safety of the tunnelling works.
Stockholm’s current metro system serves approximately one million people daily, but congestion in and around the city has steadily increased. In response to population growth and the need for a more sustainable commuting alternative, the government, Region Stockholm and the four surrounding municipalities (City of Stockholm, Municipality of Nacka, Järfälla Municipality, and City of Solna) agreed to invest in a metro extension.
The extensive rock-tunnelling project will involve entire sections of the metro being built below ground. Station spaces, entry systems and service media will be installed within the carved-out rock tunnels. Golder’s role in interpreting the subsurface rock conditions will be critical for the planning and delivery of the project, helping to mitigate ground risks.
“We’re proud to be supporting Stockholm’s Metro extension, which will allow even more residents to commute in an environmentally-friendly and sustainable manner,” said Markus Kappling, Business Area Manager Geotechnical Services at Golder in Sweden. “Golder brings a wealth of ground engineering and tunnelling expertise to the project, which will be critical to enable safe access to the tunnels once excavation is complete, keeping our people, project workers and equipment safe, and minimising construction disruption.”
Working with the project’s tunnelling excavation contractors, Golder’s team of geologists will coordinate and manage the geological inspections from the city centre through to both south- and east-bound lanes, spanning more than 20 kilometers of tunnel. They will carry out comprehensive investigations by conducting fracture surveys of open-cut excavations, mapping the tunnels, and measuring rock mass deformation and advise on reinforcement requirements. Digital engineering technology and custom-made tools will be used to capture data, enable information sharing, and streamline work methods to improve efficiency and accuracy.
Golder has more than 200 employees in Sweden thriving on challenges across a range of major infrastructure projects including the Bypass, City Line, Northern and Southern Links in Stockholm and Marieholm Connection, West Link and Varberg Tunnel in Western Sweden, and the East Link High Speed Railway connecting Stockholm and Gothenburg.
The Stockholm Metro Extension project is expected to be completed in 2030.
