Prefabricated retaining walls for renovation project Boulevard Scheveningen

To make the outdoor space more attractive for residents, tourists and entrepreneurs alike, Heijmans is currently renovating the Central Boulevard in Scheveningen between the Pier and the Beelden aan Zee Museum on behalf of the Municipality of The Hague. With the delivery of fourteen different types of precast concrete retaining walls, Bosch Beton from Barneveld is making a substantial contribution to the project. And that benefits not only safety, but also the lead time of the project....

The work being carried out in phases around the Central Boulevard until its scheduled completion in the summer of 2025 consists of several components. For example, the boulevard will be widened about 10 meters on most stretches and there will be more greenery and natural stone paving. In addition, a 30-meter-wide staircase will rise in front of the Kurhaus and the Scheveningen attraction will be provided with two large, public squares: at Beelden aan Zee and in front of the Kurhaus. During the work, the beach, beach pavilions, attractions and the boulevard itself will remain easily accessible to the public.

Quickly placed

The precast concrete retaining walls provided by Bosch Beton contribute to a very large extent to flawless construction logistics and a quick turnaround of the project. "With our dimensionally stable components, which weigh about 15 tons each due to their enormous dimensions, it is possible to install up to 100 meters of retaining wall per day," says Gerard van den Bosch, co-CEO at Bosch Beton. "With traditional concrete work you don't manage that, it all takes a lot longer." However, Bosch Beton's added value is evident in other respects as well. In addition to mold construction, production, logistics and assembly, the company also signed on for the complete engineering of the required retaining wall structures, the heaviest of which weighs as much as 26.5 tons. A downright challenge, partly because of the different, often complex retaining wall shapes and the realization of various lead-throughs and pouring facilities for the meter boxes that were incorporated directly into the precast elements at the Bosch Beton plant. "The practical bumps we encountered in this process were spotted early on and expertly tackled together with Heijmans," Gerard said. 

Barely any downtime

Thanks to its extensive production facilities and the presence of sufficient storage space, Bosch Beton was able to deliver the total of 950 linear meters of special retaining walls just-in-time in Scheveningen. In total, the Barneveld-based company delivered fourteen different precast concrete retaining wall types that distinguish themselves from each other through different dimensions and geometries. What they do have in common is unparalleled class. "Because we used only steel production molds, the concrete retaining walls are distinguished by a very high, consistent quality and dimensional stability. Partly because of this, we hardly had any downtime on the construction site," said Gerard, who looks back on the splendid project with great satisfaction. "At the moment, just about all the retaining walls have been installed. This completes most of our contribution."